When a massive, unexpected landslide blocked the only road to Lowell Point, Tom Miller knew his water taxi service was the only way to move residents, school children, and tourists back and forth to the nearby town of Seward. With roughly 6,640 miles of coastline, water taxis are a vital part of the transportation and infrastructure in Alaska. In this episode of Indie Alaska, we hear Tom’s story and the history of his family’s business, Miller’s Landing.
Video by Valerie Kern
Story by Valerie Kern and Mizelle Mayo
Music by Universal Production Music
Related: Dozens of cars are still stuck behind Seward landslide as road clearing begins
Related: Road to Lowell Point near Seward is now completely open to traffic
Originally from the Central Coast of California, Valerie joined Alaska Public Media in July 2017. She creates original video content for the station's TV and digital platforms while also overseeing the Production Department. Before moving to Alaska, Valerie worked as an ENG Editor at WRAL-TV in Raleigh, North Carolina. She also served in the U.S. Air Force as a TV and Radio Broadcast Journalist where she traveled around Europe, Africa, The Baltics, Australia, and the Southern United States reporting on military events, exercises, and missions. Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, backpacking, yoga, and traveling.