With several decades of experience navigating Alaska’s rugged wilderness, the EYOS team brings unparalleled expertise to every journey. Their deep knowledge of the region’s hidden gems, wildlife behavior, and shifting ice conditions ensures an adventure that’s both thrilling and seamless. From Captains to Expedition Leaders, our staff has worn nearly every hat and is familiar with the most remote corners of the region. Join some of our Expedition team to hear about what keeps bringing them back to the heart of the last frontier.
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Ian Strachan
What is your experience in Alaska?
I’ve worked in Southeast Alaska as a naturalist, photographer, or Expedition Leader for about 10 summer seasons. It’s a place of true wilderness that I’ve been so lucky to experience from so many perspectives. Whether filming glaciers from above with a drone, dry suit diving among richly diverse kelp forests or just driving Zodiacs along towering fjord walls, there is raw majesty to the region that I could never see enough of. Having also hiked and packrafted through the impressively rugged coastal terrain, my appreciation of maritime travel is permanently enhanced.
Among other destinations, what makes Alaska unique and exciting? Are there any challenges to guiding expeditions there?
It is a rainforest. And it can rain for weeks. It can also be sunny for weeks straight. Bring a raincoat and solace in the knowledge that a warm shower at the end of a day sets everything right.
I like the middle ground that finding Southeast Alaskan wildlife has in comparison to the Arctic, where you can spend hours searching for polar bears, or in the Antarctic where the penguin colonies are very established and you can simply show up when it suits. Sea otters, humpback whales, and bears in Southeast Alaska are all in a relatively small geographic space but still require some effort to locate.
What’s your favorite anchorage to wake up at / What’s the best location in Alaska for adventure?
My favorite thing to wake up to is the early morning mist among the steep slopes of tall Sitka Spruces. I’ve filled memory cards trying to capture and convey the pleasing layering effect as the spiky treetops peak out over the low clouds.
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Peter Butz
What is your experience in Alaska?
I started as an Expedition Leader in Alaska in 1981. I continued as EL for the next 10 years and then moved into the office where I oversaw the team that developed the itineraries, hired the staff, and operated the vessels for the company’s Alaska trips. I’ve been involved in developing and managing Alaska operations in some capacity ever since.
Among other destinations, what makes Alaska unique and exciting? Are there any challenges to guiding expeditions there?
A few things that make Southeast Alaska unique: You’re traveling in inland waters almost the entire time, so dealing with unpleasant sea conditions isn’t an issue. There are no long passages, so you’re constantly surrounded by spectacular scenery – mountains, glaciers, forested islands. The waters provide one of the richest marine environments in the world, supporting large whale populations, sea otters, a wide array of sea birds, and when the tide is out the shoreline is an important food source for brown bears. It’s the best place in the world to guide an expedition because it invariably surpasses guest expectations.
What’s your favorite anchorage to wake up at / What’s the best location in Alaska for adventure?
One of my favorite anchorages to wake up in is Red Bluff Bay—a short, narrow fjord with an even narrower passage for entry. Steep mountains rising at arm’s length on all sides, waterfalls cascading high above the head of the fjord. The quiet and stillness in the light of early morning – it has to be experienced to be fully appreciated!
The best place(s) in Alaska for adventure: so many bays, coves, and channels around the ABC islands: Admiralty, Baranof and Chichagof.
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Lisa Baldwin
What is your experience in Alaska?
I have been working in Alaska for the past decade. I began my guiding career as a naturalist on a day tour boat in Southeast Alaska. After living in Sitka, Alaska for 8 months, I absolutely fell in love with everything about it. I’ve been coming back every summer. Each season I learn something new. Whether it’s additional cultural history knowledge or a new species of lichen, I know I can continue to come to Southeast Alaska each season for the rest of my life and still be absolutely in awe.
Among other destinations, what makes Alaska unique and exciting? Are there any challenges to guiding expeditions there?
Southeast Alaska is a unique and captivating place largely due to the sheer amount of wildlife found in the region. The waters are nutrient-rich and provide ample food for the marine and terrestrial ecosystems. From northern sea otters to humpback whales, coastal brown bears, black bears, and bald eagles, the beautiful temperate rainforest and vibrant ecosystems rarely disappoint.
I wouldn’t exactly call it a challenge, but perhaps a slight shift in perspective is occasionally needed by guests visiting this temperate rainforest for the first time. The sheer amount of liquid sunshine is sometimes not expected by visitors in the summer months. Southeast Alaskans grow up playing in the rain. Once guests learn what rain gear works best, it’s simply a matter of getting out there and splashing around in a few puddles to learn that gear such as Xtratufs really is aptly called the “Alaskan Slipper” for a reason.
What’s your favorite anchorage to wake up at / What’s the best location in Alaska for adventure?
I have several favorite locations for adventure in Southeast Alaska. But, I’d say the outer coastal areas that face the Gulf of Alaska are my favorite. This is due to the abundance of wildlife found within these highly productive areas.
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Kendra Martin
What is your experience in Alaska?
I have spent years in Alaska in many roles, often at the helm or behind a tiller as a captain, but equally as a traveler myself. Whether it’s a hike ashore, in the seat of a kayak, or out on the bow of a vessel, Alaska is vast, mysterious and remains in your heart long after you’ve left.
Among other destinations, what makes Alaska unique and exciting? Are there any challenges to guiding expeditions there?
The tides and currents in Southeast Alaska are not to be underestimated. A good understanding of tidal movements and the effects it has on specific areas is paramount. Some areas are known to have standing waves during a large tidal exchange. And knowledge of the day’s high and low tides is essential if you plan to leave a skiff near shore, even for a short bit!
What’s your favorite anchorage to wake up at / What’s the best location in Alaska for adventure?
An overnight anchorage in Glacier Bay National Park is hard to beat. You’re far away from ship traffic and you can often catch animal activity on shore just as soon as the sun rises. A night tucked behind Russell island also makes for a short run to the park’s famous tidewater glaciers and an excellent spot to enjoy a morning cup of coffee. Best location for adventure is definitely Fjord’s Terror. The landscape is stunning. And the tender driving on a large tidal exchange is thrilling.
