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.

Our strength is in our culture, built by the adventurer’s spirit and our unique identities, to form a coalition of educators, showcasing the beautiful world we inhabit.

Our number one requirement is a willingness to learn, enthusiastically. You’ll learn how to safely guide your guests on a journey of awestruck wonder, how to become better stewards of the world around you, and how to connect with people of all identities and nationalities to make the world we share more harmonious.

Your schedule will entail any number of combinations of trips or chores. In general, during the high season, guides can expect to participate in up to two trips a day for 5-9 days at a time.

This can sometimes make for a 12-hour day with a few very short breaks in between trips. This job is hard but rewarding, and you’ll be expected to put in your fair share of time and effort for the entirety of the season.

The daily schedule is extremely dynamic and while we try to schedule ahead by a few days, it is common to be on-call and available until released by cut-off times or a manager.

All staff members are expected to be available for the entirety of the season including weekends and holidays and extended periods of time off will not be available.

First-year guiding generally entails leading or assisting our half-day tour opportunities from Lowell Point or Fox Island. As guides become more familiar with our paddling opportunities and terrain they may graduate to more challenging trips.

Senior guides who have contributed to Sunny Cove for a few years, and have obtained Lead Guide seniority are given first priority on any available multi-day trips. However, if it’s possible, we’ll do our best to provide opportunities for junior staff to experience a multi-day adventure over the course of the season.

Sunny Cove offers free* 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!

*There is a refundable cleaning deposit due upon moving into housing.

Guides will be responsible for providing all of their personal paddling gear, including but not limited to, paddling clothing, PFD, spray skirt, boots, and gloves.

We'll provide good advice for gear purchases, as well as the use of our kayaks and paddles. A full gear list will be provided to those who are invited to our training.

This is just a short list of information. If we think you're the right fit for Sunny Cove and we opt to move you into the interview process we'll provide much more detailed information, including access to our pro deal discount programs.

Sunny Cove will not be held responsible for any gear expenses should a prospective guide not successfully complete training.