Seward Ocean Excursions was founded in 2016 by a local Seward family, Bixler and Krystin McClure. Bixler has strong family ties to Seward spanning multiple generations, and Krystin also has Alaska roots. Bixler has an M.A. degree in Environmental Geography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. His thesis was on the environmental and social impacts of SCUBA diving in several locations around Hawaii, and he worked as a researcher for several sustainable tourism groups through the University. This education and work experience began an interest in him for sustainable tourism practices. When starting Seward Ocean Excursions, sustainable tourism was a key to our principles. It continues to be a strong part of our core values as a company.
Our company and our employees care about sustainable tourism greatly. We love sharing with and educating our guests on our local environment, wildlife, history, and cultures. We recognize the impact of our adventures and strive to minimize our impact while at the same time preserving opportunities for future generations to enjoy, experience, and learn about our unique environment.
Some examples of our sustainable practices include:
- Our vessels are highly fuel efficient
- We only take out small groups
- We recycle our used oil and consumables
- We are open year-round to help the local economy
- We contribute in-kind and monetary donations to local charities and organizations
- We operate a virtual “office,” reducing our need to heat and power a physical space
- We pick up marine debris on tours and encourage our guests on beach walks to collect marine debris that they find
- We are a member of WhaleSENSE, which promotes sustainable and ethical whale watching practices
- We educate our guests on everything possible during our trips, inspiring others to learn more about and care for our (and their) local environment