Transitions

11 September, 2018, 3 min, 499 words

Well, as of last Friday, we have finished our kayaking season. So it's time for some transitions for everyone.

Logistics

Transitions like this tend to necessitate a lot of logistics. Plane flights, housing, all the joys of moving... In no particular order:

The season has ended! That marks the end of my first season of outdoors work, and of kayak guiding more specifically. Keep an eye out over the next few weeks, I'm aiming to post some reflections and also a "summer 2018 by the numbers" post.
For this winter, I'll be working as an adaptive ski instructor in Park City, UT. The National Ability Center is a great organization that specializes in adaptive recreation, or getting folks with disabilities outdoors. I'm definitely looking forward to starting!
My fall plans are a bit less concrete. After our end of season trip, I'm on my way back to the Chicago area by way of Seattle and Claremont, CA. From there, I hope to spend three or four weeks relaxing someplace interesting. Stay tuned for more info on that!

And now, enough logistics! Really the hardest part of transitions like this is saying goodbye.

Saying goodbye

Leaving people or a place can be hard, especially when I'm not certain whether I'll be back. I've had a few memorable goodbyes that made leaving a little easier.

One thing I didn't expect this summer was that I'd develop a real sense of connection with the places we lead trips. But after enough trips and time spent discussing it, Aialik Bay in particular started to feel like home. I felt very lucky, then, that my last three trips in Aialik were in fabulous conditions. I was able to spend time out on the bow of the water taxi, watch scenery in silence, and even go swimming! It's a place I hope to come back to in the future, but I also feel satisfied with the way I left it.
I spent a lot of time on the marine radio this summer, communicating with large tour boats and other kayak guides. There are several captains of tour boats with whom I developed a friendly working relationship as a result. One of those was the captain of the Orca Voyager (WDE5990), and by a stroke of lucky timing I was able to hail him on the radio to say goodbye on my last trip in Aialik Bay. It was very satisfying to get a real, tangible goodbye.
Of course, the hardest goodbye will be the people I've lived and worked with all summer. Luckily we have a lovely end of season trip planned, so I get a few days of intentional community before we go our separate ways.

So far I'm feeling good about how I've parted from special places and people. A good conclusion to a stunning summer.