Your Alaskan Cruise Captain and Crew

MV Misty Fjord Crew

Your hosts, Dale and Tatiana Pihlman, bring a diversity of experience and talents as well as a strong desire to make your trip as enjoyable as possible. Dale is a native of Ketchikan, and has worked as a commercial fisherman, fisheries biologist and art instructor. He is a private pilot as well as a licenced captain. Much of Dale’s life has been spent on the water in Misty Fjords National Monument, where he and his parents fished commercially on the family fishing vessel; then in later years with his own vessel. As a Fish & Game biologist, he spent many seasons working in the monument. Dale was a founding director of The Southeast Alaska Conservation Council and was politically involved in the creation of Misty Fjords National Monument. He pioneered scheduled cruises there in 1978.

Dale’s wife Tatiana is a former dentist and embodies a warmth and hospitality reflective of her Siberian roots. She enjoys landscape gardening.

Alaskan Residents

"We live here year round which means we are in tune with not only the changing seasons but with the political landscape. As residents, we are able to participate in the political process in Alaska, working to promote political viewpoints that enhance and protect this great land."
- Dale and Tatiana Pihlman

Philosophy

"In visiting Alaska’s special places, we do so with a reverence for the natural environment and a respect for historic places and indigenous people. We strive to have minimal impact on the areas we visit and leave little or no trace of our passing. Our objective is to seek out the least traveled and highest quality wilderness of Southeast Alaska. We think that the serendipity of discovering wildlife is as important as seeing it."
- Dale and Tatiana Pihlman

Your Skipper: Captain Dale Pihlman

Dale was born into a commercial fishing family in Ketchikan. He grew up in a typical Alaska homestead, off the road system, with no indoor plumbing or electricity and with a considerable amount of time devoted to subsistence.

In his youth, Dale crewed on various boats, including the family’s salmon troller, a purse seiner and tug boats. He holds a Master of Education degree with undergraduate majors in Art and Biology. He has taught Art in public schools and for the University of Alaska, S.E. Within Biology, his concentration is Marine Biology, and in Art his interests are sculpture and N.W. Coast Native art. He was employed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game for five seasons, as a Fisheries Biologist and captain. Dale fished commercially for fifteen years with his own vessels throughout S.E. Alaska, Prince William Sound and Bristol Bay in the Bering Sea. He is a licensed pilot and has flown as a contract spotter pilot for herring fishermen.

Dale has operated scheduled cruises and charters in S.E. Alaska for 20 years. He sold his business Alaska Cruises, including 5 vessels in 1999. During his last season, his vessels carried 30,000 passengers. For his contributions to the Alaska visitor industry, Dale has received several awards including the 2000 “Excellence in Tourism” award from the Ketchikan Visitors Bureau and the 1998 “Ginny Hill” Alaska Wilderness Recreation & Tourism Association award. Well known personalities that he has personally hosted include Olivia Newton John, Joan Rivers, Bill and Melinda Gates, Francis Ford Coppola, Dan Aykroyd, Dennis Hopper and Candice Bergen.

He has been politically active on behalf of Alaska’s commercial fishing and visitor industries and has given presentations at the local, state and national levels, including testimony before a U.S. Senate Committee on Alaska Lands. Dale was appointed by the late Governor Jay Hammond as a founding director of the Alaska Commercial Fishing and Agriculture Bank. He was a director and President of the Commercial Fishermen’s Cooperative Association in Ketchikan. He was actively involved in the creation of several S.E. Alaska wilderness areas as well as Misty Fjords National Monument.

Since selling his business, Dale focused primarily on building the M/V Misty Fjord. However, he has taken some breaks. He has worked as a contract captain and as a naturalist aboard luxury yachts and has been a Destination Lecturer aboard Royal Caribbean Cruise Line ships visiting Alaska.

Dale has a thorough knowledge of Alaska’s natural resources. He has a passion for Alaska, and loves sharing his knowledge with others.

Article on Captain Dales mother (Click on images to enlarge)

Personal Chef: Yolanda

Chef Yolanda is a born and bred Southeast Alaskan local with plenty of stories to tell. A fiery mixture of Native Alaskan and Croat bloodlines, she has connections to Alaska's ancient and pioneering past. Yolanda has a lot of character and her gourmet food is made with love.

Yolanda will warm your stomach with freshly made breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacking options throughout the day.

Yolanda's father's boat the F/V Cape Falcon. She spent her youth fishing with him on it.

Other crew members include Stewards, Deckhands and Guides depending on the trip or charter. Crew can vary in size from 3-5 people.