OUR STORY
About Us
A place to breathe.
During the 1990’s Joe Bourgeois spent most of his time outdoors enjoying winter and summer outdoor pursuits. His passion was for winter travel. He had lots of skills and knowledge to share. After teaching many friends and family Joe started Akuni Adventures in 1999 to teach winter skills to the public. Akuni is an Inuit word meaning “for a long time”. A word with both a meaning and a goal to make sure customer’s outdoor experiences last forever.
In 2001 Joe started offering the Ontario Recreational Canoe and Kayak Association (ORCKA) Canoe Program and later the land navigation courses. After five years the winter program was dropped as the staff were getting tired pulling sleds across the ice in the dead of winter at -30C! This course is still offered to groups by request.
Today the land navigation courses and the ORCKA programs are the main focus. Thousands of people, through hundreds of courses, have come through Akuni Adventures programs. Most are repeat customers.
Joe Bourgeois
Joe has training in mountaineering, ski mountaineering, ice climbing, glacier travel, rock climbing, white water kayaking, sea kayaking, canoeing, sea kayak navigation, lifeguarding, swimming instructing, river rescue and calculus. Joe spent 4 months in the arctic on the northern tip of Ellesmere Island on an environmental cleanup program. He has climbed mountains such as Mount Athabasca, Mount Lynx and A2. Joe has performed a winter trek pulling a sled down the coast of James Bay in the dead of winter, canoed many major rivers in Canada and internationally in countries such as Belize and Australia. He has trekked many of the world’s greatest hikes such as the West Coast Trail BC, Milford Trek New Zealand, Auyuittuq Baffin Island, Gros Morne Newfoundland and Blue Mountain Park in Australia. Joe’s travels have taken him to Iceland, Greenland, Germany, Belize, Guatemala, Australia, New Zealand, St. Lucia, Singapore, Hong Kong, USA, Fiji, and Indonesia…so far. Joe is currently living in Australia trying to get use to the heat.
Teaching Certifications:
Certified Training and Development Professional
National Green Check GPS Instructor Trainer
ORCKA Basic Canoe Instructor Trainer
ORCKA Level 3 Tripping Instructor
ORCKA Level 3 River Running Instructor
ORCKA Level 3 Canadian Style Paddling Instructor
Former Red Cross First Aid Instructor
Outdoor Certifications:
Wilderness Medical Associates Wilderness First Responder
Swift Water Rescue Technician
Red Cross First Aid Instructor
