Staff Spotlight: James Gaffney

Here’s a secret: James Gaffney is not only an accomplished river guide; he’s also a design engineer for John Deere.

Now, if you met him at our outpost in Saxapahaw, you’d probably never guess that he studied mechanical engineering and works on the construction side of John Deere’s business. You’d most likely just meet the paddler, the outdoor enthusiast who wants to share his passion.

Which is fine with him.

Like all our staff, James Gaffney’s heart lies in connecting people to the outdoors. His love of paddling started in 2013 thanks to a teacher who ran an outdoor adventure program at his high school. That club got James into kayaking and whitewater SUP-ing, and it was the springboard for guiding for an outfitter near Richmond. There, he spent about three years guiding the James River, a four-mile stretch that runs through downtown Richmond. That experience instilled a love of sharing the outdoors with other people.

A New Home in Central NC

When he moved to the Triad area, James visited Saxapahaw and was naturally drawn to our outpost at The Haw River Canoe & Kayak Co. Since then, he’s been guiding a variety of lake and river trips.

James seems to specialize in night trips: Sunset Paddle, Owl Prowl, and Stargazing Paddle. He credits all the wildlife “nighttime action” for making the Owl Prowl such a sought-after trip. That magical experience offers heron sightings, fish jumping around your kayak, beavers, and a lot of frog calls.

James also leads another popular trip, the Picnic Paddle. This experience differs from our lake trips as it combines a “fun downriver stretch of water” with the chance to picnic with friends. It’s quickly become another guest favorite.

The Importance of Getting Outside

It’s always been The Haw River Canoe & Kayak Co.’s belief that if we can get enough people out into nature, we can help build a more sustainable society. James frequently echoes this belief in his conversation, simply acknowledging that the act of getting people outdoors is “pretty enticing.”

During his tenure as a guide in Saxapahaw, James has noticed that many guests come from the NC Triangle area and are looking for a break from urban life, even if only for a few hours. Since Saxapahaw feels a bit more remote, people from urban areas get to see “more concentrated wildlife and find some peacefulness and mindfulness out on the water.”

The Haw River’s forested corridor makes it easy to get on the water and feel as if the modern world has disappeared. That’s a nice way to spend a few hours.

A Lifelong Love of Paddling

Though James is committed to his primary field of mechanical engineering, he would like to keep guiding wherever he “might end up living.” It’s clear that he likes to connect people to nature, but he’s not all business all the time. He also just likes to have fun, “get out on the weekends and get outside for a few hours.”

These days, that fun often means paddleboarding. He paddles Lake Mackintosh when he wants to relax, light whitewater in Richmond when he travels, and most recently, he paddled the Haw River section that starts below the Glencoe Dam and took out at Red Slide Park.

One Strange Thing

James recently realized that he shares an uncommon ability with one of our other staff members: he too can ride a unicycle. What are the odds? For those of us who have worked in the outdoor industry, that coincidence is not that surprising. This field is full of interesting people who are always looking to push themselves and love to share their adventures in the woods and on the water.

If you take a trip and get James as your guide, take time to get to know him. He’s happy to see you, and he’s got stories to tell.