Sea Kayaking Guides

Do you have a passion for educating people while guiding them into wild places? ✔️
Are you a naturally curious, enthusiastic explorer? ✔️
Do you love living, laughing, and working hard within a community of like-minded people? ✔️
Does problem-solving, and a positive attitude come naturally to you, even in challenging situations? ✔️
Do you love to connect with a diverse group of people, learn from them, and hear their stories? ✔️
Are you a person who is at ease with giving, receiving, and learning from constructive feedback? ✔️
Are you passionate about learning from the people and the world around you? ✔️
Do you enjoy living in a communal environment, and the respect, forgiveness, and understanding required for living in a diverse culture? ✔️
Are authentic experiences, and making lifetime friends important to you? ✔️
Do you share the values of Sunny Cove Kayaking’s C.A.R.E.S philosophy? ✔️

Do you connect with these statements?

If so, Sunny Cove Kayaking might just be a perfect fit for you. Sunny Cove offers a different kind of seasonal lifestyle experience. Is it hard work? Yes. Are there long stretches with little time off? Yes. Is sharing wild places with people from all over the world rewarding? Yes.

Joining Sunny Cove Kayaking means joining a value-driven culture and immersing yourself in a lifestyle. It also means joining a diverse culture of adventurers who love newly forged friendships, traveling in wild places, enjoying amazing experiences, and quiet once-in-a-lifetime moments in the wilderness.

Are you still intrigued? Great! Our application process is rigorous, and we have high expectations when it comes to bringing in new staff members. If you’re game to prove you are the best fit for Sunny Cove Kayaking, we’re excited to meet you!

Guide/Instructor - Minimum Requirement

• Minimum Age 21 Preferred

• Prior leadership experience, preferably in remote locations

• Leadership and outdoor education background

• Current Wilderness First Responder Certification from a nationally accredited organization

  • may be obtained after hiring, and before training

  • fully online courses are not considered valid

  • must be valid through the end of the season

• Current CPR/AED certification

  • must be valid through the end of the season

• Current, clean driving record, and willing to drive guests between locations

  • must be at least 23 years old

• Top-notch communication and listening skills

• Natural curiosity, and a passion for continued learning

• Strong sense of empathy, compassion, and caring

• Ability to lift 50+ pounds repeatedly

• Comfortable working outdoors for long periods, in adverse conditions

• Willingness to work overtime (with appropriate pay) regularly

• Comfortable with limited time off

• ACA/BCU certifications (preferred, not required)

• Comfortable living respectfully in communal, co-ed bunk housing (fee-based) with little privacy

• Available late April through late September

TRAINING PROGRAM

All prospective team members are required to attend the entirety of our training program, which typically begins in late April/early May.

The initial training period usually runs around three weeks and covers many areas including (but not limited to) leadership skills, trip logistics, company policies, paddling techniques, understanding weather and water conditions, kayak repair, risk mitigation, and rescue training.

The weeks following training are hands-on, with guests, and are dedicated to one-on-one mentoring and shadowing, leading up to our check-off process.

Our goal is to foster a fully immersive learning environment. Your full participation is key to making it all work.

All trainees are paid an hourly rate for training, and most meals are included. Satisfactory completion of training is required to become a member of the Sunny Cove team.

HOUSING

Sunny Cove offers low cost communal, bunkhouse-style (up to 8 people per yurt) accommodations to our full-time guides. Space is extremely limited and living here requires patience, respect, and the ability to work together to make housing comfortable for all types of personalities. Guides are generally rotated between our home base at Lowell Point and our outlying base at Fox Island.

Housing consists of a communal yurt on Fox Island and a communal yurt or cabin at Lowell Point. There is also a communal cabin, including a full kitchen, at Lowell Point.

We encourage guides to bring 'toys' but please keep in mind space is extremely limited. You cannot bring your pets to live at the facilities owned by Sunny Cove. Smoking is also never allowed on any of our properties, partner properties, or any of our trips.

Getting along is pretty easy at SC with a few simple guidelines... 1) respect each other 2) keep your gear & body clean 3) keep the doors of communication open. Your bunk is waiting!

WE CANNOT SPONSOR INTERNATIONAL VISAS