Kayak4Conservation’s mission is to support the indigenous communities of Raja Ampat through sustainable eco-tourism, education and business partnership with local Papuan people. By investing in local kayak guides and bringing business to family owned guesthouses, we desire to offer people alternative means of income that replace older environmentally destructive livelihoods such as bomb fishing, shark finning, bird poaching and logging. Kayak4Conservation acts as a bridge between foreign tourists and the island communities of Raja Ampat, who now proudly support themselves by showing off to you the most biodiverse marine environment in the world––their backyard! 

Starting out humbly with three plastic kayaks, Kayak4Conservation was co-founded in 2012 by Max Ammer and Tertius Kammeyer. Now our kayak fleet has grown to eleven single and four double kayaks, each hand-lain in fiberglass in molds graciously donated by Kaskazi Kayaks based out of South Africa. The best part of these high grade, professional sea kayaks is that they were handcrafted on location here in Raja Ampat by local staff!

Since then, we have been busy growing our small company, modifying our kayak routes (due to an unexpected arrival of salt water crocodiles!) and continuing to train our men into more confident, capable tour guides. In conjunction with the Raja Ampat Research and Conservation Centre, we are doing great things for the community here! Kayak4Conservation is an incredibly special project in the sense that it uses eco-tourism to support our national neighbours 100%. By providing marketing, finance, communications, and logistical infrastructure, we are able to continue training our kayak guides and supplying clients for local guesthouse owners. 

In addition to our five kayak guides we have educated and still employ a number of local men in fiberglass work and they are the builders of the kayaks we make use of today. There are a number of people who offer other facilities to visiting guests, such as bird watching trips (Wilson’s and Red Bird-of-Paradise), panoramic viewpoints or simply a nice clean beach with fresh coconuts for sale. All these people now generate an income from the services they provide.

This is why we do what we do. Other efforts Kayak4Conservation is involved with includes teaching English to the kayak guides, encouraging them to gain confidence when guiding and speaking to foreigners, and working in garbage waste management awareness projects such as the Friendly Drifter’s campaign and shark conservation with “Shark Stanley”.

– Manager of Kayak4Conservation

October 2019