On the waterfront

For mortgage agent and former Olympian Rhys Hill, kayaking is more than just a pastime

On the waterfront

WHEN RHYS HILL’S outdoor enthusiast parents signed him up for a kayaking and canoeing day camp at the age of 10, none of them anticipated the impact it would eventually have on his life: The Ottawa-based mortgage agent’s passion for paddling took him all the way to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

But even the end of his competitive career wasn’t enough to separate Hill from his kayak. In 2012, a trip into the Arctic with his mom turned into a five year summer gig, guiding groups of up to 10 people to savour the solitude in remote northern Canada.

This summer, Hill is enjoying family time with his newly born baby, but he still takes his kayak out at least a few times a week, either on one of the bodies of water around Ottawa or on regular trips to the family cottage.