Kayaking in a T-shirt Under Blue Sky in Seward by Alex Wakefield

My name is Alex Wakefield. I grew up in Hudson, WI and currently to still live there as a senior in high school. I work as a nanny and in my free time, which is very little, I like to baby sit, hand with friends and family, horseback ride, and to be outdoors. I came to Alaska with Green Edventures because it has so much to offer. It also has been a life long goal of mine. I’ve learned a lot.

July 10, 2010

Seward, AK

The morning of our kayak day started off with waking up with a blue sky and the sun shining downJ. After getting fitted into PFDs we headed down the road to launch the kayaks for a 6-mile journey to Caines Head State Park. Along the way we saw many kinds of birds, but we also saw sea otters up close. One I remember I could see eating an urchin.

As we paddled towards our destination, we got to see the coastline in detail. I was in awe that just 6 miles of coast has so much to look at. When we arrived at Caines Head, we parked our kayaks on the shore and headed on a 2-mile hike to the WWII bunkers. The view was amazing. We saw all of Resurrection Bay and across were snow covered mountains.

After eating lunch, we headed back down and journeyed back. My favorite part was not only getting to explore the bunkers but getting to be right on the water and enjoying being on the water in just a t-shirt! Overall, this was an awesome day and 16 (roundtrip) miles of fun.

Mount Marathon Hike, Alaska by Green Edventures' Student Andy Klanderman

July 8, 2010

Hello, my name is Andy Klanderman and I live in Hudson, Wisconsin. Ever since my grandma and grandpa came back from Alaska in 2002 and brought me a picture book of Alaska I fell in love with it. It has always been my dream to go to Alaska and explore all of its wonders since then.(Photo right: Andy (the author) and fellow students Mac and Camden).

All the guys woke up this morning getting all ready for the day and then we realized that I forgot to change my clock so we got up two hours early. Started off the morning with homemade muffins and some cereal. After our stomachs were content, Tara told us we’re going to hike Mount Marathon, which was surprising for me because it’s only our second day here, but YES! J The hike was only a couple of blocks away from where we’re staying (The Moby Dick). We started the hike through the temperate rain forest which is really eerie. The tall pines block any sun from peeking in and the floor is layered with wet devil’s club (which is basically a pricker bush). As the group worked their way up the mountain, the view grew increasingly incredible. Tara told us that every look out was an even better scene than previous which encouraged all of us up the steep slopes. On the way up we were all looking around and usually guessing about all the different flowers (I got some really neat photos). We reached the bowl and it was like the gates of heaven opened. The sun shining off the snow peaks while the river rushes to meet the ocean below. The ridged rocks were extremely fun to jump on and be like a little boy again. (Photo below: Andy, Kelsey & Alex in the bowl at Mt. Marathon)

(Photo above: Andy sketching glacier features during a "class" on glaciology. We spotted two goats on the mountain and a few marmots roaming around. The decent down was a blast. Dane and I parkoured the entire way down and we felt like real MEN! (But we didn’t have any beard money) The group had the rest of the mac and cheese and chili. Next on our list was to visit a Native tribe called the Qutekcak (Cut-two-check). There we learned about the Alaskan Native Olympics game. It’s so intense. The sports represent the ways of the nativces. Camden made it and succeeded through all of the different sports. After the culture shock we had free time which we used to our advantage… of course. The guys went down to check out the harbor which again is like a totally different world. The smell hit us all hard when we sucked in the fish and salt water aromas. As our eyes were checking every sail and boat out we had to pinch ourselves to remind us that this is REAL and not just a dream. Once free time was up, we headed back to the hostel for supper (stir-fry). The last adventure of the day was Exit Glacier. We took the van over there which was nice because we got to see a part of Seward we haven’t seen before. We traveled through the hills until we got to the glaciers. It was like we were looking at a calendar-the river flowing free from beneath the glacier’s tight grip. Tara gave us some really cool and helpful facts about glaciers, but it was different than other regular facts because it wasn’t just word, we could honestly see what we were learning about. Such as fun filled adventure day! Thanks Alaska.

From Sand to Snow: North-South Adventure by Student Jackie Mantione

I am Jackie Mantione (left); I am sixteen years old and from Orlando, Florida! I discovered Green Edventures from an internet search engine. This past summer I went with Tara on the North South Adventure. That is a two week program where for the first week you spend it in Baja, Mexico and the next week is spent in Seward, Alaska. The north south adventure is definitely a perfect opportunity to discover two completely different regions and get all the perks of a great week you could be missing out on. Being able to spend a week in Mexico was truly a week paradise. Activities ranged from snorkeling with sea lions to hiking on a mountain that still has remains from over one hundred years ago and is still considered a “private” site because Archaeologists are still revealing new things there. In Alaska you do a lot of activities where you have fun and help out the little populated town of Seward like hiking, animal watching, and investigating and getting rid of invasive plants.

In Mexico you arrive at the airport, and then you take about an hour and a half car ride to the city of La Paz, where you get to eat lunch, get your snorkeling gear, and load onto the boat. After that you take another hour and a half boat ride to the point called Espiritu Santu, where you stay on a little private island called Ensanada Grande. This island is perfect because you have mountains around you are literally sleeping in a tent on a beach! If you ever thought you have been to heaven on earth, you haven’t experienced anything yet. Then in the mornings you would go on an adventurous activity like snorkeling, scuba diving, or hiking a mountain. On the activities you learn so many things! It is amazing to hear about what everyone knows about their surroundings like animal behavior and flower growths. After about five days on Ensanada Grande you pack your bags and go to another beautiful escape called Cabo Pulmo. There you get to go snorkeling on a reef right on the beach! Also, you get to go to a private freshwater waterfall where you are sure to have the best time of your life! Getting to know all the workers, experiencing all the excursions, and learning the Mexican Culture is definitely something you cannot experience if you were to do a trip not with this amazing company!

In Alaska you get to travel to a cute and small little town called Seward, which has a population of about 2500. There you get to go on amazing kayak tours, hiking with the view you have to see it to believe it, help out a conservation center to do something good for a community and do something good for yourself. In Alaska everywhere you turn is a picture opportunity. Pictures can show how pretty something in Alaska is, but in my opinion, pictures don’t do Alaska any mercy. Every excursion you do gives you an amazing workout and can seem a little tiring, but everything is so worth it in the end. You will forget about every inch of soreness or tiredness you feel when you see Alaska from the top of a glacier, or see a moose eating on the side of the road minding its own business. Another amazing thing you get to experience is meeting the Kenaitze Tribe. That day is so amazing because I was just awestruck by how proud these everyday people are about what they grew up with and how they try their very hardest to keep the tradition going. The tribe treats you to a nice salmon feast with some of the best food you will ever try, even if you aren’t a fish fan! They also show you some of their native performances where everyday teens like you and me are singing inspirational songs invented hundreds of years ago.

Going from Mexico to Alaska is a definite change in culture, temperature, and may be a little tough to fit packing into a small bag but it is the experience I am so glad I went on and definitely something you don’t want to miss. The North South Adventure will provide you with learning that keeps you interested and doesn’t make you want to fall asleep. And if you’re looking for the best two weeks of your life, the answer is a simple one and is right in front of you.