Experience living on the waters of wild Alaska, USA

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 1 month

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    I'm Jerry....me, and "The Boy" (my dog) live together here in Southeast Alaska. We are no longer running the shellfish farm and will only be needing assistance with fishing and gathering for sustenance, therefore we will no longer be offering payment.

    I need someone who can stay on for 6 weeks or more.... Cause that's how long it's going to take to teach you what you need to know.... Most guests don't want to go when the time comes. Look at our feedback.

    No experience is necessary but having skills will be considered in choosing guest...

    Knowing how to keep small engines running is important here, chainsaws, generators, boat motors.. cutting and splitting firewood,
    Carpentry... Up keep on our cabins, decking ect very useful skills.
    Cooking ...will be shared between us. We eat good!


    Look forward to hear from you!

    *️️️️️️*️️️️️️*️️️️️️*️️️️️️*️️️️️️
    More details...

    It is classified as remote, we are beyond off the grid...no roads, no phones, no power, no running water, just pristine lands and wildlife.

    You will see deer, bear, wolves and mink along the shorelines. All varieties of waterfowl work the waters. Sea otter, seals, whale, both humpback and Orca regularly pass by.

    We live on the water...yes on the water in a floating cabin anchored in a cove amongst islands on the Pacific Ocean. All travel is by boat.

    We hunt, fish and trap for most of our food…...Our diet consists mostly of fresh seafood, wild mushrooms, fiddlehead ferns, or berries that we harvest and catch. We built a small greenhouse. This is one area we could use advice with to improve.

    Life here would also include such day to day chores as gathering firewood and preparing food. Adventures include fishing, pulling a few crab and shrimp pots, hunting and processing bear and deer.
    Here are a couple YouTube videos my past workawayers made - ask us for the links

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Gardening
    DIY and building projects
    Farmstay help
    Creating/ Cooking family meals
    Help around the house
    General Maintenance
    Help with Computers/ Internet
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    "You can't catch fish all day. If you don't start in the morning"

    I spent almost 5 months here. This was my first workaway and an amazing one at that.

    From the moment I jumped out of the plane at the farm I was treated as part of their family. Everyday on the farm brought new adventures and lessons on life in S.E. Alaska. Spreading my time between work on the oyster farm, fishing, float construction, firewood, and other various chores. The time spread between work and adventure was more than fair. The description given from the host is very accurate.

    Workawayers Lucas and Alastair, that came during my stay, were great cabinmates and partners in adventure.

    I really enjoyed and am thankful for my time with the family. Jerry, Larry, Linda, and of course the boy were great hosts and now friends.

    Although my workaway experience here is over. My time in S.E. Alaska is not. I moved just a few miles away to take a full time job on Orr Island. I stop in to regualrly and look forward to meeting future workawayers.

    For the right minded person this place truly is paradise.

    -Lee Findley

    Feedback left by our first workawayer.

  • Help

    Help

    You will have an opportunity to learn about how to live off the land as we do. No experience is necessary.

    You will learn your way around a skiff (small boat), use rope and knots, fishing & hunting. We have all the gear needed.

    We are busy here year round. Winter is NOT as frigid and iced up as it is up North in the winter months. We heat with wood so cutting and splitting fire wood is a chore in the cooler months...

    ... and help with processing our catch and smoking meat. We will teach how to clean shrimp and crab.... and how smoke salmon......dry mushrooms, make jerky. We use canned and dried food as well...and bake our own bread.

    Having experience cooking and making things from scratch would be beneficial but not necessary.

    *️️️️️️*️️️️️️*️️️️️️*️️️️️️About your time here.

    Your time here is about participating in the way we live out here in the in wilderness of wild Alaska. It's about being part of our family and doing whatever it takes ...what you will see and experience because you are living it. .
    It's about pushing yourself to do things you've never done before and learn from it and walking away a new person. It's about not wanting to leave when It is time to go. .

    Most people get it. A few don't.

    If you can't handle that then it might be best if you stay home and watch Alaska TV shows with your mommy. If you can't give 100% then we don't have room in the boat!

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    With the help of our first helper we are using our guest cabin now. We just installed a wood stove for heat and it is nice and cozy.

    Due to limited space we have coed sleeping arrangements located in a one room loft.

    We provide an individual twin beds or a cot to sleep on.

    Our cabin is built on a floating log raft off shore anchored in a protective cove.

    Life here is pleasing but primitive. We do have satellite for internet and TV. It is a dream location for the right minded person. SE Alaska is a rainforest area. Summers are cool and damp but daylight for most of the time.

    You will need your personal gear, multiple layers of clothing, rubber knee high boots (highly recommend insulated Xtratufs) and good rain gear (PVC Grundens will hold up very well). You'll also want to bring a warm hat, a good headlamp, sunglasses, facemask (winter months) to shield you from wind on the boat.
    Bring bug repellent and sun screen (spring and summer months).

    We eat good and all meals are provided......if you like fresh seafood.

    Smoking outside of the cabin is okay.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    We live on the water.....helpers would want to feel comfortable moving about in a small skiff or boat. We travel this way most of the time.

    Also would need to feel at ease living in a secluded remote area without the lights of the city at night and sound of civilization. We don't see any lights at night except for the moon and stars. And the sound of eagles screeching, a wolf howling or a whale blowing off.

    When we are working around the house....we work hard for a few hours regardless of the weather.....but if the salmon are running we go fishing and when the freezer gets room we harvest a deer for red meat. You wouldn't want to feel squeamish around cleaning fish or a gut pile.

    Alaska requires you to have a fishing license and this can be a bit costly for non residents.

    Length of stay:

    We are getting a lot of questions about length stay.....we realize that it is a bit costly to travel here and we think it is only fair for helpers to stay a minimum of 60 days or hopefully longer.

    When looking into travel....you would want to fly into Ketchikan, AK (airport code KTN). Most flights to Ketchikan pass through Seattle, WA (code SEA) first. Or check from Anchorage, AK (code ANC).
    From Ketchikan you will need to take a float plane out to our farm with Taquan Air (Less than an hour ride and figure costs about $170 US dollar, they also charge a dollar per pound after the first 40 pounds for luggage. Check online at Taquan Air for reservations).

    After we agree to your visit please send a copy of your confirmed flight itinerary. After we receive your travel itinerary we will reserve your time slot to stay with us.

    We realize things come up and plans change.....so please be up front with us so we can give someone else an opportunity to come experience a once in a lifetime adventure.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • Can host digital nomads

    Can host digital nomads

    We have dependable WiFi run off of freshly installed solar panels which also run all the electricity on our float house.

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    25 hours maximum

Host ref number: 815195412953

Feedback (36)



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