Chasing Winter Swells in the Last Frontier

For most people, Alaska brings to mind glaciers, fishing boats and rugged mountain peaks rising out of icy water. For Alaska Surf Guides founder and captain Scott Reierson, it’s also one of the most unique surf destinations on earth.

“What we do is really about access,” he said. “The whole idea from the beginning was figuring out how to reach these remote waves and experience Alaska from the water.”

Founded in 2017, Alaska Surf Guides, under Scott’s leadership, has spent the last decade helping adventurous travelers chase swells along Alaska’s remote coastline. What began with fly-out surf trips eventually evolved into a full boat-based operation, giving surfers the ability to follow storms and reach isolated breaks inaccessible by road.

The operation is built around Alaska’s wild and unpredictable weather. Prime surf season arrives during the spring and fall months, when North Pacific storms begin pushing energy toward the Gulf of Alaska. Long before guests arrive, weather forecasting becomes part science and part obsession.

“We spend weeks studying storm tracks, wind direction and pressure systems,” he said. “You have to think like both a surfer and a captain. You’re always trying to figure out where the waves will be good, but also where you can safely anchor and move through rough water.”

Trips typically last seven to 10 days and cover as much as 80 miles in either direction from Seward, Alaska. Along the way, guests experience far more than surfing. Glacier tours, fishing, wildlife encounters and even glacier surfing (catching waves near floating icebergs) all become part of the experience.

“It’s not just a surf trip,” he said. “You’re completely immersed in Alaska. There’s no one else out there. You feel connected to the environment in a totally different way.”

That sense of isolation also demands dependable equipment. Alaska Surf Guides relies heavily on its tender skiff powered by a Yamaha F25 outboard to safely transport surfers and gear from the main vessel to remote shorelines.

“You have to trust your equipment out here,” he said. “The Yamaha F25 has been incredibly reliable for us. We lift the skiff off the boat with a crane, run people and gear to shore in rough conditions and depend on it every day. When you’re operating in remote Alaska, reliability matters.”

Born and raised in Seward, he admits surfing wasn’t exactly common growing up. After discovering surfing during a trip to New Zealand, he returned determined to continue cold water surfing in his home state of Alaska. What started with a few friends surfing local protected breaks during unusually warm winters slowly grew into a full-fledged guiding business. Today, Alaska Surf Guides hosts roughly a dozen trips each season for dedicated surfers looking for something far beyond a traditional vacation.

“Alaska is the top of the inconvenience,” he laughed. “Nothing is easy here. But that’s also what makes it special. Every time we head out there, it still feels unreal.”

For him, the long hours, harsh weather and demanding logistics are outweighed by the opportunity to share Alaska’s raw beauty with others.

“It fuels my soul,” he said. “Every trip reminds me how lucky I am to do something this meaningful.”

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