BIO
I grew up in Point Arena. Some of my earliest memories are of guiding my friends around the tide pools in Arena Cove and showing them all sorts of fun sea life. I attended the University of California Santa Barbara, graduating with a double major in environmental studies and geography, focused on coastal environments and oceanography. I have been professionally guiding since I graduated in 2016. I have spent time guiding in the sea caves of Channel Islands National Park, in the blue waters of the Hawaiian islands and on the hot summer sands of the east coast.
Favorite Adventure Trip
My favorite trip is a month long fishing and surfing road trip from northern California to the southern tip of Baja. I love exploring isolated areas and camping for extended periods of time, and Baja is a great place for both.
Favorite Piece of Gear
My favorite piece of gear is a Kestrel 3500 hand held anemometer. Im a weather nerd and this thing fits in your pocket and is super fun for measuring wind speed, temperature a so much more.
Featured Reviews from Billy’s past guiding experience
“On our recent visit to Maui we decided to sign the kids (11 & 13) up for private surf lessons. The morning of the scheduled lessons we received a text changing the location due to higher winds at the originally planned local (much appreciated as the kids needed calm conditions!). We drove to the spot and found our instructor Billy easily. He was super friendly and put us all at ease. After reviewing both how to care for the reef and basic surf instructions he took the kids out into the water. He had them catch waves one by one and was very careful to keep an eye on them both out in the water. They caught some good waves and came back in after almost 2 hours with huge smiles. The rest of the day we heard about how much fun Billy was. And to top it all off we were sent photos from the go-pro he mounted on their boards at no extra cost. It was great to see their smiles close up as they caught some waves! Thanks Billy you were amazing!!!
“I was lucky enough to have Billy as my instructor. What a phenomenal teacher and great person. Billy had me up and catching waves in my first session which shot through me like lightening. I am hooked on surfing for life — what there is left of it– I am 61 and just starting out (can a grom be 61? – YUP)
When I signed up for the three lesson package I expected to have the basics down at the end – how to pop up, how to paddle, surf etiquette, etc. and I was not disappointed. What I did not expect was to have an instructor with so much knowledge about the ocean and her creatures. Billy shared so much about how the waves and coasts work and change together and helped me see and feel the rhythm of the ocean and the importance of total respect for it.
My board knowledge was also vastly improved. I am looking forward to expanding my quiver as I progress. I plan on booking more sessions to help accelerate my abilities but Billy and Lucky Dog have already achieved a major goal for me – I AM A SURFER!”
“Our family went kayaking at the Channel Islands one day and took a surfing lesson the next. Luckily, we had the same guide both days, Billy. We’re experienced kayakers and Billy took us on a more adventurous paddle to the Cavern Cave. What a blast! Billy shared his knowledge and love of the environment. He made the trip fun, but made sure everyone was together and the caves were doable. The scenery and experience is quite special.
The next morning we met Billy at the beach for our surf lesson. He had everything ready to get out into the water. After a quick on-land lesson, we hit the waves which were perfect for beginners. He was so patient, gave specific directions for each one of us. My 9-year old had no trouble standing up on her board. When she had trouble getting back out, Billy went right in and helped her out. All of us were up on the board within the first few tries. We definitely appreciated his patience and once again, made our time on the water enjoyable. Thanks for a great two days.”