What does it mean to be a raft guide?
It goes well beyond getting guests safely down a rapidly flowing river.
It becomes an art.
As a kid, I spent a week fishing at Russell Pond in Baxter every summer. We looked forward to that week all year long. As a grew older, I began bringing friends and my guiding career began. I discovered that by sharing the beauty of a special place, each year, I looked upon these wonders with fresh eyes.
Thus, I see the river with fresh eyes every day.
And yes, as guides we bring guests down the river safely every day.
But there’s more to it than that.
We provide experiences for our guests.
Experiences.
Not video games.
Not text messages.
Not social media posts.
But memorable experiences in the context of the natural world.
Some want high adventure.
Others…not so much.
Others THINK they want the high adventure And the artisan raft guide knows the difference.
It’s they’re trip. Not ours.
And many times I find, that at the end of the day, these guests have become my friends.
And I can’t wait to see them again.
But the guests aren’t the only people I see every summer.
The community of guides, boaters, photographers…river people, have become not just friends, but people whom I’ve come to love as an extended family.
I even married one of them.
And I know that whether I’m hungry, thirsty, broken down, or swimming… that one of you will always be in position for rescue.
For me, winters just divide my summers.
Rivers compose the fabric of my life.
My happy place.
So”¦
Being a raft guide involves so much more than guiding rafts.
It’s work.
It’s play”¦(or “Professional Development” I like to call it!)
It’s sharing.
It’s a lifestyle.
Here’s to the 2019 season!
I’m looking forward to seeing you on the river.