Mary will no longer be one of Port Protection Alaska’s main cast members, after her move away from the area in 2023.
Few things are more fascinating than watching the residents of the remote town of Port Protection (a small corner of Prince of Wales Island in Alaska) go about their daily lives whilst being almost completely cut off from the rest of the world.
There are certainly benefits associated with this off-the-grid way of living. But one of the biggest drawbacks is that fans have almost no way of knowing how their favorite Port Protection Alaska cast is doing when the show is between seasons.
Why did Mary leave Port Protection?
This includes the whereabouts of Mary Miller, a longtime Port Protection Alaska cast member who has become quite a favorite among fans of the show.
While Mary is now a regular cast member on the show, she was relatively new to life in the remote Alaskan wilderness when Port Protection Alaska first started airing and is often referred to as a “city girl” on the show.
However, despite her lack of experience, Mary has spent the past seven seasons of the show giving it her all to hunt, chop, maneuver and manufacture just about everything she needs to survive in this harsh landscape.
But it seems Mary’s time in Port Protection has now come to an end. Mary will no longer be a main cast member on the show moving forward (if there is even a show moving forward), as she recently moved out of Port Protection due to concerns for her health.
Mary’s run on Port Protection Alaska
Mary is certainly one of the Port Protection Alaska cast members who has appeared in the most episodes of the show, to date. But she officially left Port Protection in 2023, after they filmed the seventh season of the show.
All in all, Mary made an appearance in about 70 episodes of the show during her almost decade-long run on Port Protection Alaska. This run can be outlined as follows:
| Category | Episode | Initial air date |
| First appearance | Season 1, episode 2: “The Axeman Cometh” | July 26, 2015 |
| Last appearance | Season 7, episode 10 “Don’t Look Back” | March 6, 2024 |
Where Mary is now
Mary explained briefly during her last few moments of Port Protection Alaska, that she needed to leave this settlement and all of her new friends behind on account of mounting health concerns. This prompted her to return to an easier life back ‘on-the-grid’.
And now that word has spread about her big move, some fans have confirmed online that she is now living very close to Port Protection – in a much bigger city within the Prince of Wales-Hyder Census Area in Alaska, called Craig.
Fortunately, Mary seems to be doing well enough to travel, as some local fans have also confirmed that she still frequently visits Port Protection to see all of her old friends to this day.
Port Protection Alaska: Who is (and is not) still living in Port Protection
What about Mary and Curly’s relationship?
Life in Port Protection Alaska usually means a fairly solitary existence for most people. But despite her newcomer status, Mary managed to strike up quite a close friendship with her fellow Port Protection cast member, Curly Leach, throughout her seven season-run on the show.
This has led to a lot of speculation on various online forums that Mary and Curly’s friendship may have turned into something more romantic behind the scenes.
However, both Curly and Mary have other partners in real life who chose not to be featured on the show – and it seems like their relationship is really just platonic.
But, while it may be slightly disappointing to hear that your two favorite Port Protection Alaska cast members have not secretly fallen in love whilst filming the show, the good news is that this means Curly will likely not be following Mary out of the area anytime soon.
The future of Port Protection Alaska
Mary is not the only former Port Protection cast member that viewers have had to say goodbye to in the last couple of years, as the show also recently lost both Gary Muehlberger and Litzi Botello.
And so much change over a short period is often not a good sign when it comes to television renewals. This is why rumors have already start spreading that Port Protection Alaska may be coming to an end very soon.
However, despite these worrying rumors, National Geographic Channel has not officially announced any plans to cancel the show.
Moreover, there is still quite a good chance that the powers that be will bring the show back for another season (possibly featuring some brand-new cast members).
The future of Port Protection Alaska explained – 2024 and beyond
