Carla Halvorsen-Lambert is the proud owner of a new boat charter business thanks to her determination and help from the Nuu-chah-nulth Economic Development Corporation (NEDC). Action Packed Charters began operating in the Alberni Inlet and Barclay Sound in early July and has enjoyed a remarkable start-up, keeping Carla and her staff busy all month.
Halvorsen-Lambert has grown up in the Alberni Inlet, often traveling by boat from her Ehthlateese home at the head of Kildonen Inlet nearly 40 km to the nearest city, Port Alberni.
Ehthlateese is an isolated Uchucklesaht community that was for many years only accessible by boat.
“Having a reliable boat and motor was always a necessity,” said Halvorson.
Today, Carla lives in Port Alberni but her parents remain at Ehthlateese; the only permanent residents living there along with Carla’s sister.
As a young girl Carla learned to drive a boat. Besides regular shopping trips in the city, Halvorsen-Lambert and her people also took their boats west in order to access traditional foods like bottom fish and shell fish.
“I love the ocean. It is relaxing and always calms me,” said Halvorsen-Lambert. With 21 years’ experience, she knows the waterways well and knows how to operate a boat safely.
Halvorsen-Lambert dreamed of owning her own charter business.
“I decided to check with NEDC to see if they could help me and they did,” she said.
“I was intimidated when I first walked through NEDC’s doors and saw the big application package, but they helped me through it every step of the way,” said Halvorsen-Lambert. It wasn’t long before she was the proud owner of a 2015 Raider aluminum boat measuring 18.5 feet, able to carry five passengers.
Halvorson named her company Action Packed Charters and has hired skippers who, like herself, have a rich knowledge of the local areas in Barclay Sound, Sproat Lake and Della Falls on Great Central Lake. They are fully equipped with the required safety equipment and gear.
Action Packed Charters offers a range of services, including water taxi, sight-seeing, and they are equipped for fin fishing and crab/prawn fishing.
“We encourage everyone to bring a camera to capture those wild moments on the water, from whales, eagles, cougars, bears, waterfalls, seals and various other sights on the waters,” she said.
“My skippers and I have a rich knowledge of the local areas in Barclay Sound, including Sproat and Great Central Lakes, and we bring with us stories and knowledge for our passengers to enjoy,” said Carla.
She says business has gone surprisingly well for the first month, and included medical transportation from Kildonan. Carla has even taken people out for cultural purposes, saying a Nuu-chah-nulth person wanted to go to a special place for oosimch (spiritual bathing).
She has an upcoming charter where the client requested a tour of Broken Group Island, including the Face in the Rock.
Halvorsen-Lambert is excited about her new business and hopes to grow it with the purchase of more boats down the road. “I’d like to have a boat running between Kildonan and Port Alberni and hope to have another boat someday, at Great Central Lake, for hikers wanting to get to Della Falls,” said Carla.
“We are flexible and will work with the customer do develop a charter package that suits their needs,” she said.
To reach Action Packed Charters call 250-720-9976 or 250-724-0390, or email carlahalvorsen@hotmail.com. Carla has a business Facebook page called Action Packed Charters.
