Icy Strait Point

Kayak Guide

May - August 2019 • Hoonah, AK

What I liked

My job involved constant amazing new experiences, as I took out tours ranging from 5-35 people, mostly from the cruise ships. The wildlife and views along the tour were incredible and never got old even 3 months in to the season. Highlights would include close encounters with humpback whales, (almost) guaranteed bald eagle sightings, porpoises, and coastal brown bears. The job also involved sharing stories and rich culture from the Native Tlingit people, and attempting to share as much as their culture as possible in the tour. This had the effect of making me much more comfortable in public speaking, as it was a skill that I needed to use every day.

What I wish was different

The land that Icy Strait Point sits in is full of wildlife and natural scenery, and a cruise ship port obviously gives people a chance to see this amazing place, but the port is growing very quickly, and this is having an effect on the wildlife. For example, a local told me that where the cruise ship dock resides today used to be a meeting place for salmon during spawning season, but because of the dock, the salmon have moved. I would hope that the port does not expand so much that it is invasive to the wildlife, and they keep the mindset that wildlife comes first.

Advice

Summer jobs give an incredible opportunity to broaden your horizons and experience things that most people do not get to experience. I never would have thought that I would have lived and worked in Alaska for a job, but now I have. I would advise that anyone, especially students, should search for experiences that are out of their comfort zone, and push your boundaries past the city that you live in.

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