Guide training 5/11-13

4  Guide training  5/11-13

Adventures are better shared and are enriched by having something productive as an outcome, in this instance an educated guide staff. As part of our guide training Sunny Cove did a three day kayak camping trip exploring Resurrection Bay. This was my favorite part of our 13 day training.  

We spent a night at Caines Head and an evening on the Fox Island spit. True to Alaska weather we had sun, rain, wind, calm, sleet, and even a few snow flakes. Paddling skills got tested on our return with 20 + knot winds and 4 foot waves pushing us from Thumbs Cove to Lowell Point in record time. 

We had a breeching humpback in Halibut Cove, and orca’s off of the Spit, cruising through sunshine and sleet. It was an excellent paddle taking in Caine’s Head, Fox Island, Humpy Cove and Thumbs Cove. Along the way we discussed wind and waves, identified birds, looked at tidal zones, talked about temperate rain forests. practiced camp cooking, discussed what it means to be a guide and how to be an effective leader. 

5 Ptarmigan Lake Hike 5/25

This outing was the first day Kat and I escaped season start up work to hike. It was also the first warm day of an unusually cold spring. Tim  and Michelle joined us as did John Fowler. 

Tim and Michele are both excellent naturalists … we identified birds and collected stinging nettles. Cooked up with garlic the nettles are a real treat. You just have to be careful not to get stung when collecting.

6  1^st afternoon delight tour with clients 5/27

I shadowed a tour and ended up enjoying the outing and writing this blog for the Sunny Cove blog site www.kayakseward.com.

One of the best things about guiding is the interesting people you meet. This afternoons’ tour included two retired Canadian gals from Greenstone, who shared their experiences as wildlife rehabilitation volunteers working with bald eagles and ravens. Jane had even raised a crow. Of course we got into an unresolved debate about which bird raven or crow was smarter. 

This sparked other wildlife related discussions and we ended up hearing about searching for snow leopards from a post doc student from India who is currently studying at UCLA and escapes to Alaska whenever he has a chance. Rounding out our tour were two locals, one of our fishing boat captains and the other the captain who runs the Park Service research vessel. This tour was unusual for the amount of expertise in the natural history / outdoor arena but it I always find I learn something from our guests. They come from all walks of life and with different levels of kayaking experience but they almost always have something interesting to share. Bring your stories and we’ll trade tales.