Stories of Alaska
Naked Charter
- AJ Slagle
- 2021-04-22 09:45:50
- Fishing Stories
- Ketchikan, Alaska
I can't say that every charter has been successful in all ways, by any stretch of the imagination, and I can say most have had some learning experience for me or the clients... one such trip was on a windy, rainy day that was unique in several aspects; it was my second charter of the day, and the clients were adamant that they wanted to try fishing, although the places we told them we could try were limited...
So after navigating our way to a spot that might be productive, yet had a semblance of sheltered water, I dropped the anchor and we set out the rods in the holders and the clients hunkered down in the cabin as much as possible...
It was blowing 25 southeast and raining hard, and I related a story at one point of a trip where I was cold and wet, hiking around the shoreline of a local island in the month of March... the route I had planned was about 36 miles of shoreline, and with the inclement weather I had been out in for three days, and before the days of instant communication, a solo trip at 19 years old in rain and wind was of some concern to friends and family... my brother owned an air-taxi company at the time and decided to check on my well-being and progress as he was flying that route while he had a number of passengers on board...
Well... he found me, and at that point I was laying naked on a log in the sun that had appeared for the first time in 3 days! My clothes were hanging all around me on the surrounding driftwood, and not close enough to acquire by the time he had done a full circle of me... The next day it blew 45 southeast with rain, and I managed to get to a small shack that evening after wading three creeks and hiking for 7 hours; by that time I was exhausted and beginning to get hypothermic, which was the main reason I was relating the story, comparing our fishing conditions to the hike that taught me to respect southeast weather conditions...
Speaking of respect, a few months after that hike I was working at my brother's air taxi and I noticed an elderly woman who was a frequent passenger of ours coming to talk with me; I greeted her and said, "can I help you, ma'am?" She smiled sweetly and replied, "I was on that airplane with your brother when he was checking on you; I was very impressed and respected what you did." I thanked her for the kind words and she went back to the passenger lobby, leaving me to feel complimented and a little bit awkward...
There were other stories as well, and apparently they did not make as much of an impression on the clients... we caught no halibut, and I worked at it as hard as possible, and the story I told was prominent in their complaints!
Well... that is his job, and he does it well; as the owner of the company; his skill at rectifying a problem or satisfying a complaint is something that I am grateful for and by no means want to rely on... He addressed their complaints, I am sure in a fair and competent manner, and I became aware later of a number of requests for people that were booking with Baranof that wanted to fish with me because of that story on "Trip advisor!" Curiosity or confidence, I cannot say... regardless, I am humbled and grateful for your interest in fishing with me and the company...
I know it's been a lot of years... But thanks again for checking on me, brother...
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!
