PHWFF Alumni have a wild week in Alaska

July, 2007

Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing had an opportunity to send two of our "troops" to Alaska, courtesy of Captain Gary Morfett and others. Gary's boat, the Hot Ruddered Bum, carried CPL Robert Bartlett, USA and ex-SGT Chris Short, now a civilian, on a fabulous week-long trip to Ketchikan, Alaska. Here is what Robert had to say about their adventure:
Well, the trip to Alaska was an unbelievable success!

Rob B with cutthroat trout

More than a hundred pounds of fish caught on most days. Amazing wildlife sightings—from grizzly bear to whales. Alaska’s beauty all of its own, the likes of which I’ve never seen.

It was truly the trip of a lifetime. I will never forget the experience, and I’ll be eating fish for the next year.

I would like to thank Project Healing Waters for sending me on this trip. I also would like to thank Al West, Bill Potter, and Bruce Kaplan for sponsoring the trip. I will be sending them a thank you along with some pictures from the trip.

Chris and Rob and dinner for all

I also would like to thank Gary Morfett, a veteran himself, who put the trip together and contributed his time, his boat and home to this trip. Thank you, Gary. It was a great time.

Chris with tuna

On this trip we did many things. One was a floatplane trip that Dave Rocke donated to fly us in to an inland lake.. We caught 50 cutthroat trout in one day .That is a new record for me! So thank you again, Dave.

I hope we can keep this trip going in the future because I know it was the best one I have ever been on. Thank you all again.

Chris Short, Capt. Gary Morfett, Rob Bartlett with the Hot Ruddered Bum in the background

 

Sincerely,
Sgt Robert Bartlett
One Shot, One Kill