John Kimantas

When John Kimantas took a job in Nanaimo, BC and first moved west from Ontario, he was struck by Vancouver Island’s natural beauty. Since those first few days on the Island, John has become somewhat of an expert on the natural wonders and recreational opportunities Vancouver Island holds.

John took an immediate interest in the water, and explored the British Columbia coast by kayak. Through these explorations, John began writing the Wild Coast series of guidebooks exploring the British Columbia coast in three installments. John also created the BC Coastal Recreation Kayaking and Small Boats Atlas series to help kayakers and other boaters navigate the BC coast.

When John’s exploration of the Island took him inland, he was disappointed to see that most road maps did not include many roads or other features that lay mid-island. Despite the enormous amount of information and features documented by various specialty clubs and organizations, John struggled to find a comprehensive guide to help access the world of recreational wonderment that he knew Vancouver Island held. As a result, John began to write and research his book, The Essential Vancouver Island Outdoor Recreation Guide.

John has worked at several daily newspapers across Canada, beginning as a cub reporter in The Pas, Manitoba, in 1986, moving on to become a magazine editor in Ontario and then managing editor at a daily newspaper on Vancouver Island.