Ed Zachowski became interested in kayaking as a way of taking part of his workouts out of the gym and into the open air. The convenience of river access at both his home and office enabled adapting his commute into a daily kayak trip. Ed became quickly addicted to this new past-time.

Very shortly after his initial exposure to kayaking, Ed got his first glimpse of a Greenland style qajaq. “Instantly, I fell in love with the lines of the boat, the round cockpit, the hard chines, and the low back deck. Admittedly, I was unaware of the significance of these features, but I can only describe the experience as a sort of epiphany - I immediately purchased it!”

Not possessing any of the necessary skills to properly handle the craft, Ed began a quest to find someone from whom he could learn. “Having been a winter-camping fanatic for years, I had a long- running respect for the arctic peoples who were able to flourish in harsh conditions – and I purposed to learn traditional skills.”

His search led him to Qajaq USA . Being a former Red Cross Certified Life Guard and Water Safety Instructor (WSI), Ed recognized the practical significance, and resulting confidence, that the traditional skills would provide. After reviewing the information on the Qajaq USA website, he immediately joined. Ed became involved in fundraising efforts for the Delmarva Paddlers Retreat. He now serves as Public Relations Chairperson and an Advisor to the Board. More recently, Ed has also become the general organizational head for Qajaq USA'a Delmarva Paddler's Retreat.

Ed, his wife Sheila, and two children, live on the Jersey Shore in Brick Township , NJ . Ed formally served as Secretary of the Jersey Shore Sea Kayaking Association, www.jsska.org , where he organized an ACA/L.L. Bean funded cleanup of the historic D&R Canal in Princeton , NJ . He is involved in independent fundraising efforts for Greenland style kayakers (www.sendthemtogreenland.org) and has received his certification in Wilderness First Aid (www.wfa.net).

“I am very fortunate to have found people willing to take the time to mentor me. Having leaned how to roll in my first season, one of my very good friends has pointed out: ‘I'm happy that you learned it Greenlandicly …as opposed to Euro.' I couldn't agree more - and value the excellent friendships and mentoring relationships that being a part of this organization has given me.”