September Kokatat Instructor of the Month: Ty Atwater!

The ACA is proud to announce the September Kokatat Instructor of the Month—Ty Atwater from Corvalis, Oregon! 

Ty is an ACA Swiftwater Rescue and Whitewater Rafting Instructor and was introduced to river rafting by his parents at the early age of 5. Ty loves rafting, especially pulling on oars. During the last couple of years, he has also spent considerable time in canoes in the Boundary Waters of MN and learning to kayak the local creeks of the Northwest. While he has gained an appreciation of non-inflatable craft, rafting is still number one in his heart. 

When asked what drew him to become an ACA Instructor, Ty explains, "Once I started guiding for my college outdoor program, I was hooked on teaching and sharing my love of water sports. After a short stint as a fisheries tech in Washington state I knew I had to get back to working with college students. I took an ACA Swiftwater rescue and Raft guide instructor course and the rest is history.”

One of Ty’s favorite runs is on the John Day in Oregon—the Clarno to Cottonwood section. He raves about the remote location, breathtaking scenery, and the warm and dry weather (a rarity for Oregon!). His second favorite is the Breitenbush River in the Oregon cascades, boasting equally awesome scenery and great kayaking.

We asked Ty about one of his fondest paddling memories, and he offered up a story about a very delicious bet:

“I once bet a friend that he couldn’t body surf in a hole for ten seconds. Of course he was successful, and we had to pay up on the bet of a gallon of sherbet ice cream. We had no way to keep it frozen and ended up eating it all in the parking lot of the store split 6 ways. To this day I can’t eat Orange Sherbet.”

Next on his adventure wishlist: paddling in Alaska for the summer. He hopes to one day make it to the icy state, bringing all types of water craft and packing in as much as possible, from running rivers to sea kayaking.

Congratulations, Ty!

To learn more about Ty and our other Instructors of the Month, or to submit a nomination, visit our website.