Deb Volturno is a certified badass—literally. Inducted into the ACA Hall of Fame and recipient of the ACA Legends of Paddling Award in 2024, Volturno’s impact as an instructor, teacher and mentor can be felt throughout the West Coast and across oceans. She is an ACA Level 5: Advanced Open Water Coastal Kayaking Instructor Trainer Educator—the only woman to hold this certification—as well as a Level 4: Performance Surf Kayaking Instructor Trainer Educator. Volturno also holds the rank of captain of the ocean adventure kayaking team, the Tsunami Rangers.
A former member of the U.S. Surf Kayak Team and a founding member of Surf Sirens—an annual event designed to introduce more women to surf kayaking—Volturno remains committed to making the sport more inclusive and accessible for the next generation.
Deb Volturno on the future of sea kayaking
What’s changed most in 40 years of coaching?
There are more women instructors and more women seeking instruction. Skill levels have built tremendously to more dynamic conditions, coastal environments, surf and rock gardening. Not as many paddlers are doing expeditions; they’re just striving for a place to play, to surf and do rock gardening. Certifying instructors at higher levels is different, too, because they’re not doing expeditions and they’re not using navigation, so those skills aren’t as strong as they used to be. There’s a lot more reliance on electronic devices—when they break down or the battery goes dead, the paddlers are lost, literally.
When did you find out you were declared a sea kayaking legend?
I was completely blindsided. I had just gotten off the water, and I was driving home and got a call from the friend who had put this together. I was speechless. It’s been an opportunity to reflect on my time as an instructor and the people who have made this journey fantastic for me. John Lull was my mentor, and I thank him with a great deal of gratitude for mentoring me. He was also a Tsunami Ranger, and he was a huge part of me stepping off into the rest of my kayak instructing career. John was like a big brother who supported me developing my skills.
Where do you find ideas to keep coaching fresh?
Students are just as dynamic as the sea, and that’s one of the most fascinating parts of teaching—trying to figure out the texture, to figure out what’s going on with each individual and what’s going on with the group. I was a high school science and math teacher, and a big part was trying to figure out the students and how they could best learn and how to hook them. Once you’ve got them hooked, you can start having a lot of fun.
Who are the Surf Sirens?
Surf Sirens is an annual all-women’s kayak surfing and rough water play camp. It’s taken on a life of its own. It sells out in an hour. There’s so much confidence that gets built, and that can’t happen without trust and support in that community.
Women learn differently from the guys. Women can do all the same things; they can achieve the same greatness, but women attack risk differently. Getting groups of women together is truly amazing—there’s so much support. There’s trust, and there’s a willingness to take on leadership roles. Guys don’t need trust to attack a task.
Why are accessibility and inclusivity important in paddlesports?
It just makes the world a better place. Bringing people together and sharing experiences opens people’s minds to things that are different from our own personal world.
This article was published in Issue 74 of Paddling Magazine. Surf’s up, sister. Cofounded by Deb Volturno, Surf Sirens is an annual West Coast kayak surf and rough water camp for every level. | Feature photo: Kristy Dahlquist
