Alaska Surf Adventure with Anna Gudauskas + Caley Vanular
This fall, I traveled back to Alaska for a 2nd time with Anna Gudauskas and Caley Vanular aboard the Milo Surf Boat with Alaska Surf Guides, led by Captain Mike McCune. The entire trip was boat based, moving through remote parts of Alaska with no roads or towns nearby.
The project came together through Anna Gudauskas, whose love for cold water surfing runs deep. The trip was supported by Billabong Women’s, but it felt more like a hybrid than a traditional brand shoot. We had product to capture, including wetsuits, outerwear, and lifestyle pieces, but there was also room to explore and respond to what the environment gave us.
Conditions were classic Alaska. Water temperatures hovered in the high 40s to low 50s, with air temps in the 50s and low 60s. Fog rolled through most days, broken up by cloud cover and a few clear windows. The waves were mostly small, made up of reef and cobblestone point setups. We surfed what appeared and trusted the captain’s timing.
One session stood out above the rest. We found a tucked away Left that Captain Mike had not surfed yet, protected from the open ocean swell. We named it Splash Mountain. I shot it from the water and occasionally from the boat, knowing it was likely a one time moment. That wave shifted the energy of the trip and reminded us why access and local knowledge matter so much in places like this.
