Meet the Team
David Rack
Co-Owner/Videographer/Entrepreneur of Adventure
David has a little too much enthusiasm after drinking coffee and gets really excited about new ideas. He has 2 young toddler named Poppy and another one on the way with his partner Jacqueline who is a yoga teacher with sun yoga bum. It is hard for him to let go of working in the business, but with great operations managers and amazing guides, he has found time to explore other passions and business ideas like “The Treemetery” an eco-evolution of the cemetery.
Past guiding experience: Maui kayak tours with dolphins, Dominican Republic kitesurf trips, Backcountry Skiing expeditions. If you see him on a kayak any more he is probably standing on it.
Favorite New Orleans Food: Crawfish Boil in a park on a giant table.
Favorite outside activity: Acro-Yoga, there is a great acro-yoga community in New Orleans.
Michael Fischer
Co-Owner/Content Creation/Advertising
Michael keeps the ship sailing in the right direction. He handles all of the content creation and advertising for New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours. During the drone filming, Michael took the role of asset recovery as there was nowhere to land the drone, so he stuck his neck out and made a brave move to keep the video drone from falling in the water.
Inspiration for content creation: #Jerryoftheday
Favorite New Orleans Food: Po’ boy and a beer
Favorite outside activity: Walking “lucky” his dog.
Most memorable moment on the swamps: Passing a sinking houseboat, Michael was brave enough and selfless enough to stop the tour and get the group to help make a chain to get the owner and the owners stuff out of the house.
Jeffrey Chitek
Operations Manager/Guide/Reception
Jeff has a way with words and an uncanny ability to capture the swamp with his camera. Don’t hesitate to hand him your iphone camera to get a great photo.
Where will you find him on friday night? a fringy behind the scenes circus party.
Favorite Local eats: Always a great topic of conversation!
Favorite wildlife to spot on tour: Frogs
Favorite outdoor activity: Photography
Alexander J. Nash
Operations Manager/Guide/Reception
AJ has a passion for the natural world and likes to start his day off slow with a cup a coffee while sitting on the porch watching the sun rise.
Where will you find him on sunday? You might find him in a second line on Sunday.
Favorite local eats: If you want to know where to grab some great food, ask AJ!
Favorite Nola party spot: Frenchman Street on the street.
Favorite wildlife to spot on tour: Baby Alligator
Favorite outdoor activity: Mushroom foraging
I’ve lived on the water all my life. From the Great Lakes of Wisconsin, to the Puget Sound and Olympic Peninsula in Washington. I spent many years along the Columbia and Willamette rivers in Oregon (add a few dozen) and a handful of winters on the Pacific Ocean off California. Finally, I’m a happy resident of the wetlands of Louisiana outside of New Orleans. You could say this type of work is my passion by default at this point, and I truly couldn’t imagine life any other way.
Throughout the years I’ve been involved with wetland restoration projects, native plant conservation, wildlife management and preservation initiatives, ecological agriculture studies and outreach programs with American Indian Tribes, farmers, scientists and ethnobotanists across the United States, Canada, Mexico and Central America.
My specific interests lie within soil studies, water quality, botany, mycology, fish and wildlife management, habitat loss and natural/geomorphological history. Louisiana’s wetlands have helped me really cut my teeth on the overall time-frame and urgency of these challenges, both globally and locally. There’s absolutely nowhere like the Southern Louisiana Bayou. Upon first glance, we hold the key to the survival of more than 90% of the species in the Gulf of Mexico, though we represent more than 80% of the land loss nationally/annually. This is SCARY. Our backyard also hosts unparalleled mystery and charm in my eyes, which no science can explain.
Head out on the water with us soon to find out why. If you have specific interests please let us at New Orleans Kayak Swamp Tours know prior, so we can pair you with the right guide, in the best location. We’re always exploring new terrain and strive to create the perfect kayak swamp tour experience for anyone! We may be many years into this extremely fun operation, that a few of us wild-eyed dreamers created; but we’d love to connect your fresh perspectives with our future goals. After all, time there was a plenty, but from that cup, no more!
Water is Life,
AJ-
Olive
Kelley
Gertie
Emma Reid
Guide
She fights for the environment!
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