Would you believe we’ve been on the road since January? We are back in Alaska getting ready for our 2020 season. This year we attended sportsman shows in California, Oregon and Washington — it was nice visiting everyone who stopped by our booth and say hello. We also managed to squeeze in winter fishing trips to Mexico and Panama — the fishing was good, but we can honestly say that the fishing in Alaska is still the best!

We sincerely hope this email finds you and your loved ones in good health -lately everyone has been in our thoughts and prayers. With so many concerns, fears and questions regarding COVID-19 the Coronavirus Disease, we hope to put your mind at ease.

We are blessed to live in a country where transparency, ingenuity and innovation prevail in times of crisis. We will get through this temporary emergency together. Here are some helpful links:
air travel | cleaning and disinfecting | CDC travel advisory

YES! It is safe to fly in the USA, specifically to and from Seattle.

A number of airlines have suspended international travel and cancelled flights. While a handful of our guests fly Delta, the majority of our lodge guests arrive via Alaska Airlines. Alaska Airlines does not have international flights, their aircraft have HEPA air filtration technology, enhanced aircraft cleaning processes and according to their health industry experts it is still safe to fly to and from Seattle.

Beach House, Not Bunkhouse

Many hunting and fishing outfitters lodge their guests in bunkhouses with shared bathrooms and dining facilities. In contrast, Chinook Shores Lodge hosts people in private beach houses and guests do not share personal space with anyone other than members of their own private party. Many people return to Chinook Shores Lodge each year because of the exclusivity of these private accommodations. We hope the manner in which we operate our facilities will provide people with additional comfort.

First and foremost, we take standards for hygiene and cleanliness very seriously and are taking additional steps to ensure the safety of our employees and guests. We’ve established cleaning and disinfecting protocols which include adopting OSHA-based guidance and prevention measures for our employees, using EPA-approved cleaning products and increasing the frequency of cleaning and disinfecting shuttle vans, lodge houses, public spaces and boats.

At times we have hired employees from an international job pool including Europe and Asia. Chinook Shores Lodge 2020 crew is comprised of US citizens who will arrive at the lodge long after flu season, and with any luck long after this coronavirus pandemic has passed.

Chinook Shores Lodge attracts travelers and anglers from all over the United States. In previous years, we’ve hosted guests from faraway locations spanning from South Africa to Scotland. We do not have any reservations booked by international travelers this year, nor will we accept any new bookings from travelers outside of the USA in 2020.

You may have heard that the Alaska Cruise Ship Industry announced it is voluntarily suspending cruise ship operations from USA ports of call for 30 days, and the Canadian Government has closed ports until July 1st. Our travel industry colleagues and tourism-dependent community impacted by these closures are top of mind.

Chinook Shores Lodge does not host cruise ship passengers and we do not have any cruise ship charters scheduled this year. We are developing moorage for larger vessels at the PIER 25 Boathouse — a new project located south of Chinook Shores Lodge and north of Knudson Cove Marina. Slated for completion July 2020, this will provide safe and easy access for tour operators and tourists participating in shore excursions, while protecting the privacy of lodge guests.

We cherish the memories anglers have helped us create over the years, and look forward to many new fishing adventures every year. We would like to remind everyone of our refund policy: If cancelled reservations can be re-booked, refunds will be given. The majority of time we are able to re-book cancelled reservations and refund payments almost immediately. 

Social Distancing? Stay Home and Watch the Deadliest Catch

Chinook Shores Lodge Operations Manager McKinley, who has worked at the lodge for seven years, has been working as a fisheries observer in the Bering Sea this winter. After successfully completing the Alaska Shellfish Observer training program in Kodiak this January, she flew to Dutch Harbor where she was assigned to work onboard the F/V Brenna A — collecting data on catch, bycatch and fishing effort for the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. Many of you may recognize the F/V Brenna A from the Discovery Channel’s Deadliest Catch program. McKinley is a WWU graduate with a bachelor’s degree in environmental science. She is passionate about protecting fisheries stocks from depletion, and we are incredibly proud of her work ethic and look forward to her return to the lodge this April.