By Claire Marshalek , Kayak Adventures Guide & Member of the Seward Wilderness Collective
There exists a natural phenomenon out in the ocean where many waves travelling at the same speed come together, overlapping and combining to create a single king wave. Their rogue nature makes them nearly impossible to predict, hence their name: sneaker waves. The ocean carries this unconditional power which provokes fear, but the ocean also has the power to heal, to inspire, and to bring people together.
Today, much like the power of the ocean, many things are out of our control. We can let fear sneak up on us, or we can reframe our perspectives and take time to celebrate what brings us together. At Kayak Adventures, we live in a community that thrives on togetherness. While we are currently worlds apart, we can find togetherness in what inspires us: the natural world. Here are three lessons from nature that can keep us inspired and connected, even when apart.
Lesson one: all life is connected and communicates
On the deck of the Weather or Knot, a small passenger watercraft travelling through the Kenai Fjords, I stood with six guests listening for the next call. Dropped in the water was a hydrophone that let us listen in on life beneath the waves. An Orca pod swam right below, sending out squeals and clicks. We did not know what they were saying or who they were calling, but their language was distinct and meaningful. All things communicate. Whether it is the people on deck or the Orcas below, we all have something to say and something to share.
Lesson two: nothing in nature lives for itself
The Harding Icefield flows into the Kenai Peninsula, dropping ice at its tidewaters in Aialik, Harris, and Nuka Bay. Glaciers provide nutrients to the marine ecosystem, allowing plankton to flourish. Floating in front of Aialik Glacier, three others and I watched from our kayaks as massive chunks of ice broke off into the sea. The release sounded like an orchestrated concerto.
On our paddle back to shore, we saw Pigeon Guillemots diving below the ice and surfacing with fish in their beaks. The glaciers provide nutrients for the plankton, which sustain the fish, which in turn feed nearly 190 species of birds for the season. Much like the glaciers, we too can support and provide for each other.
Lesson three: nature is an endless source of inspiration
From sea level in Resurrection Bay, we have a panoramic view of mountains carved out by glaciers thousands of years ago. These mountains are so steep that every summer people from around the globe race up the slopes to prove they are almost as powerful as the landscape. The mountains have the power to move people and to mobilise communities. They inspire adventure, exploration, and conservation.
Standing atop these mountains, I feel small. I feel grateful for this place. But in the end, it is not about the mountains I have summited or the glaciers I have paddled in front of — it is about who I have shared these places with. Nature has the power to heal, to inspire, and most importantly, to bring people together.
