Scotty “Mackerel” McCormack is a wilderness guide, paddling instructor, and outdoor educator from Nova Scotia (Mi’kma’ki), Canada, where he runs his own paddling company, Cape LaHave Adventures. Scott has over 30 years of experience guiding paddling expeditions in Canada, from Newfoundland and Labrador to British Columbia, and internationally, from Antarctica and South America to the Norwegian Arctic.
Scotty holds a Master of Environmental Studies (MES) from York University, a Bachelor of Education (BEd) in outdoor and experiential education from Queen’s University, and a BA in international development and Spanish from Dalhousie University. His research explores human-nature relationships, ecological identity, and how expeditions that employ Indigenous technologies such as the kayak can mediate a deeper understanding of, and connection to, a place.
A certified canoe, paddleboard, and sea kayak instructor and instructor trainer with Paddle Canada, Scott delivers safe, fun, and meaningful experiences for all populations and skill levels. Having guided more than ninety expeditions in Antarctica over twelve seasons, Scott is excited to share his love for adventure as a sea kayak, paddle support, and naturalist guide with Quark guests for the 2026–27 season. When Scotty isn’t guiding or paddling, you might find him cooking a meal over an open fire with family and friends, playing music, sailing, walking his doggie Shemp, or stoking the wood-stove sauna that he built in his seaside backyard.
