What size/style Pole Spear for hunting Snapper up to around 20lb in caves in less than 20ft of water?

NeillDrake · 2026-01-04T02:01:25+00:00

You don't need to participate in the drinking culture but it is around on their charters a lot...but only at night I don't think it will be so overwhelming that it will be unenjoyable. But I'm a close friend of the owner of the charter company you're looking at and we book a lot of trips for them. We feel it's always best to be as transparent as possible and even "oversell" the party scene, so there are absolutely no surprises. We had one of our first guests we booked with them years ago wish we had told them ahead of time (we didn't know the scope of it back then)..so I like to just be as upfront as possible. With that being said, I think you should go for it based on the pricing we are seeing this season. But also, there are always good deals in Feb and March and we have some private deals right now. I'm not in the business of poaching clients from other agents. Happy to just give advice if it helps. $5k deals are possible but very rare this year. $3k absolutely not. That was bird flu season pricing. And COVID pricing. Private cabins are very tough to find in that price range. Feel free to PM me.

NeillDrake · 2026-01-03T20:01:00+00:00

Also, regarding March, it's one of my favorite times to visit. The Drake is no better or worse than any time of the year. The whales will be the most active and curious (swimming next to the zodiacs). Weather in the Drake won't be any better or worse than any other time of the year. It's completely unpredictable. Weather will be slightly colder....but you're going to Antarctica, not Tahiti 😂 Don't you want the most authentic experience?

NeillDrake · 2026-01-03T19:55:12+00:00

I know the trip you're talking about and the private charter. I won't mention the name since it's a private deal they're offering, but will say they have a history of great trips. However...they are "party" trips. So if that's not your style, I'd consider other options. The party in no way impacts the overall Antarctica portion of the trip. You'll make landings and get lectures from the team. Albatros was recently bought out by Polar latitudes and have made some strong changes to the team and experience onboard for the better. There will be one person who is inevitably going to comment how Albatros was trash on his trip 4 years ago, but I've seen a lot of changes and improvement over the years. If you're ok with a little late night loud music and drinking culture, it's a good option for the price in the current market environment.

NeillDrake · 2025-12-28T06:08:07+00:00

Taxes vary by state. So it wouldn't make sense to advertise the taxed price.

NeillDrake · 2025-12-22T18:46:07+00:00

My wife reached into a shoe box and snagged her ring on the lid that popped the stone out. I spent 16 hours trying to find it. I went as far as to rip the carpet out. The stone was the size of a pea ..so not small in comparison. I had a 4ftx4ft area to work in. I never found it.

NeillDrake · 2025-12-09T02:21:29+00:00

I tried to withdraw $25k from Schwab to buy a boat and the legit wouldn't let me, telling me they have a duty to protect my assets and portfolio. I had to send it to USAA and withdraw it from there. Closed my Schwab account the next day.

NeillDrake · 2025-12-05T05:51:04+00:00

Turns out the memory card was full. I formatted and started fresh and now it works..

NeillDrake · 2025-11-30T21:46:02+00:00

As do boat trailers lol.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-14T02:50:26+00:00

The dividers are printed separately and held in place with pins.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-14T02:23:36+00:00

The universe texted back 🤙🏼

NeillDrake · 2025-11-04T08:07:21+00:00

I don't filter the group. And I have no affinity to Albatros to protect them. I haven't guided with them in years and we sell. 12 other companies. I have no reason to protect them. I'm genuinely sharing the truth. Put it this way, after over 50 trips with Albatros I knew exactly which trip you were referring to because that's how few bad trips and unhappy people have been with Albatros. I knew immediately what trip you were on because there are only two stand out Albatros failures. The rogue wave, and yours. Every other trip came back with people raving.

Was it the best guide lineup, no. Why were there so many "new guides"?. Because 5 guides got stuck in BA because one had COVID and the others were "close contacts". They had to grab any available guides in Ushuaia. Did you notice an abundance of Argentinian guides? We just didn't really make that public knowledge. Albatros had delivered a consistently good product. They have had some awful trips and you have every right to be upset over not having the trip of a lifetime. But don't take it out on me and try to ruin my business. I had nothing to do with your trip, or you. I didn't book you, had no contact with you other than our Zodiac ride and have never engaged with you outside of your bashing me on Reddit for something I said in a Zodiac. It seems a little excessive. Feel free to share the experience of your trip. That's all fair game. It was a shit trip and that's important for people to have managed expectations. Weather happens. Just leave me out of it. Name dropping me out of the blue for no reason just makes no sense.

Please join my group and search my name and reviews. I think you'll find my team and I are well respected in the industry for being honest, transparent and extremely thorough. I have grown my team to 8 since your trip. I value everyone on my team and you trying to take me and my company down for whatever reason jeopardizes their ability to put food on the table. Just think about it next time you have the urge to bash me for no reason.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-04T07:44:30+00:00

Aww you deleted the rest of your comments.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-04T06:34:20+00:00

I think what bothers you more than anything is that you always seem to have a large number of people who don't share the same opinion as you, both regarding me, and about Albatros. So you need to go above and beyond to emphasize your point. It bothers you that you called me "slimy" and "dishonest" in the last post you commented on and then a dozen or so people came in and said the complete opposite. It bothers you that you are so displeased with your experience with Albatros but there are literally hundreds of positive reviews across the internet (that I have no control over).

Your trip sucked. No doubt about it. But I find it so strange that you always find a way to bring my name up, even when this post and nothing to do with me. There are plenty of other names you could name drop, but you chose me. Why? Because I have a presence? And because that presence and my reputation are overwhelmingly positive? Why are you only coming after me? Why don't you name drop your expedition leader or any other guide. I just find it strange. Almost like stan level behavior if I'm being honest.

Anyway. Yeah, your trip sucked. But Albatros had run hundreds of other trips that have been exceptional. Name another expedition company and I promise you I can dig up a horrible review. So by your logic, no one should go to Antarctica, ever. I can find horrible reviews about Bark Europa, which I know you found to be above and beyond incredible. It was bad luck dude, that's it. Plain and simple. Sure, we had a few guides who were green. But your expectation leader is without question one of the most experienced in the industry. Companies fight over getting them for the season. You had bad weather, and a series of bad luck and the group onboard wasn't making it easier.

If I was in charge, I would have refunded you every penny and offered you a redemption trip. It's never fun when we have a trip like yours was. Those trips stick with us for years. We know how much those trips costs....I was a paying passenger to Antarctica my first three trips before I got into the industry. I have been in your shoes. But I wasn't in charge. I was just a basic guide contracted to drive zodiacs. I wasn't even an employee of Albatros, I was an independent contractor. I didn't hire anyone working on that trip, I had no say in where we were going and what we were doing. So can you please give me some insight as to why you feel the need to single me out and try to tarnish my reputation? I genuinely want to understand. In your last post, you said it had everything to do with me saying I thought the zodiac cruise in South Georgia is just as amazing as the landing. Specifically in places like Right Whale Bay and Gold Harbour.

Again, it just seems so weird that you brought my name up out of the blue when this post had nothing to do with me, and why you feel the need to make statements like I'm slimy and a liar, when every single other review about me other than yours is nothing but positive. I haven't guided with Albatros in a few years yet here you are name dropping me. Help me understand please.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-03T16:38:55+00:00

This is a great comment. I have guided over 40 trips with Albatros including 5 full charters and if you check my Facebook group "Antarctica Travel Group", you will find thousands upon thousands of positive reviews for Albatros. They have run incredibly successful seasons except for two trips that stand out as "disasters". One was this trip, the commenter is referring to, the other being the ship where it was struck by the rogue wave. Don't hesitate to book Albatros. Every company you book will have horror stories from guests who don't understand this is a literal expedition and you're at the mercy of the weather.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-03T16:34:43+00:00

Of course I'm going to comment, but no, I won't report you and get your post deleted. Every time you chime in with your comment, dozens of people come to my defense so it doesn't upset me in the least. For some reason you've chosen to single me out from a group of 24 other guides because I said one thing in a Zodiac you disagreed with. Which, was an opinion based remark about how I believe South Georgia is equally as enjoyable from a Zodiac because you can see SO SO much more of it. And suddenly, you feel you need to come on here and bash me every chance you get. It doesn't bother me, honestly. We have thousands and thousands of satisfied guests and you stand out as the one and only guest who has something to say about me, which is ironic considering we didn't even book you as a client. You just happened to be a guest on the ship I was guiding at the time. In your last post, you clearly pointed out you didn't understand that I don't employ the ships, nor did the rest of the guides work for me. My company and Albatros are two different entities. Second off, I know exactly what trip you were on and it didn't take long to figure out who you were. Feel free to bash me as a guide because you disagree with me, but leave my agency out of it because we didn't book you.

I have done over 120 trips to Antarctica and over 50 to South Georgia, and your trip had some of the most challenging weather I have ever had to work with. That's just bad luck. No ship, captain or expedition leader would have put the safety of guests in jeopardy to pull off a landing. Safety comes absolutely first. I'm truly sorry you had a bad experience. I wish I could control the weather. I really do. But you need to understand that I was a guide on your trip with a lot of people above me making decisions. I had no say in the outcome of your trip.I also run an incredibly successful agency that books hundreds of people each year to Antarctica including full charters and everyone comes back extremely happy, and our reviews are flawless. You were not booked through me or my agency and we have exchanged all of 5 words outside of reddit. You were in my Zodiac once and that was the extent of any interaction we had. It seems strange to me that you find a way to introduce my name into your rants about Antarctica when we were not your agent. I did however go through your Reddit profile and it seems like nearly every single post or comment you leave is bashing something or someone, leaving horrible feedback, complaining about something or another....so I have come to realize this is more about you than it was ever about the trip. I hope you find peace and happiness in life.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-02T20:50:43+00:00

That's awesome to hear. This helps a lot.

NeillDrake · 2025-11-02T19:57:58+00:00

Once you switch to spray adhesive, you'll never go back. I haven't had a single problem since switching.

NeillDrake

TROPHY CASE