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Lazy Otter Charters 

Water Taxi And Custom Cruises In Whittier, Alaska Since 1994

Lazy Otter Charters is a family owned and operated charter and water taxi provider harbored in Whittier, Alaska. The company was founded in 1994 by Mike and Kelly Bender. They created a legacy by establishing themselves as the most reliable water taxi and charter company. As the new owners, The Lang sister, Tammy Michelle and Jennifer now continue to honour that legacy by taking what they have learned from the Benders and continuing to provide exceptional service to Prince William Sound. Discover the calm waters and numerous protected isles and inlets of spectacular Prince William Sound with Lazy Otter Charters. Prince William Sound is one of Alaska’s precious jewels, with the largest collection of tidewater glaciers, mountains that careen straight up from the waters edge, and nutrient rich waters that support an abundance of sea life. Whether you are interested in a personalized day cruise, including glaciers and wildlife viewing, need a trip to a public cabin in Prince William Sound, or an expedition using our kayak transport Lazy Otter Charters would love to help you with your Prince William Sound adventure. Send us an email if you have any questions!

Lazy Otter Charters is celebrating 30 years of exploring Prince William Sound. Mike and Kelly are proud to have been operating in Whittier and sharing the places they love best for 30 years.

About the owners

Tammy, Michelle, and Jen Lang

Tammy, Michelle, and Jennifer Lang are three sisters who share a passion for the ocean and the maritime industry. As seasoned captains for Lazy Otter Charters and other respected marine tourism outfits, the Lang Sisters are thrilled to be taking their marine tourism and water taxi experience to the natural next steps as the owners of Lazy Otter Charters.

The Lang sisters are all accomplished U.S. Coast Guard 100-Ton Captains, but their teamwork extends far beyond their work together on boats. Together they have trekked through the Himalayan mountains, kayaked through Cat Ba Islands in Vietnam, and hitchhiked through Europe. Together they have enjoyed the thrill of adventure, and they plan to bring this same feeling to each Lazy Otter charter.

Tammy’s lifelong love for all things marine first brought her to Alaska in 2016, soon followed by Michelle and Jennifer. The three sisters spent some years working side-by-side at Major Marine Tours in Seward, Alaska, before Michelle and Jen made their way to Whittier, Alaska, to work for Lazy Otter Charters.
They immediately fell in love with Whittier, the breathtaking waters of Prince William Sound, and the Lazy Otter family. The Lang sisters always held a dream of owning their own boat company, and they are now deeply honored to finally be making that dream a reality with Lazy Otter Charters.

Oh Captain, My Captain!

Meet the Lazy Otter Crew

Michelle Lang

Captain

Michelle Lang was born and raised in Long Beach, California. After graduating with a degree in Communications from the University of California, she began traveling, and her maritime career truly began when she landed in Australia.Her journey began in North Queensland, Australia, where she worked for two years as a scuba dive and snorkel guide on the Great Barrier Reef, earning her Divemaster certification in Cozumel, Mexico.
Her love for the sea eventually brought her to Seward, Alaska, where she spent four summers working for Major Marine Tours alongside her sisters. She has spent the last four years working as a Captain at Lazy Otter Charters. In the wintertime, she would follow the whales and captain in Maui for Trilogy Sailing.
Michelle’s diverse experience includes working on sailboats at Sebago in Key West, FL, on a tall ship in Portugal, and for Barefoot Sailing in Paihia, New Zealand. She fell in love in New Zealand and now spends part of her wintertime building campervans and sailing in Whangamata, NZ. Michelle is licensed globally, holding a USCG 100-Ton Near Coastal License, a NZ Skippers License, and an Australian Skippers License.

Jennifer Lang

Captain

Captain Jen, the youngest of the three sisters, lives full-time in Whittier, Alaska. She has worked as a captain for Lazy Otter Charters over the past two years. Jen has lived in Alaska since 2020, though both before and intermittently since then, she has lived in places such as California, Montana, Ecuador, Australia, and New Zealand. While she has other maritime experience, including working on multi-day charter yachts and aquaculture barges in New Zealand, the majority of her time on the water has been right here in Southcentral Alaska, both in Seward and in Whittier. Jen was initially drawn to Lazy Otter because of its diversity in operations, the amazing people who make up the Lazy Otter family, and the exceptional beauty of Prince William Sound. Now, it is these same reasons—and so many more—that make her so thrilled to be taking on this new adventure as the co-owner of Lazy Otter Charters.

Tammy Lang

Tammy Lang was the first of the Lang sisters to settle in Alaska in 2016, and she works as a 100-ton nearcoastal captain for the company where she first started as a deckhand, Major Marine Tours in Seward. She is a year-round resident of Seward, where she also manages the local school bus fleet. Tammy has a degree in English with a minor in Marine Biology from Westmont College in Santa Barbara. Her boat experiences covers a wide range – she has worked on dive boats on the Great Barrier Reef, sailboats in Hawaii, commercial fishing tenders in Bristol Bay, and even on cruise ships where she worked as a naturalist delivering presentations to theaters of 1,200 people.

Tammy’s true passion, though, lies in crafting excellent tours that showcase the natural beauty of a place while providing a deeper understanding of its ecological and human stories. She is thrilled to join her sisters by working behind the scenes to continue Lazy Otter’s history of exceptional and unforgettable charters.

Stephanie Carlson

Stephanie Carlson has worked for Lazy Otter in many different capacities since 2019 and is, as Kelly likes to say, the spokes to the wheel. Stephanie helps keep the reservation and admin side of the Otter going. She is a born and raised Alaskan, who enjoys collecting retro nostalgia. “My favorite things to do in the summer are bonfires at the head of the bay or enjoying evenings at Emerald Cove Trail Head. I make it a priority to travel out of state a few times a year, a few of my favorite repeat destinations are Chicago and the Hawaiian Islands.” If you want to know a good camping spot in South Central Alaska, or about the summer music scene- Stephanie’s your gal.

Dylan Bender

Dylan Bender, born and raised in Alaska and in Lazy Otter Charters. The youngest of the Bender Family, Dylan was practically born on a boat in Prince William Sound and has grown up working with his siblings and parents in the family business. When Dylan is not in college at the California Maritime Academy, he is in Whittier helping his Dad with everything a marine business could need. “I love working on the water and spending time outside skiing, climbing, and skydiving.”

Stephen Kornoelje

Captain

Stephen Kornoelje joined Lazy Otter Charters as a Captain in 2024. Born and raised on the water of West Michigan, living on a houseboat for 6 months of the year. Looking for something more adventurous moved to the Florida Keys for a Scuba Instructor internship. Once finished with the internship moved onto a liveaboard sailboat in the Exuma, Bahamas running week long dive trips. After two years on a charter boat moved to the commercial side, running an Offshore Supply Ship in the Gulf of Mexico. “I’m Excited to spend the summer exploring Prince William Sound. When not working I can be found underwater with a camera in my hands!”

Caroline Strinsky

Caroline Strinsky, is celebrating her second season as a deckhand for the Lazy Otter. Caroline started working in the café of Lazy Otter and decided to follow the maritime footsteps of her Mother and Father and pursue sea time as a deckhand. “I love all things outdoors, specifically whitewater kayaking and rock climbing. When I’m not in paradise (Whittier), I spend my time studying psychology and American Sign Language at Clemson University. I’m looking forward to an amazing summer filled with dolphins and glaciers! ”

Tyler (Ty) Villnow

Captain

Being shaped from the foothills of Northern California, Captain Ty has always been drawn to the edge of the wild—where land meets water, and adventure waits just beyond the horizon. In the warm months, he steers through the vast, untamed waters of Alaska, reading the tides, guiding his passengers with a calm confidence honed by years of experience and all while listening to the hum of the engine as if he’s listening to a close friend speak. When the cold winds arrive and the seas fall quiet, Ty turns his curiosity inward, studying marine technology in the pacific northwest, exploring the ways innovation meets the ocean’s mysteries. Off the water, he chases the same rush of freedom in other realms—surfing the perfect wave, carving through fresh powder on a snowboard, or feeling the pulse of the streets on a skateboard. Whether on water, snow, or pavement, Ty moves with a rhythm that’s equal parts daring and deliberate, a reflection of a life lived truly in motion and a fast motion at that .In the end his thirst for adventures knows no bounds and he brings that same energy and enthusiasm to exploring the Prince William sound with all of our guests.

Amarissa Cramer

Amarissa Cramer is returning for third year with Lazy Otter Café & Gifts as the café and fudge shop Manager. Amarissa lived in Alaska during her high school years and now is a college student from Twin Falls Idaho majoring in Geology. “I love the outdoors!” If she’s not at work you can find her skiing, rock climbing, and crocheting!

Aubrey Jurgerson

Deckhand

Aubrey Jurgerson moved to Whittier, Alaska in 2022 and began working as a Naturalist in the Chugach National Forest and Prince William Sound. Born and raised in the upper Midwest, Alaska was a great fit for Aubrey, who loves water, snow, and forests. Aubrey began working as a Naturalist and Deckhand for Lazy Otter Charters in 2025. Aubrey’s favorite part of our tours are the beach walks, where she always does her best to find intertidal creatures for passengers to check out.

Sustainability Commitment

Lazy Otter Charters, Inc. is fortunate to live, work, and play within the Prince William Sound region, and in the Nellie Juan, College Fjord Wilderness Study Area. In all operations, we emphasize the importance of designated wilderness and the values within. We believe that exposing people to true wilderness experiences are exceptional, and life-changing opportunities and that protecting those opportunities is critical. Once a portion of wilderness is taken away, there are no ways to regain it.

We recognize fully we are a company that consumes fuel in our day-to-day operations, thus contributing to the release of carbon as greenhouse gases. However, while continually looking for ways to reduce consumption both internally and externally, we also actively search out other opportunities to counteract this impact. Lazy Otter Charters, Inc. participates in ongoing stewardship efforts within the Prince William Sound region; we offer transportation for beach clean-up events and invasive species removal. Further, In our cafes, we use compostable food service items, limit single-use plastics, and instruct staff in steps toward waste reduction. We hire staff who share our values and goals for a carbon-neutral planet, and onboard every journey educate guests about the effects of climate change in Alaska.

Immersive experiences like those offered by Lazy Otter Charters have the potential for a lasting impact and connection and we are proud to actively encourage our guests, employees, and partners to become better stewards of planet Earth.

Whale Sense

Lazy Otter Charters is a proud member of Whale Sense, a program promoting responsible whale watching through education and accountability.