Skip to primary navigation Skip to content Skip to footer

Your Hosts

The McConnells

Captain Shawn moved to Hoonah in 1969 when his parents came here to work as teachers at the local schools. Coming from the deserts of New Mexico, it was as if he had stepped into paradise. Trout on every cast could be found just a hundred yards from the back porch. The forest and waters surrounding Hoonah provided an infinite playground in which to camp, build, hunt, fish, and explore. Shawn first went to sea in a 12 foot Boston Whaler as a commercial salmon troller at age 14.

After graduating from Hoonah High School, he attended Seattle Pacific University where he met his wife, Teresa, who shared a similar life story, having moved with her parents to Glennallen, Alaska in 1968 as they took teaching jobs in the small town north of Anchorage.

Following college, both Teresa and Shawn accepted teaching jobs in Fairbanks from which they have both retired after 20+ years of service. During the years of teaching in Fairbanks, they returned to Hoonah each summer to afford their sons, Captain Casey and Kyle, the opportunity to enjoy a lifestyle unmatched in its richness and wild beauty.

They permanently moved back to Hoonah in May of 2008 and look forward to spending many more years enjoying the Southeast Alaska lifestyle full-time.

Laimdota Straujuma standing in front of a boat
Captain Shawn

Captain Shawn

Shawn has been on boats since he moved to Hoonah in 1969. He has worked as a deckhand on a variety of boats before he started fishing commercially on his boats at age 14.

We started Glacier Wind Charters in 1995 and have had the tremendous pleasure of sharing the wildlife and stunning vistas of Southeast Alaska with guests from all over the world.

Shawn spends the winters working on building and boat projects.

Captain Casey

We are so pleased to have our son Casey working with us for a ninth season. A favorite with our guests, Casey brings a wealth of knowledge of the local area and the wildlife. Casey has a master’s degree in Fisheries Biology and can answer questions on all things fish. When not guiding tours, Casey spends as much time as he can fishing, hunting, and hiking.

Captain Casey
a couple of people standing next to a fence

Kyle

Our youngest son Kyle has been working with us the past two seasons as a crew member with his brother and co-captaining with his dad. We’re very happy that Kyle, Hillary, Vaughn, and Penelope are able to spend their summers with us in Hoonah (instead of Arizona!)