A Brief History of the Jersey Shore Sea Kayak Association (JSSKA)
The scribes tell us that sometime around 1991 a group of friends met in the loft of Jersey Paddler. We can speculate they were trying to get Walt and John to give them discounts so they decided to form a club. Thomas Brian Hight is credited with coming up with the name although whether he was the first to refer to us as “Jessica” is unknown.
Fast forward a few years. People like Darren Caffey, Patrick Ford and Mike and Barbara Busch are brainstorming with other passionate paddlers. After a few meetings a large-scale recruitment blitz and PR campaign was launched for the club. Many new, energetic paddlers slowly began to build the membership. With more people to take on different roles within the organization, and with the computer expertise of Wild Bill McArthur, the much-loved Paddlers Express message board and launch site directory was born.
Where are we eating after the paddle?
Over the years some names ring special here. Past Presidents Tracy Coon, Linda T., Kerry Kirk Pflugh, Ed Mann, and Rich Koppel, Activities Specialists like Jules Bodner and Dana Rutherford, our long-standing treasurer Sam Mikhail all left their imprint on the club. With their leadership and the help of too many others to name, JSSKA became a leader in the NJ outdoor community. Whether it was cleaning up an entire island in Barnegat Bay, sending a large contingent of paddlers for swim support for MIMS, oyster farming in Raritan Bay, or just being the boisterous group at Paddle Sport each year, JSSKA was there.
Today JSSKA meets new challenges head on. Current president Cie Stroud along with VP Noel Yong are building a new base of paddlers with many new faces, keeping JSSKA a still relevant club. Promoting Safety and Stewardship of the outdoors JSSKA looks forward to meeting new paddlers of all skill levels and passions. We look forward to meeting YOU!