After three days of being somewhat insulated from the "wilds" of Alaska, I felt ready for a first-hand taste of the Alaskan wilderness. After all, cruising Alaska is touted to be all about natural wonders and wildlife, yet for the last several days I had reveled in the sheer comfort of my mini-suite onboard Holland America's Statendam.

So far my Alaskan "wildlife experience" consisted of a daily ritual starting with fresh fruit, yogurt and coffee served on my private verandah, as we sailed by the magnificent landscapes along the Inland Passage. This was usually followed by a stroll on deck, a fantastic luncheon buffet in the Lido Café (one of the best on any ship I have sailed on), and a lazy afternoon by the enclosed pool or watching a tape on my very own, in-cabin, VCR. After a scrumptious dinner in the Rotterdam Dining Room and a show, I enjoyed a nightly whirlpool bubble bath before turning in. Not exactly the routine that comes to mind when contemplating a visit to the Alaskan wilderness.

The time had come to finally commune with nature and get a real taste of Alaska! I was determined to catch my first Alaskan Salmon! Two of my favorite things are fishing and eating fresh salmon. In all honesty, I am not the most experienced fisherman. Living in the canyons of New York, the closest I usually come to fresh salmon is the Fulton Fish Market or one of the hundreds of great seafood restaurants in Manhattan. I was, however, determined not to let my lack of sports fishing expertise deter me from catching the "big one."

Holland America made it very easy for an armchair fisherman like me to participate. I simply signed up for the Ketchikan sports fishing excursion with the promise of trolling for salmon for four hours in the open air with no more than 3 other novices on the boat. All I had to do is show up pier-side at 7:30am for transportation to the fishing marina (which turned out to be on a big old school bus.)

The boisterous group consisted of retirees, fathers with young kids, and several husbands and wives all convinced they were going to catch the biggest salmon!

We separated into groups of four at the marina and I was introduced to Captain Luke Stamm, the young, blond, bearded skipper of the Lucky Strike (luckystrikecharters.net). With a quiet confidence, he had us fill out the paper work for a fishing license, which the State of Alaska is very serious about, and we cast off. Having grown up in this part of the state, it was clear Captain Luke knew these waters well. As he gunned the engine, we sped off into the dark blue waters off the coast of Alaska.

During the forty-minute ride to his "special spot," I was drawn into the splendor of the surroundings. In the distance, dark towering mountains were silhouetted by the pale blue sky. Uninhabited islands covered with Alaska pine studded the vast stretch of water. I was glad I had brought my wool hat and a pair of gloves. The wind was cold, but at the same time exhilarating. Just as it occurred to me that this whole experience was reminiscent of a National Geographic television special, an American Bald Eagle swooped down, as if from nowhere, and grabbed a salmon in its talons less than fifty yards off the port bow. At that moment, I didn't care if I caught anything after witnessing, first hand, such a spectacle of nature!

We followed the creature through binoculars as it flew off to a perch in a tall tree not too far from where our boat was headed. It was a good sign and we were all ready to do some fishing. Captain Luke set up four lines and we started to troll. He geared his involvement to the groups' level of experience. If you knew how to set up the bait and tackle you were welcome to jump in. For the armchair sportsmen in this group, he took care of everything. Our job was just to reel the catch in. And that, I am happy to say we did! Everyone took a turn with each successive strike.

We had relatively consistent activity with several lulls that served to build the anticipation all over again. I am glad there were no video cameras around to capture our antics. There was plenty of slipping, sliding and falling all over each other in a frenzy to get the salmon onboard before they slipped the lines. It was fun.

I bagged a Coho salmon that to me was enormous at fifteen pounds. Now, it may not have been the biggest ever caught, but it was for our group onboard the Lucky Strike that day! At the marina, we met representatives of a company that prepares fresh catch for immediate shipping. They cut the salmon into steaks and filets, flash freeze and ship them to friends and family back home.

I had my own agenda however. I filled a plastic garbage bag with ice and took my catch back to the Statendam. The evening before, I had gotten special permission from the Hotel Director (made him a bet really) that if I actually caught anything I could ask the Executive Chef to prepare it for our dinner. Under pain of death, I am here now bound by my word to state clearly that Holland America does not normally permit this, so please don't even ask to bring your catch onboard! I knew I was breaking every rule in the house, as I dragged my salmon through the elegant public rooms heading for the galley.

I think Executive Chef Rey Omila was more surprised I had actually caught something than I was. He rose to the occasion and promised me a special presentation for our group at dinner that evening. Interestingly enough, Chef Rey as he likes to be called, started his shipboard career in the engine room as an apprentice. After his first year in the engine room, he recognized it would be far more appealing to be working in the galley. His request to start training in food services was accepted and after several years he has become the first Philippine national to be promoted to Executive Chef in the Holland America fleet. All of us enjoyed dining onboard the Statendam and we considered ourselves to be very fortunate that Chef Rey chose to exchange his engine oil for olive oil!

I headed up to the Lido Café to catch the tail end of the lunch buffet. Holland America really has it down to a science. There are rarely lines, with different stations set up at various points in the expansive Lido Cafe. With floor to ceiling windows, a wonderful view is always part of the dining experience. There is a tremendous fresh salad bar at one end of the dinning area. Separate stations, included pizza, a sandwich bar - where I enjoyed a freshly made grilled cheese sandwich, a dessert bar, and ice cream bar. Friendly waiters, at several beverage stations, filled glasses with an endless supply of iced tea, coffee and lemonade. In addition, two full buffet lines were in operation with a variety of hot and cold entrees, freshly carved roast beef, loin of pork and turkey. Food was fresh, replenished often and the staff could not have been more welcoming.

After a shower and well needed nap, I headed toward the dining room for dinner with more than my usual anticipation. That evening we were not disappointed. Chef Rey and his staff had truly created a masterpiece. The entire salmon had been baked with light seasoning and was presented whole. Each portion had been pre-cut and placed back on the frame after baking. It was truly a beautiful sight.

I would like to think it tasted so good because I caught it, but the truth is thanks to the culinary staff onboard the Statendam any salmon would have tasted as wonderful.

For more information on Holland America's Alaska, log on to their web site at

www.hollandamerica.com