Tongass Tides is one of the few tour companies where the owner is present, accessible, and directly operates the tours provided to passengers. This is due to the genuine passion William has for nature and wildlife, but the experiences he has with the passengers as well.
Working with several operators in the past, he has seen the disconnect that occurs between the crew who engage with the passengers and the managers/owners who exercise the authority and day-to-day decisions but are absent from the dynamic. This gap influences the overall experience not just for the visitors, but the crew as well.
William broke off to start his own business with the desire to focus on the quality of the experience of the visitors by staying directly involved. While the tourism industry is a very lucrative business opportunity, William truly enjoys being on the water, observing and photographing wildlife. In his observation, the best experiences came from being genuine, focusing on the visitors, and engaging in a sincere way.
Large, mixed groups of passengers make this a challenge to juggle the needs and attention of 40-50 people. Often this translates to entertaining an audience vs. having casual conversations with people one on one.
With smaller groups of people, or people who are a family or group of friends, it is easier to be accessible, genuine, and provide good service where the rest is decided by Nature. Regardless of whatever other operators guarantee or promote, no one can prompt or guarantee the wildlife behaviors passengers will experience.
