Tours

Captain John's Bio:

John von Tesmar has a long and deep history with watersport activities. Growing up on Lake Erie, his father taught him how to sail on an 18 ft Interlake. Through high school and into college, summer time was spent by the water, with or without a boat. Experiences shared with friends, Michael Johnson and Sean Allds, created a competitive companionship and helped instill the desire for progression.

College years were spent at the University of Colorado, far from any ocean, where there was little opportunity for water recreation. As a remedy, John ventured to windsurfing hotspots such as Cape Hatteras, NC, and the Columbia River Gorge, OR where he worked as a windsurf instructor. (Rhonda's Smith's Windsurfing, Big Winds, and Hatteras Wind'n'Surf) It was in the Gorge where John began to focus on kitesurfing.

After graduating in 2002 with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, John was more interested in an ocean lifestyle than being in the mountains so he set a course for California. In the spring of 2003, John found a job in the San Francisco Bay Area with a retail store/kitesurfing school, Helm of Sun Valley. In 2007, he became the Lead Kitesurf Instructor at the popular kiting/windsurfing spot-3rd Ave.

Since his move to become a kitesurf instructor, John has taught nearly 600 hours worth of lessons on the San Francisco Bay. He has pioneered the use of "jet-ski assisted" lessons and aspires to increase kitesurfing participation in areas of limited shore access. His newly acquired Jet-Boat, named Windseeker, has become the ultimate teaching/touring vessel allowing for multiple passengers, gear, and Kite-Pole Training.

John is a PASA Certified, Level 3 Instructor. In March of 2010, John was issued his Captain's license by the United States Coast Guard. This license, an Operator of Uninspected Passenger Vehicle, (OUPV) allows John to take up to 6 passengers for hire aboard aboard his vessel.