Returning to work at OWL
The main reason staff return to OWL Rafting year after year, is the sense of community. Life is broken up into two realms: work and personal, OWL flips this convention on its head and blends the two.
Connor Lalande, 3rd season with OWL Rafting on the Ottawa River
If I were to guess the main reason that staff return to OWL Rafting year after year, it would be the sense of community that is forged from living and working amongst your coworkers. For most people, life is broken up into two realms: work and personal. A season spent at OWL Rafting flips this convention on its head however, as its unique and inviting environment blends the two in such a way that bonds colleagues into lifelong friends.
Nestled along the shoreline of the imposing yet, sublimely beautiful Ottawa River, the OWL
Rafting resort is a perfect place to spend a summer. Each staff member is given their own platform to live within the charming staff village, and you need only walk through the neighborhood of platforms to see what people are up to, and rally a crew for some fun activities. With world class whitewater at our doorstep, it is not uncommon for groups of staff to be on the water kayaking, canoeing, and river boarding and rafting during our leisure time – making the most of all that the Ottawa River has to offer.
With access to the internet thankfully being rather limited, non-work hours are more often than not spent seeking out each other’s company. We play volleyball (often poorly), take board games and cards way too seriously, go for bike rides and load up on snacks from Annie’s Gas Bar. Game and event nights are common, and live music on Saturdays is a highlight for the many dance enthusiasts that make up the OWL team. No matter your interests, there’s always something everyone can get pumped about.
As an organization, OWL Rafting reflects its values in the experience it provides to its guests.
From the free river access it offers to paddlers, to its usage of solar power to heat its outdoor showers, OWL Rafting is run in a way that is beneficial to both the local community and the continued sustainability of the regional environment. The enthusiasm for whitewater and the natural world is palpable throughout the company, and this zeal makes OWL Rafting an invigorating place to work. Rafting guests, visiting paddlers and your coworkers are stoked to be there, and their excitement inevitably rubs off on you.
A season spent working at OWL is truly a job like no other. As coworkers we share meals together, inflate rafts, chop fruits and vegetables, check in guests, keep the resort clean, and reminisce about the day’s events around a campfire, together. In doing so, a sincere appreciation for each other is fostered, and a strong sense of community attained. More than the first-rate whitewater, beautiful resort setting or alluring work-life balance, it’s the people you share the season with that makes OWL Rafting the incredible experience it is.
All in all, my time spent at OWL has introduced me to some of the most, good natured, sincere, talented and hilarious people I have yet to encounter. I feel blessed to have had the opportunity to live and work within a setting that encourages you to be yourself, and bonds you wholeheartedly to the people around you. Each spring I excitedly anticipate the start of the season, and each fall I lament its end. Nevertheless, the thing that always cheers me up when contemplating the end of another rad season is the thought of doing it all over again next year.
If you think you might be interested in working at OWL Rafting, I’d highly recommend checking out their Employment page for your next epic summer adventure! If you’re still not convinced, head over to the Ottawa Valley Boss Babes Podcast and learn more about how the “staff are not only pivotal members of the team, but are considered family.”
