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Today, guides at KAW had the enormous pleasure of meeting Dan Olsen, who researches killer whales in Alaska. It was amazing to hear from someone so knowledgeable about such an incredible animal. A few fun facts I learned about the killer whale:

Today was something of a hodgepodge. Our original schedule sent us on a day trip today, but the weather (25 knot winds and high seas) sadly made that impossible. Two of my favorite activities for the day were reading surface maps and experiencing the Seward community through my first First Friday.

Training today included history, self-rescues, and remote communication. I particularly enjoyed learning about marine radio communications. As kayakers, we mainly use the radio to communicate with larger boats that might not see us. In our area, guides use some channels to discuss wildlife sightings as well.

Remember how yesterday I said I wanted to work on underwater composure? My wish was granted today, with a series of rescue exercises. My favorite, and the one I struggled with the most, was the bow rescue, also known as a T-rescue.

Today was our much-anticipated first drysuit session! Up here, the water is a balmy 41 degrees Fahrenheit, which can make practicing tricky. To let us learn and play without fear of hypothermia, we train in drysuits. Over the course of training, we'll do six total drysuit sessions. Today was session number one, and it included basic strokes, balance exercises, and assisted re-entry.