Adult Summer Camp…Kinda

When I first came up to Leader Creek I had no idea what to expect. I had been surfing the internet for summer jobs that pay well, and my search eventually led me too looking at fishery jobs in Alaska. Leader Creek was the first fishery that popped up when I googled “fisheries in Alaska,” so I applied. I really had no idea what to expect coming up, I envisioned hating the work and just counting down the days until I could get out of the place. My experience was very different.

During my first shift in packing I was surprised at how quickly I got to know people. I walked into the plant to work, got paired up with someone to help break some racks (put frozen fish into boxes), started talking to them, and we’ve been friends ever since. Standing next to someone you don’t know, and within minutes you would begin a relationship with them. Minutes would turn into hours and by the time you finished your shift you already considered them a friend, the next day you would repeat the same thing, getting to know someone else, and strengthening your friendship with the person from the day before. Before you know it you have a pretty large group of people that you know better than most of your friends from high school. Working 16 hours a day does something to relationships, when you struggle together, you bond.

Why do I call it adult summer camp? Because at the end of the season you look back on your time there like you would while you were a kid at camp. You say your hard goodbyes, and reminisce on the memories made and the people you made them with. The best thing is, you get to look forward to the next year, when you come back and you see your friends, and get ready to do it all over again.

—Silas Jensen