January 17, 2014
In this series of articles I’ll be talking about some of the cases I’ve seen, and the various ways our Alaskan visitors have suffered from these accidents. I’ll also talk about the importance of an experienced local Alaskan attorney in cases like these.
Alaska can be a very risky place for tourists – Part 1
Sport Fishing
Fishermen throng to Alaska every year. Alaska’s King salmon are the largest and most plentiful in the world. Alaska Red salmon fishing runs are second to none. Silver salmon fishing in the salt water of Southeast Alaska is legendary.
Fisherman gain access to the fishing experiences through a variety of means. A “fishing trip” can be expensive and exotic or very economical. A weeklong stay at a high-end fishing lodge on Prince of Wales Island west of Ketchikan where guides take clients out daily in small speed boats to troll for silver salmon or jig for halibut will cost upward to $10,000. Clients of lodges in the Bristol Bay Region out of Dillingham are flown to and from the fishing hole each morning and afternoon where they are guided to catch their limit, pay even more for their adventure. On the economical side, an angler can rent a car in Anchorage, drive to the Kenai Peninsula to engage in “combat fishing” on the banks of the Russian River and have a good chance of landing red salmon while watching out for brown bears and other anglers.
In my experience, the risk of injuries does not correlate with the financial cost of the fishing adventure, however. Many fishermen enjoying the high-end lodges have been injured either at the lodge, aboard the charter boat, or lost in air crashes. This seems to be an unexpected “fact of life” for the adventure seeking tourist in Alaska. I’ll be talking more about Aircraft Accidents in my next article.