Paddling the Inside Passage??

, 2 min, 386 words

Tags: adventuring alaska

Okay, here goes: after two years of guiding and existing on the water, I'm going for a long, involved expedition. This summer, if all goes well, I'll be paddling the Inside Passage from Washington to Alaska. Just writing that gives me the jitters.

Why

Really, why not?

Less flippantly, I've been honing my kayaking skills (and personal finances) for a few years now, and I feel ready for a longer endeavor. Thus far, the longest trip I've done is five days, and I'm ready to bite off a bit more.

The Inside Passage is a sort of holy grail for North American kayakers, and it balances the new and familiar for me. The environment and hazards are familiar from guiding, while much of the coastline will be new. It brings me back to Alaska, where my outdoors life began. In a lot of ways, it just feels right.

On another level, I think it's a way to get some introspection time at a life juncture. I love the life I've built for myself in the outdoors, but I'm also ready to put my tech skills to work making the world a better place. I hope that with introspection and some distance, I'll be able to find a path that holistically satisfies me.

Ah, the logistics

I'll be doing a lot of planning over the next few months. A few key logistical topics:

  • Route – I tentatively plan to follow Miller's route, from Kayaking the Inside Passage. There's still lots of choices to be made.
  • Gear – I already own a fair amount of the gear I'll need, but I'll be polishing up my list and making some purchases. For instance, I've been an outdoors professional for two years and still don't own a stove.
  • Risk management – there are lots of things to be aware of along the Inside Passage, and plenty of research to be done to mitigate risks as much as possible.
  • Food – I plan to do a mix of mailed resupplies of dehydrated food and purchased resupplies along the way.

Stay tuned as I plan for the adventure of a lifetime!