About us
Paddling Academy was born out of love for kayaking and the archipelago. We organise memorable sea kayaking excursions in the heart of the Archipelago Sea, as well as quality kayaking training for all kayaking enthusiasts. We offer day tours as well as longer sea kayaking trips, excursions for private groups and training for beginners and more experience kayakers, from basic courses to advanced courses and private kayaking lessons. For more experienced kayakers, we rent kayaks and offer self-guided tour packages.
Paddling Academy guides and instructors
The Paddling Academy team is made up of experienced and friendly local sea kayaking professionals.
Gabriel Sydänvirta
Gabriel Sydänvirta, founder and the main guide of Paddling Academy, is a trained sea kayak guide of the Finnish Canoeing and Rowing Federation and the Finnish Sea Kayaking Association. He lives with his family in the archipelago and you can visit his favourite places and treasures of the archipelago on our tours. Gabriel is an experienced kayaker who has spent his whole life in nature and on the water. He understands the needs of paddlers and wants to offer everyone a unique paddling experience.
Andreas Wiberg
Andi's passion is nature and the sea and he loves guiding paddling and beautiful archipelago nature. Andi is educated paddling guide, wilderness guide and paramedic and you will often see him accompanying Paddling Academy on longer tours.
Pauliina Wright
Pauliina is kayaking in the Archipelago Sea throughout the meltwater period. Pauliina is a sea kayaking guide and instructor for the Finnish Canoeing and Rowing Federation and the Finnish Sea Kayaking Association. For Pauliina, the highlights of kayaking are the changing seasons, landscapes, wind and waves.
ElinMaria Sydänvirta
ElinMaria is a Yoga and Mindfulness instructor of Paddling Academy, a wizard at creating delicious vegan field meals and a very experienced kayak carrier.
Paddling Academy works in close co-operation with Moving Heart, a company owned by Gabriel and ElinMaria Sydänvirta. Moving Heart offers a wide range of dance, yoga, mindfulness and adventure sport services. We therefore have a very broad experience and ability to offer clients a wide range of nature, adventure and movement experiences.
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Our partners
We are by no means alone here, but we work in diverse cooperation with other entrepreneurs in the area, the Finnish Canoeing and Rowing Federation, the Finnish Seakayaking Association, the Municipality of Pargas and Visit Turku Archipelago.
Our partner in Korppoo is Korpo Kajakboden.
Read more about tourism and activities in the area here:
You can find out more about the services available in the Turku region at visitturku.fi