Paul Grey was born in Nanaimo in 1951. His family has lived in Nanaimo and area for well over 100 years. He teaches at Coal Tyee Elementary School situated above the Northfield mining shaft his father worked as a young man. In 1993 Paul won the local Prime Minister's Awards for an environmental teaching project with his Grade 3 students. Three years later he won a provincial level Prime Minister's Award. In 1997 he won a Royal Bank fellowship to Queen's University in Ontario for his work in Information Technology. Paul has worked on several science projects with the Mid Island Science & Technology Council (MISTIC). He has been recognized for his outstanding science work and received a lithograph as the outstanding science teacher of BC in 1999. Paul has written four books including Easykayaker: a Guide to Laid-back Vancouver Island Paddling and Kayaking Vancouver Island: Great Trips from Port Hardy to Victoria. Paul is a co-founder of the Wave Publications Cooperative.

Gary Backlund has helped organize the last four Vancouver Island Paddlefests held in Ladysmith, BC. He is a house designer and building consultant and has delivered workshops on housing maintenance for First Nation communities throughout BC and the Yukon. Gary and his daughter, Katherine are the volunteer wardens for the Woodley Range Ecological Reserve, the home of 29 rare plant species. Gary and his family own and operate a British Columbia Managed Forest. Gary also sits on the Cowichan Valley Regional District's Round Table on the Environment.