A summer of guiding can produce some amazing memories. I asked our guides to share some of their favorite memories of the 2019 season:
Michael- We were with a mom, son, and daughter plus some of the kids’ friends. Before the whale watching, we relaxed at Jackson’s Beach and played baseball with sticks and rocks with the boys. Sound like a simple activity, but because we were able to entertain the boy, we were able to see the daughter getting quality time with her mom. I know the gift of quality time is invaluable and so this moment really stuck with me.
Miguel- Had such a fun time with my new friends Terry and Sheralynn from Corvallis OR. We spent almost an hour at the alpaca store trying on hats and laughing. A few weeks later, one of those hats came in the mail. It brought a huge smile to my face thinking about that day. I still regularly wear the hat too. It fits great!
One night during a full moon I woke up to an unknown sound on Jones island. Curiosity getting the best of me; I exited my tent to investigate. The moon was so bright I didn’t need a head lamp as it reflected off the water. A humpback whale surfaced about 100 yards off the island. I couldn’t make out its features but its whole body shimmered as it broke the calm surface water, breath echoing off the cliff faces. I sat in peace, watching the moon, as I listened to the humpback slowly swim away.
Annie- The most memorable trip I had this year was a kayak camp group where one of the guests was blind. She gave me such a different outlook on a trip I had been leading every week. She wrote a poem about our trip that gives me chills every time I read it. You can read it here
Natalie- During a three hour tour, we came up to some splashing in the water. Confused, we got a little closer to see it was a bald eagle that had just caught a fish, but was struggling to carry it back to shore! If you didn’t know, eagle swim with their wings when this happens. We watched it swim to shore, get out of the water, and eat its fish! It was really cool.
Brooke- It is probably because I lost my dad last year to cancer, but it’s the simple moments in trips that I remember the most. Seeing friendships blossom and long term couples support each other in little ways makes each trip special. One couple I remember clearly is Matt and Sara from New York City. They constantly were looking out for each other and supporting each other in beautiful ways.
I also had a really fun week with 5 ladies near the end of the season. They were very good at getting the most out of every moment. I found the group laughing uncontrollably at least once a day. It really inspired me to travel with my female friends more.
Casey- I remember one of my guests this summer, Barb, leading a stretching and yoga session at the summit of Mt. Constitution. Our entire group (eight people) had just biked all the way to the summit! We were desperately in need of some stretching to help our muscles recoup after such a long and tough ride. The only way we could all make it up that mountain was if a group of strangers supported each other – and that’s exactly what happened.
Mariah- This summer I had a little girl who was so dedicated to saving the whales. She told me all about the threats dolphins were facing and what people were doing about it around the world. She asked the best questions about the salmon, the whales, the hatcheries, the government, and what we are doing to help. She was maybe 9! It made me feel so good about future generations.
Sam- I had so many meaningful interactions and conversations with guests this year, some connections that will really last. One of my favorite memories was exploring Yellow Island in depth with a guest fascinated in flora. We found some flowers that I had never seen before!
None of these memories would exist without our awesome guests. So, thank you for sharing your lives with us.
Love, Crystal Seas and TerraTrek Guides