Articles by month: December 2009

Some of my earliest childhood memories are of the summers spent with my father camping with his troop of Boy Scouts in upstate New York. At camp every day was a new adventure filled with the smells of wood fires, pine trees; the earthy scent of forest floor, and catfish being fried in a skillet. I learned many skills at camp such as catching and cleaning a catfish, how to paddle a canoe, as well as learning to swim. I view the outdoors as a big classroom where we learn about ourselves and the world around us. We discover how to live, and how to survive and in the process learn about who we are and what we are capable of. All the lessons my father taught me about the outdoors remain as indispensable today as they were then. I plan to pass these skills on to my grandchildren when they are ready.

Where the live aboard sport fishing cruise really differentiates itself from the traditional yacht charter is the focus on hardcore fishing and the ability to professionally process your catch while at sea. These excursion vessels typically cruise with a compliment of two or three cabin cruisers which transport up to four anglers each to the fishing grounds. These smaller boats (20 -26 feet) are the preferred platform to reel in Alaska's bounty of great seafood. After your limits are in the bag, the cabin cruisers return to the "mother ship" which has now moved ahead and has anchored in a protected cove for the night. In the galley, chefs prepare sumptuous meals of crab, premium meats, and Alaska seafood for the returning guests. Deck hands ready themselves to process the days catch, while appetizers and refreshments await you in the dinning area creating the ideal setting to share your stories of the day's adventures.