Our Crew

Denni Hawks is the receptionist, office manager, and Jill-of-all trades, and is affectionately known as “The Boss”. She has been working with Puffin Charters since 1998 and became a co-owner in 2002. She started out as a deckhand, but couldn’t quite grasp the concept that “the captain is always right”, so was relegated to the office, where she will be happy to answer any questions that you might have about the fishing trip or any other aspects of your Seward fishing adventure.

Captain Leslie Pemberton has operated guided sport charter fishing boats out of Seward, Alaska since 1982, and is one of the most experienced captains in the Seward charter fleet, having fished the waters in and around Resurrection Bay for over twenty years.

Captain Pemberton came to Alaska in 1974 and landed in Dutch Harbor, first working in the commercial fishing industry on crab boats and halibut longliners, and earning a 100-ton U.S. Coast Guard Ocean Masters license in 1978. After operating pilot and ferry vessels out of Dutch Harbor, the skipper began spending summers in Seward, guiding fishing charter vessels for the U.S. military. In 1994, Captain Pemberton launched Puffin Fishing Charters with a 28-foot-Bayliner. Through knowledge, experience, dedication, and plain hard work, the company has grown to a fleet of two 36-foot Coast Guard inspected sport fishing boats, and is one of the more successful and productive fishing charter companies in Seward.

Captain Pemberton recognizes that your fishing trip may be a once-in-a-lifetime event and works very hard to make your trip a memorable (and productive) one, while still keeping safety the utmost priority.

Always on the hunt for big fish, Capt. Andy Martin works for Puffin Charters during the summer and operates his own saltwater and river guide service in Southern Oregon during the falls and winters. Capt. Andy first came to Alaska to guide on the Kenai River, but his love for offshore salmon, halibut and lingcod fishing brought him to Seward. A former newspaper reporter and editor, Andy changed careers to being a full-time guide and charter boat captain because he is passionate about teaching others how to fish and enjoys helping people experience the thrill of catching lunker halibut and aerobatic salmon. Andy is also a prolific outdoor writer who regularly contributes to SaltWater Sportsman, Fishing & Hunting News, Fish Alaska, Salmon Trout Steelheader, Game & Fish and ESPN Outdoors.

Andy is the Captain for the Adventuress.

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