Meet Marty and Marion Owen of Kodiak, Alaska

Kodiak Alaska visitor travel guide
Cover photo by Marion Owen
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(All photos on this site are by Marion Owen unless specified otherwise)

Meet Marty and Marion Owen

Marty and Marion Owen are long time residents of Kodiak, Alaska. Marty is the skipper of the Sea Breeze as well as the local harbormaster for the City of Kodiak. His family roots go back to the 1930s when his family settled on Kodiak Island -- which means he has lots of stories to tell!

But that's getting ahead of the story. Though Marty and Marion both grew up in Tacoma, Washington, they didn't officially meet until 1995, after Marty moved back to Kodiak to become the harbormaster. He needed some photographs and asked Marion if he could see her slides. Likely story, eh? Marty signed up for Marion's photography class and, in 1999, they got married--on the Sea Breeze! (Click here to learn more about our Nautical Nuptials.)

As to Marion, she is the chief cook and bottle washer on board and delights in developing new, healthy and tasty recipes which she openly shares. And as an award-winning, professional photographer with over 25 years of published images in Alaska magazine, National Geographic Traveler, TIME, Business Week, Audubon and the Associated Press, she is always happy to help guests take great photos.

Speaking of photos, you'll see examples of Marion's work in their bed and breakfast as as the large display murals in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center which is located downtown.

A master gardener and garden writer, Marion coauthored the New York Times bestseller, Chicken Soup for the Gardener's Soul. (Autographed copies are available on board the Sea Breeze). She is also a bit of an entrepreneur, having developed and patented PlanTea, the organic fertilizer in handy tea bags for home gardeners. Her website at www.plantea.com is full of organic gardening tips.

Marty and Marion are very active in the community, adopting eco-tourism practices and participating in the arts, local government, environmental and sustainable living issues (visit Sustainable Kodiak's blog at http://sustainablekodiak.blogspot.com), and organic gardening. At their Cliff House bed and breakfast you'll see raised beds of vegetables, flowers and herbs, worm composting bins -- even an organic lawn!

Marty and Marion enjoy hiking, scuba diving, musice, kayaking, art, good food, conversation and books, and boating (of course).

We enjoy sharing our lives and showing our guests the best of Kodiak Island. We hope to see you soon on one of our cruises or as a guest in our bed and breakfast.

What a great evening from a great couple. Thank you, Marty and Marion.--Ed and Pyllis Shockley, Denver, CO

Breathtaking scenery, great food and gracious hosts.--Greg and Denise Williams, Tulsa, OK

No, we don't always look like this, but we just emerged from the banya (steam bath)!

Kodiak Island book
Many of Marion's photographs are published in this popular coffee table book about Kodiak Island. Autograph copies are available on board the Sea Breeze