Michael Scott Kramer Memorial Scholarship

Mike Kramer was a skilled outdoorsman, experienced waterman, and dear friend to many in the Salish Sea and around the world.

As a child, Mike was full of energy and lived life to the fullest. His exposure to the outdoors started at a very young age and instilled a passion in him early on. He grew up camping, skiing, and boating with his family. He was an avid traveler, visiting places like southeast Asia, Mexico, Belize, Maui, the Caribbean…you name it, he was ready to go at a moment’s notice.

From the time Mike was around 10 years old, he had a vision that he wanted to move to the west coast. He moved to Washington state when he was 19 and graduated from Western Washington University’s Huxley College of the Environment. After graduation he worked as a sailing instructor in Bellingham, ultimately earning his Captain’s License and becoming a whale watch captain.

Working in the whale watch community for over a decade, Mike was considered a senior captain in the industry: reliable, kind, and quick to help those in need. As a member of the San Juan Safaris team, Mike was everyone’s favorite co-worker and naturalists’ favorite captain to work with because of the joy he brought to each day’s adventure and his endearing quirks. Equally comfortable navigating our waters behind the wheel of a motorized or sailing vessel, in a kayak, or on his well-loved paddle board, Mike was the quintessential Pacific Northwest waterman and a well-respected expert in his craft.

Mike lived life outdoors to the fullest and was always quick to remind his friends of what was actually important. Mike excelled at being authentic and fun-loving and was a magnet of love and connection. The Michael Scott Kramer Memorial Scholarship honors Mike’s true passion for life and adventure by inspiring the next generation of students to take the road less traveled and live life well.

Eligibility

The recipient of this scholarship will be a post-secondary student seeking advanced education and training in recreation, adventure tourism, forestry, marine trades, or other related earth sciences.

Applicants should demonstrate:

• A record of service to others in their community
• A strong work ethic
• And, most importantly, a true passion for life and their desired field of study

Application

To apply for this one-time $2,000 scholarship, please complete the online application by 11:59pm PT on April 23, 2025. Please email scholarships@sjicf.org with any questions.