Over the past 20 years, Kendra has built her hands-on understanding of all levels of expedition activity by serving as expedition guide, assistant expedition leader, deckhand, mate, and captain on expedition vessels. She gathered her broad maritime experience along the west coast of North America, in the polar regions, and in the Salish Sea where she and her husband ran a logistics and marine transportation business while living aboard their converted trawler in the San Juan Islands. Together, these many experiences inform her current role as Projects Manager with EYOS, where she oversees everything logistic to ensure each expedition has a solid plan A and the freedom to pursue plans B, C, and D when exciting opportunities present themselves in the field. Join us for a conversation with Kendra about what goes into planning the most exciting expedition possible.
- You have extensive experience as captain aboard expedition vessels. How did this background lead into your role as Field Staff Manager Project Coordinator with EYOS and how does it help with the work you do now?
In my many roles onboard ships, captain being just one, I came to appreciate that each role and each person brings something different to the team. While the captain bears ultimate responsibility, the captain cannot take credit for the full experience. It takes a team. Each person brings a different perspective, experience, enthusiasm, and spirit. This dynamic is what takes individuals and makes them a team. With EYOS, there is an incredible team of folks behind the scenes, each with their own distinct personality who enjoy each other, enjoy the work they do, and work together to ensure the best experience is created for our clients.
- In your opinion, what are the necessary elements of a great expedition? How does EYOS provide these?
There are a number of elements that make a truly great expedition. Experience is at the top of the list. Real experience is gained by years in the field. That’s what gives you the opportunity to rework itineraries because the weather changed and find new landings. It allows you to work with different teams and to know a region across seasons and across times of the year. This kind of experience can only be learned by being there.
EYOS recognizes that a truly great expedition goes beyond just the planning. It also requires the best expedition staff to run it. With our bespoke expeditions we tailor the expedition team to each client! This may mean having a strong historian onboard, a guide who is enthusiastic with small children, or sometimes a specific guide that has sailed with the clients before. The combination of experience and the most well-suited guide is what makes the ordinary exceptional.
- Expedition travel is already logistically difficult. Expedition travel to remote islands and polar regions is especially logistically difficult. Do you have any memories of logistical hurdles that you’ve had to overcome to make aspects of a trip happen?
I’ve tried my best to forget the details of the most difficult hurdles over the years. Kidding aside, there’s no singular event that stands out to me, but the premise is always the same, particularly with ship travel in remote areas. Spotty communication, a sense of urgency and trying to connect several moving parts (quite literally) that are already in motion.
And the solution always includes a team of people, patience, experience, and communication – really good communication. And you’ll know you’ve really pulled it off well when everything falls seamlessly into place and hardly a comment is made of how smoothly it went. If one detail is overlooked however, it will tumble into pieces, tensions will escalate, and everyone will suddenly take notice. At EYOS, we do everything to land squarely in the first category.
- You’ve been lucky to travel to some of the world’s most remote destinations. What about your background draws you to these places? What are some moments you take back home with you?
Growing up I spent a lot of time outdoors in the day to day, but also for leisure, family time and activity. Nature was a space to think, clear my head, and reground. As our lives continue to get busier, many of us yearn to seek out something slower and quieter. Nature provides that.
Some of my most profound times in remote destinations have been the silence, the stillness, and the opportunity to slow down and be truly present in the moment. It’s the moments when you slow down to truly appreciate the stars on a clear Antarctic night or the powerful breath of a humpback whale in Alaska. Those are the memories and experiences I will carry with me forever.
- You’ve already broken boundaries and explored so much of the world. What’s next? What expeditions are you looking forward to planning with EYOS?
Southeast Alaska is a place that always holds a special place in my heart. The years I spent in that part of the world were formative for my career and soul. Some of my dearest memories are with the people and experiences provided by Mother Nature in that area. With EYOS, I enjoy my continued involvement with planning expeditions to Alaska and look forward to having my own children experience it themselves some day.