Stories of Alaska
The Southeast Expedition – Chris' Adventure Begins
- Chris Baldwin
- 2017-07-07 04:13:45
- Private Charter
- Petersburg, Alaska
AJ and I survived the first leg of our great adventure. 115 Miles of rolling 2 foot seas with the boat running nicely at 30 knots. Got to Petersburg around 930pm last night. We burned a little more fuel on the leg than expected, and we think it was mainly due our pace while racing the setting sun. I am sure the 2 foot seas didn't help.
We saw some whales, and some nice scenery, but the highlight of the trip so far was listening to AJ tell stories involving the various points and inlets we pass. AJ traveled these waters over 20 years ago in a 15 foot skiff, and I’m sure his experience will come in handy.
Right now were tied up along side the yacht facing directly at devils thumb. The peak is only 9000 feet tall, which is pretty minuscule in mountaineering standards, the face is around 6000 vertical making this the largest rock face around. The treacherous nature of the climb mixed with bad granite and unforgiving weather has contributed to making this the deadliest face on the continent. Even from 20 miles away It challenges the mind to its difficulty.
AJ and I are waiting to hear if we\'re fishing today. We’ve been hearing the halibut bite is good and been seeing some great looking spots north of the city. It is a waiting game at this point, but we\'re chomping at the bit to go catch some fish.
Corona Virus Update 2.3.2023
Even in the remote islands of Southeast Alaska, COVID-19 poses risks. The health and safety of our guests, employees, and community are our top priorities. We have put special measures in place to keep people safe on excursions:
The safety of our customers is paramount, so we’re also not going to walk away from common sense guidelines such as:
- Vaccination – We believe vaccines provide safe and effective protection against COVID-19. We strongly encourage vaccination and boosters for all employees, and the vast majority are currently vaccinated against COVID 19
- Social distance – We strive to keep groups separated as much as possible during the licensing and outfitting process, but our real strength in social distancing is based on the size of our boats. With only six passengers per vessel and one captain they spend time with, the risks of exposure are limited.
- Masking – We abide by the federal mandate for passenger vessels, masks are required for the duration of the tour while in enclosed cabins. That being said, there is quite a lot of airflow even on our hardtops which are typically open to the back deck. Masking may be required at times for vulnerable guests on a case-by-case basis.
- Stringent Cleaning – We’ve increased the frequency of disinfecting surfaces and high traffic areas such as the Alaska Fish House restaurant, bathrooms, the outfitting room, the dock, and our boats. Hand sanitizer will be available to all guests on every boat.
- Wellness Checks:
- Employees receive daily wellness checks to ensure they are healthy and symptom-free.
- Employees are empowered to call in sick if they show symptoms.
- If you or anyone in your group is experiencing symptoms, we will work directly with you to cancel or reschedule your tour free of charge.
These protocols have enabled Baranof Fishing Excursions to operate safely and successfully throughout 2020, 2021 and 2022. With your help, we intend to continue fishing safely in 2023!
