For The Wild - Introducing： In the Company of Humpbacks

00:00:00.000 Hey friends, Ayana here. We are so excited to announce our brand new audio documentary

00:00:12.260 series, In the Company of Humpbacks. Three episodes, one goal. To take you into the quiet,

00:00:19.380 the thrums, and the wild rhythms of Southeast Alaska. How it started? Fred Sharp, old friend,

00:00:26.240 long-time explorer of these waters, and we're always running into each other at his field

00:00:30.980 station in Chichikov Island. Now, every time I see him, he brings a smile and usually a little

00:00:36.920 giggle because of his very Dr. Seuss-like spirit. Same place, different years, and the conversations

00:00:43.620 just keep getting longer. This summer, we ran into each other again, picking blueberries on

00:00:48.820 a little boardwalk trail. And we just stayed there. Hours. Talking about whales, politics,

00:00:56.140 AI, the ocean, Alaska life. Everything just tangled together. A few months later, I'm

00:01:02.660 at my neighbor's house, picking cherries, hands full, not stopping, very on brand for

00:01:07.040 me. And Fred calls. He's got Joe Olson on speaker, and they say, you've got to come

00:01:12.460 to Five Fingers Lighthouse. Tiny island, remote, cliffs, storms, toddlers in tow, oldest lighthouse

00:01:20.360 in Alaska, totally wild. And somehow I said yes. That yes turned into walks, recordings, and hours

00:01:29.180 of listening to whale thrums, wind, and the subtle rhythms of life all around us. Along the way,

00:01:36.020 rachel mead joe olson fred and i shared stories that are funny strange challenging and often

00:01:42.740 pretty magical we couldn't have made the series without the generosity of the alaska whale

00:01:47.540 foundation the american cetacean society the alaska fisheries development foundation five

00:01:54.100 fingers lighthouse and barnacle foods thanks to these organizations we are able to listen deeper

00:01:59.560 wander further and bring these stories to you this series is also the first and new chapter

00:02:06.280 for for the wild we're now a studio and we are loving this new way of relational storytelling

00:02:11.960 collaborating with constellations of people who want their stories heard if you've got a story

00:02:17.900 a campaign or a place that feels like it needs to be shared connect with us at connect at for

00:02:23.860 the wild.world. Now, In the Company of Humpbacks drops soon, so step into the quiet,

00:02:30.960 tune your ears to the thrums, and come along with us.

For The Wild - March 19, 2026