CAPTAIN ROARK BROWN

THE OUTER LIMITS

Hometown: Homer, Alaska

Captain since 1972

I grew up a country boy in the mountains of western Oregon, and the outdoors was my

entertainment. Growing up, we had a creek on one side of our house and a trout pond

on the other, and I spent my time fly fishing for as long as I can remember. We fished

and hunted deer and rode horses and had what many would consider today a dream

childhood, which in retrospect it was. My father did annual fly fishing trips to a remote

area in British Columbia and he started taking me along when I was big enough to cast.

We did occasional trips to Depoe Bay on the Oregon Coast and fished on my uncle's

boat. I guess it is true, I have fished virtually my entire life.

In 1976 our family moved to Cordova Alaska. My father was a WWII P-38 fighter pilot in

the Aleutian Islands and always wanted to return to Alaska. My career working on boats

begin over Christmas vacation that year on a week-long Tanner crab trip. As a 15-year-old kid, I made $1100 bucks in a week and that had a big impression on me. In Cordova

I crabbed for Tanners and Dungeness, long-lined halibut, gill netted on the Copper River, and seined salmon in beautiful Prince William Sound. Somewhere along the line, the

salt got in my blood.

After high school I worked on boats and took classes towards my business degree,

finally completing it after too many years. By this time my parents had moved to Prince

of Wales Island in SE Alaska. I joined them in the summer of 1981 and was offered a

stream guiding job at the Prince of Wales Lodge. Since all I was doing was fishing

every day, I thought getting paid for it was a novel idea. And thus my tourism career was

born.

My father was a school administrator and his retirement was based on his last three

years' salary so he decided to work in rural Alaska for higher pay. I decided to go to the

Kenai Peninsula and stay with a childhood friend who was teaching there, and who was

also a fishing fanatic. In 1987 I obtained my 50 ton captains license and in 1988 guided

on the famous Kenai River. I decided after a season that I was more of a saltwater kind

of guy and was hired by what was at the time the premier halibut charter in Homer. I

was fortunate to learn from some of the best captains who have ever chartered for

halibut and managed to catch the winning fish in the Homer Jackpot halibut derby my

first season. After three seasons there my fishing friend and I purchased Homer Ocean

Charters in 1991.

Homer Ocean at the time was a halibut day trip business. Our first season we

pioneered vessel-based hunting out of Homer and explored Kodiak deer hunts as I was

already running a boat there for an air taxi doing hunts. I am proud to say 2020 will be

my 30th season operating vessel-based deer hunts on Kodiak and most enjoy the

friends I have made over the years. Over the years our products line grew to include

multiple day charters of many types, sea kayaking, guided hikes, research charters, and

outdoor education program, and a lodge, restaurant, and rental cabins across

Kachemak Bay with more products on the way.

I currently hold a 200-ton master's license and still love to drive my boat. I have been

blessed to have good health and great employees and partners over the years. My goal

across our product line continues to be to safely make lifelong memories for customers.

I still wake up excited to plan new products, see new places, and meet new people. My

two children, Annalynn (17) and Ashton (14), are truly the “A” team, thank you, Lord!

Two things many people don’t know about me... I am a Canadian immigrant and speak

fluent Canadian, and I attend bible study early Tuesday mornings.

-God bless!

Captain Roark

HAPPY CUSTOMERS OF CAPTAIN ROARK

"3 Day / 2 Night Deal Is Awesome As Is The Crew & Fishing!"

"We were lucky enough to experience the 3 day / 2 night fishing adventure. It was just amazing. The fishing was great and we brought in halibut, king salmon, silver salmon, pink salmon & rockfish. The accommodations were excellent & if you've never experienced staying out on a big boat, this is a bucket list item. And the food was just wonderful.

I'd do this adventure again in a heartbeat.

We will never be able to thank Roark & Lucas and the rest of the crew for their attention to detail and assistance. My gosh, this adventure was just beyond belief."

-Scott, June 2017