I’m sitting at my desk, watching early morning snowfall (well, mid-morning…sunrise is around 9:00 am these days) and thinking about how lucky I am to be where I am now. Luck coupled with determination with a hearty helping of others helping me along has brought me to where I had hoped to be for more than a decade.

In 2006 I joined the Sunny Cove team as the Day Trips Coordinator. Although I wasn’t new to Alaska or guiding, it turned out I was as green as they come when it comes to understanding kayaking and the Pacific Ocean. Through a lot of patience and training, I learned a lot and fell in love with Seward and Sunny Cove.

Over the years I promoted, and eventually, John, the originator of Sunny Cove indicated he was ready to retire and sell the business. It took me a few years, but with a lot of help, we figured out how to make the transaction work for everyone, and I took over ownership in October 2019.

Some of you have heard the story of buying a tourism-based business just a few months before the 2020 pandemic, so I won’t re-tell it, but will fast-forward to the end, where we made it through.

2021 brought some of the biggest crowds we’d ever seen, and to make it even more fun, over the course of the summer four guides sustained injuries in non-work related accidents, shorting our guide staff, despite the number of tours we already had booked. We made it through, and although it was a financially successful summer I’d put money down on a bet that none of my staff, including myself would wish to go through managing that kind of workload again.

2022 was going to be the normal year…whatever that means. And it started off looking good, until May 7th, when the Lowell Point Landslide completely cut road access to our home base to Seward and left us relying on a boat shuttle. While we were able to run trips into Kenai Fjords and to Fox Island, nearly 40% of our trip opportunities were cut off completely until June 10, 2022. So much for normal, haha. 🤦🏼‍♀️

As always, despite the challenges of the past, I am an eternal optimist when it comes to business. I’m looking forward to 2023, but I’ve taken the phrase normal year out of my vocabulary when it comes to projections. It’s hard to believe we’re in for anything but a good year with the news that a good chunk of my staff will be returning for another spin around Resurrection Bay.

Speaking of staff…they are 100% my main reason for feeling grateful. I am lucky enough to work with some of the most empathetic, hard-working, hilarious, and adventurous people in the world, since day one of my life with Sunny Cove. Enjoy a few staff photos from over the years.

I hope you’re exactly where you want to be for this upcoming Thanksgiving weekend!

xo - Stephanie

More Grateful Each Year

‘Spring’ Update

October Update