Find out what life is like as a commercial fisherman in Alaska on this Bering Sea fisherman's tour from Ketchikan. Step aboard the Aleutian Ballad, the 107-foot (33-meter) ocean-going vessel. Soak up the views from the open-air upper deck, or take a seat in the heated, enclosed amphitheater on the lower deck.
Your crew ‘ties loose,’ push away from the dock and cruise through the waterways of the Inside Passage. Stay warm with a cup of provided hot chocolate, coffee, or tea, and hear about the Aleutian Ballad’s history as a commercial fishing boat, including how it became famous on season two of 'Deadliest Catch,' when the boat was struck by a 60-foot (18-meter) swell and survived to tell the tale. Ask them questions—the crew loves to share stories about life at sea!
En route, keep your eyes peeled for eagles, sea lions, whales, and porpoises. Upon arrival at the fishing grounds, see firsthand how the crew bait the fishing gear with salmon and squid and toss the long-line barrel pots overboard. Then, watch in wonder as Bering Sea king crab is hauled up in 700-pound (320-kg) crab pots. Other sea creatures hauled on board include Dungeness crab, rockfish, ratfish, wolf eel, box crab, octopus, gray cod, prawn and more. The crew sorts through the catch, and places the fish and other marine life in a tank on the deck for your observation. Feel free to snap pictures and touch some of the catch before it is released back into the sea. Set voyage back to the dock after the crew has stowed all the fishing equipment.
