Meri is the obsessive organizer of the group. She loves to plan events of all types. Meri is rarely seen without Hack or Wondermutt, who share both her house and her paddling obsession. She has a yard that breeds kayaks, enjoys running Sweep on events, and does all the crazy things so you can learn from her mistakes. Usually paddles Squirrel, her 16' Zepyhr, but can also be spotted in her yellow Cayuga, her 17' Tsunami, or surfing down at Sea Isle on her Yak Board. Meri is certified in Basic First Aid, Wilderness First Aid, and CPR. She is also a Red Cross Certified Canoe and Kayak Instructor.



Don joined the DVK in July of '08. He is obsessed with kayaking. He can usually be found in his 12' Tsunami, but has other boats as well. Don is not too picky about where he paddles, but he loves hanging out with the DVK on all of their adventures. He can be found helping out with many of the camping and kayaking trips. He loves to see new members on the water!


Hack is the tall one in the group at 6'4". Her dog Kibeth, a seventy pound Border Collie mix, frequently comes on paddles with the DVK in their Synergy 12. It has room for Kibeth in the back and is fondly referred to as "the green monstrosity." She is currently teaching her Golden Retriever, Keppra, to join her on the water. Hack can also be found in her whitewater boat, a Jackson SuperHero that was custom cut to fit her. With Kibeth or Keppra along, she tends to run Sweep, but when they stay home she likes to be in Point. She is obsessed with getting other dogs out on the water with the DVK; if you have a dog that you are interested in trying out in your kayak, give her a shout. Hack is a Red Cross Certified Canoe and Kayak Instructor. She is certified in CPR.


Scott is the 'Staff Naturalist' of DVK, as a lifelong birder and naturalist, Scott brings his identification skills to our paddles. If you have waterproof binoculars, make sure you bring them with you on some of our paddles, the wildlife is often outstanding. Scott hosts our annual Birding Paddle on Parvin Lake in the spring. He is the author of 2 books on backyard birds and habitat as well as articles for Birder's World and Wild Bird magazine. Scott also brings his love and enthusiasm for paddling to every DVK event and is very active in many environmental causes.



Jon is the thrill seeker of the DVK. He often paddles up at point, and he's always going on about the latest kayaking move that you just have to try out. His favorite kind of kayaking is whitewater, but you'll see him on all sorts of trips with the DVK. Jon is still fairly new to whitewater, but he's very enthusiastic about planning whitewater trips for the group. If you have any ideas for a whitewater trip, Jon is the one to contact.



Steve has been sea kayaking for 11 years and surf kayaking for 4 years. He lives on Mantua creek and can paddle from his backyard. He earned his ACA Basic Coastal Kayak Instructor certification 3 years ago. He loves to camp along the Delaware Bay. Like many of the organizers, Steve paddles year round. If you are interested in Sea Kayaking (or kayak surfing) Steve is the one to contact!



Jim grew up on the water getting a row boat for his eleventh birthday. He has only been kayaking for less than two years, but he has become a bit addicted to it. You will have a hard time missing him in his lime green Cayuga, unless his daughter Sarah has usurped it. He has not done any ocean kayaking yet, but has taken advantage of seminars at Bel Haven and Al and Sam's to learn much about kayaking in the rivers and lakes in this area.



Jason is the explorer of the group. He frequently paddles new places to see if they are safe for the rest of the DVK. He can be found exploring in his 16' Tsunami. His favorite river is the Rancocas and he has paddled there (with and without the DVK) many times. If you think of a new place to go, Jason is usually found checking it out for the rest of the group.



Denise frequently paddles in Pennsylvania, where she now lives, having moved from New Hampshire in 2007. There she paddled the Connecticut River, Lake Winnepesaukee, and other small lakes. Some of her favorite paddles in PA are Neshaminy Creek, the Delaware River around Burlington Island by Bristol, and Lake Nockimixon; in NJ, she likes Assacunk Creek and Mercer County Park Lake. If you have a question about paddling in Eastern PA, Denise is the one to ask. Denise is certified in Basic First Aid, CPR and AED; and also enjoys helping new kayakers become familiar with their boats and comfortable on the water.



Victor is the head of our “North Jersey Division.” Most of the paddles that he plans are up in the upper half of the state (although he does come down to paddle with us in the south). He can be found in his 14' Manitou. Like Jason, he does a lot of exploring to make sure that a paddle is suitable for the rest of the DVK. He will paddle any river at any time of year, earning him the nickname “Macho Man.” If you paddle in Northern New Jersey, Victor will most likely be leading the way.



Cory is fairly new to kayaking. He started with two generic boats that he found on the side of the road. He has now graduated to a 16' Zephyr. He is naturally very talented at rolling and helps out at many of the rolling practice days. He is frequently found in the company of his housemates Hack and Meri who have affectionately nicknamed him “Wondermutt.”