In August of 2024, two days before the trip was scheduled to leave, I received a phone call inviting me to attend a kayaking expedition in the Prince William Sound. I had never been ocean kayaking, and up until that point, I thought my application had not been selected. Excited for the opportunity, I cleared my schedule and packed my gear.
During that week, there was record-breaking rainfall. You might think that put a damper on the trip, and we were damp the whole time, yes. But, even as the rain poured day after day, and we were stuck in our little cove, we learned about the waves and the moon; we told riddles and made jokes; we drank hot cocoa and hot liquid IV—which I do not recommend. That aspect of the trip taught me about perseverance in less-than-ideal situations.
We kayaked two out of the seven days. One of the days, the rain had let up, and it seemed safe… However, that afternoon, another storm approached, and we had to make a pit stop for the night in a sheltered cove. We set up camp following our usual routine, but this time, after waking, we discovered a bear had broken through the bear fence and eaten all our bagels. For the rest of the trip, we took turns touching the bear fence to ensure it was on —as you can imagine, it did not feel amazing. This experience taught me the importance of ‘double-checking’, even in situations where you don’t think it’s necessary.
The most memorable moment occurred on the final day. We were at the halfway point, and the boat was headed to pick us up. We woke up at six to kayak to the pick-up point. During this kayak, we broke out onto the open ocean; it was one of the most extraordinary things I’ve ever seen.
Having lived in the wilderness that rainy week, I have a great appreciation for the coves that protected us. I developed a greater care for the world around me and a deeper sense of responsibility. This trip truly left a mark on me, and I’m sure the same can be said for many others.