Karl Krüger, Founder President

Captain, athlete, business owner, President of a non-profit, and outdoorsman, Karl has spent his life on the water.

Karl's father began his education as a paddler when he was 3 years old. Karl taught himself to windsurf at age 12, and began teaching sailing when he was 17. Karl now holds a United States Coast Guard 100 Ton Master’s License with Sail and Tow endorsements. For over 20 years, he has cruised extensively in the San Juan Islands, Canadian Gulf Islands, the Canadian Coast, and Alaska.

In the 2017 Race to Alaska  (R2AK), Karl became the first, and only, person to paddle the full 750 mile race course on a Stand Up Paddleboard (SUP), completing the race in 14 days and 6 hours.

Beginning in 2022 and 2023, Karl has completed two seasons of Paddling the Northwest Passage, a total of 877 miles thus far through the Arctic Ocean. What began as a single-season bid to SUP the Northwest Passage has evolved into a multi-year expedition to go deeper into what the Arctic offers. This summer (2025) he will return to the Arctic to continue his paddle. 

Karl holds a B.S. in Environmental Science/ Toxicology and an A.A.S. in Ecology and Environmental Technology. He also holds current certifications for CPR and Outdoor Emergency Care.

More about the Arctic Paddle can be found here: https://www.krugercreative.org/paddling-the-arctic.