From the Docks to the Sky: How I Became a Seaplane Pilot from a Tiny Native Village in Alaska

Notes from Alex
By Alex Atkinson Jr.

I grew up in a small Native American village tucked away in the breathtaking wilderness of Southeast Alaska. Metlakatla—our only Native American reserve in the state—is a close-knit fishing and lumber town on Annette Island. That’s home.

In Metlakatla, the rhythm of life follows the tides. Fishing isn’t just a job—it’s a legacy. Many of my family members made their living on the water, and when the lumber mill was running full steam, others worked there too. As for me, I spent time working with my parents and family at the fish processing plant—Annette Island Packing Co. That was my world growing up. The salt air, the sound of boats returning from the sea, the bustle of the dock—that was normal.

But even then, something in me stirred for something… different. Bigger. Higher.

You see, in our village, there were only two ways to leave: by boat or by seaplane. And those seaplanes—they captured my imagination from a young age. Every time I saw one skim across the water and lift into the air, my heart lifted with it. Fishing might have been in my blood, but my mind? It was always in the clouds.

When I got to high school and we took the SATs, I struggled. Sitting in a classroom, grinding through test prep—that just wasn’t me. The advice I got wasn’t surprising: “Stick with what you know. Maybe go into fishing or lumber.” That’s what people expected. Based on my test scores, they said becoming a pilot might not be in the cards for me.

But you know what? I didn’t care.

I knew what I wanted.

I was going to become a pilot. A seaplane pilot.

So after high school, I took a year to regroup, then enrolled in flight school. Seven months later, I had earned my Private Pilot Certificate, my Commercial Pilot License, my Instrument Rating, and my Seaplane Rating. I didn’t stop. A little over a year after that, I was flying online—earning a paycheck—as a commercial seaplane pilot.

And you know what? I did it. No matter what anyone else said, I made it.

I’ve now spent the majority of my career in aviation, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. Aviation gave me a life that started in a small Native village and took me to the skies above the Tongass National Forest, the Inside Passage, and beyond.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s this:

Don’t let someone else’s opinion of your potential define your path.

I’m living proof that ambition and persistence can overcome low test scores, limited opportunity, and even small-town expectations.

Aviation isn’t just my career—it’s my life. And it all started in a little fishing village called Metlakatla.