Photos and video by Lee House / Sitka Conservation Society.
For two weeks in July 2024, a group of 17 youth participated in the Sheet'ká Splash Mountain Camp to learn water safety, preparedness, survival skills, and respect for the ocean. The camp is an opportunity for young people to have new experiences, learn important lessons, and develop skills for safe outings on the waters of Lingít Aaní to harvest and recreate.
This camp was facilitated in partnership between the Sitka Native Education Program, Sitka Trail Works, Sitka Conservation Society, Sitka Tribe of Alaska, Youth Advocates of Sitka, and the Sitka School District. These partners made it possible to facilitate a camp rooted in Indigenous culture and knowledge while connecting youth to each other — a camper remarked to her group, “I’m going to miss you guys when this is over.”
Together we learned a deep respect for the ocean, balancing the gravity of survival situations while having fun building connections to water through a multitude of activities. Youth learned about outboard troubleshooting, knot tying, fire starting, personal flotation devices (PFDs), navigation, shelter building, trip planning, leaving a float plan, how to best be seen by the USCG as well as swim, paddle board, boogie board, snorkel, kayak, and explore the Sheet’ká Treetop Adventure Park. Staff from the partner organizations involved received a comprehensive four-day training from the Alaska Marine Safety Education Association.
Youth put the skills they learned to the test on Kruzof Island through a mock survival scenario the youth had to get “rescued” from on the last day of camp. All were “rescued” and invited to unearth the earthen ovens - covered pits dug in the sand lined with charcoal. Laughter, stories and excitement could be heard as campers enjoyed t’á (king salmon) and root vegetables together. Each youth left camp with a survival kit, a PFD, new experiences under their belt, new friends, and knowledge to keep them safe in and around the water.
This program was made possible by a grant from the Camps Initiative at The Alaska Community Foundation in partnership with Rasmuson Foundation.
Thank you to Allen Marine Tours, Alaska Marine Safety Education Association, Southeast Alaska Independent Living, Sitka Sound Seafoods, Sitka Sound Science Center, Sitka Fire Department, US Coast Guard, Sitka Tribe of Alaska Social Services Department, AC Lakeside - Alaska Commercial Company, LFS Marine Supplies, and Selkie Snorkels for their support of this program. We appreciate all of our partners and supporters for their dedication in time, resources and skills to make this camp happen, and their dedication to continue it in the years to come.
