Released on = August 7, 2007, 10:27 pm

Press Release Author = Great Land Fish News

Industry = Entertainment

Press Release Summary = (Ketchikan, Alaska) Fans of the TV show "Deadliest Catch"
are experiencing for themselves the exhilaration and realities of a life at sea.

Press Release Body = The crabber Aleutian Ballad left the "Deadliest Catch" fleet
two years ago after it was capsized by a 60 foot rogue wave in the Bering Sea. Since
then the 107-foot vessel has been refurbished to star in a different role: thrilling
visitors with sea-going reality tours in calmer waters near Ketchikan, Alaska.
The new venture is the vision of Aleutian Ballad owner Dave Lethin who conceived
the tour idea ten years ago.
"I wanted to share with people the lifestyle and the allure that draws fishermen to
the sea," he said.
Lethin has condensed a day in the fishing life to a four hour tour. From the heated
comfort of sheltered observation areas, up to 150 guests can watch the Aleutian
Ballad's seasoned crew launch and retrieve 700 pound pots full of crab, octopus and
other sea creatures.
"They've seen it on TV and now they get to hear the water dripping off the crab pot
and smell the bait and feel it crash down on the launcher. They say, 'Wow! This is
the real deal'," Lethin said.
"It's awesome. We had a grand time," said Beth McIntosh of Mesquite, Texas who was
on board for the inaugural crab boat tour last week. "My nephew, Micah, hasn't
stopped talking about it yet."
Most important to the Aleutian Ballad crew is that the crab boat tours are giving an
authentic glimpse of the fishing life.
"People see what we catch and how we catch it," said Dave Lethin. 'They experience
that exhilarating feeling when the crab pot comes over the side. We share our sea
stories about the things that have scared us so badly our knees were knocking. Now
they understand why we go back for more." //


Web Site = http://56degreesnorth.com/

Contact Details = Contact: Dave Lethin (360) 269-6420
Lynn Walton (360)775-6125
www.56degreesnorth.com