Profile information
Host rating
90 %
Last replied
12 Mar 2025
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 131 days
Feedback
61
Email verified
Badges (2)
Details
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
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
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
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
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 ...
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
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
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?
More than two
Feedback (36)
His floating house is located far away from everything in a beautiful cove. I've stayed in a cozy cabin right by the shore. There's no electricity in the cabin, in order to get a fresh water you need to get in a kayak and go fill a bucket to Jerry's house, occasionally you see… read more
He helped repairing and replacing deck boards and helped on getting some barrels under a couple floats.
He was here when I had a good crew doing other projects. He worked on projects needing done independently a lot of the time and with help. He had… read more
Photos
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(4.6)
Cultural exchange:
(4.7)
Communication:
(4.3)
His floating house is located far away from everything in a beautiful cove. I've stayed in a cozy cabin right by the shore. There's no electricity in the cabin, in order to get a fresh water you need to get in a kayak and go fill a bucket to Jerry's house, occasionally you see… read more
He helped repairing and replacing deck boards and helped on getting some barrels under a couple floats.
He was here when I had a good crew doing other projects. He worked on projects needing done independently a lot of the time and with help. He had… read more
Flo always had a positive attitude and big smile whatever the day had in store.
Flo was ready to jump in with both feet and get things done, caught on quick and able to think outside the box.
Flo is a fantastic cook and got along well with everyone with his positive smiles and ready to get with the program and always… read more
6 weeks later and I am still pale (turns out you are in the wrong place for sunbathing in SE Alaska), but - oh Boy- did we whack ´n stack salmon in the last weeks. I also look a lot… read more
I arrived at the farm in early February, stayed for 2 months and intend to return. After landing on the island I was promptly greeted by Jerry with a powerful handshake, a friendly smile and brotherly hug. Until… read more
I got a little bit of a different experience than most other workawayers of the past with the shellfish farm pretty much coming to a halt
You’ve all heard about that old… read more
Days consisted of early morning fishing, cleaning fish, work on the oyster farm, pulling shrimp pots and possible town runs or evening fishing. A few days were spent doing… read more
Workawaying here is more like a look… read more
The work on the oyster farm can… read more
Paula only had to be shown things once and was also not afraid to jump in. I really enjoyed her company. Paula… read more
I really enjoyed working with the oysters, planting the clams, fishing, cutting/chopping wood and last but not least pulling the shrimppots. Also eating all those fresh oysters, fish that we caught ourselves and very very very delicious fresh shrimp was not a punishment AT ALL!:)
Living on… read more
Where to begin??
As almost every review will reveal, yes, this workaway experience is life changing, eye opening, and undoubtedly fun!
I mean I went canoeing and had a humpback whale come up next to me, come on, does it get cooler than that??
For those who are reading this,… read more
As I swooped into the farm by float plane I fell in love with the beauty of the place - life abundant waters surrounded by misty… read more
Being surrounded by hundred's of whales whilst fishing for king salmon was great. Camping out over night at remote locations… read more
It's probably my greatest adventure !!! This is a pretty good experience for me. Jo & Jerry has take their time to learn me English language. Jerry and larry learn me a lot of stuff like work with oyster, cut firewood, fishing... I know now , i was a boy and i have grown a… read more
Any host will be lucky to have you visit..... we were!
Myrthe is one of those rare individuals who is genuinely kind and generous.
She added a positive slant to everything.
She was also one of our hardest workers ever. She was eager to learn all that we could offer about wilderness living. She was the first one to… read more
We feel we were up front with the amount… read more
Her energy was matched by her enthusiasm!
She tackled every task we gave her and thought up plenty of activities of her own.
She had great people and leadership skills and soon managed the crew while she was here.
Claudia was a natural oyster farmer considering how much… read more
Well put ..your description of our farm may have to go on our updated Host page.
If someone was casting to play the perfect workawayer .....Dylan would get the part!
From day one Dylan was quick to learn and pick up many roles here on the farm. He was fun to hang with and always ready to jump in were needed.
He was a hard… read more
Marije was smart and diligent - she jumped into all the various jobs that go with both living off the grid and working on an oyster farm which can be both dirty work and very physical - she gave it… read more
Having so much nature and wildlife around you is amazing. One of the best moments of my day was brushing my theet outside on the deck in the morning - looking at a… read more
I had never fished, been hunting, lived on a float house or worked with oysters before but by the end of my stay I had acquired all of these skills and fell in love with fishing and… read more
i can never thank u enough for your hospitality and friendship. I miss it every day and the wonderful people met along the way - gary, lee jay, jimmy, david, tom, joe and julie and more
you are so fortunate to live and work in… read more
He jumped right in when things needed done without being asked.
He was an excellent cook and knew his way around the garden and had a green thumb when it came to growing things.
He was a team player and got along with all our volunteers.
It is hard to say goodbye to our new found friend and we… read more
He gets along with and helps all volunteers staying with us and I'm sure most think of him as their big brother.
Davis was fun to hang around with and always ready for the next adventure, be it… read more
It is true that you should be ready to rough it a little, but you are probably not looking up… read more
He loved to go on adventures almost as much as I do and wasn't afraid to go for it.
He is a great photographer.
Thanks for sharing your pictures and all your help!
Sam.....I wish you best of luck in the future!
Jerry
Living with a variety of different people taught me a lot about myself and certainly made me a better person.
I would recommend this host… read more
She fit right in and got along with everyone.
She has a great work ethic, caught on fast, and was good help at the farm and around the house.
She took amazing pictures, thank you very much for sharing.
Most of all she was really fun to have around.
I can not put… read more
I particularly enjoyed the rich variety of wildlife I was able to see in the relatively short time I was… read more
You were a real go getter and always jumped in there to help. You caught on to the operations of the farm fast which was a great. We'd welcome you back anytime.
I had some of my most memorable adventures while you were here. Beach combing on Heceta and your facial expression was priceless - won't forget that one any time soon!
We… read more
Welcome to our neck of the woods… read more
-Jerry Ryggs
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.… read more
He was a fast learner at new tasks and our very different life style which must have been bewildering to him. We would not hesitate having Alastair come back to visit us and would highly recommend him to stay with other hosts.
He was very flexible with our schedule and always ready to jump in and lend a… read more
The work was interesting and rewarding. I learned the… read more
he has a positive attitude and always has a smile on his face.
Lucas was a quick learner on our farm... he learned to operate our skiff in no time..... and was showing new workawayer the ropes before he left. Not only did Lucas lend a hand on our daily oyster chores but we found that he was a… read more
to all workawayers: go and visit this beautiful place on earth with opportunities around every corner.
i am sitting in the macdonalds in ketchikan… read more
