Safe Travels - Spring 2008

This issue we're taking a little bit of a different approach in our look at safe travel. Let's play the old "What if..." game. Professionals in the field of international travel provided responses to situations of concern, information that may come in very handy during your future fishing expeditions.

We’ll start at the beginning of your long-anticipated angling adventure - the airport - and then move on to potential situations of concern once you reach your desired destination.

What If...You Can't Get Your Fishing Equipment on the Flight?
Preflight inspections are a hassle for all travelers, and anglers heading abroad face even more trouble than most. Fortunately, it turns out that all domestic and foreign airlines allow fishing equipment aboard. However, not all carriers handle sporting goods in the same fashion. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) provides the following information: Fishing rods are permitted as carry-on and checked baggage. Anglers must check with specific air carriers to make sure that all equipment fits their size limitations.

Of course, just because the regulations say something is, in fact, permitted, that doesn’t mean it will always happen. Just because Carrier A allows equipment of a certain size aboard their flights, it doesn’t mean Carrier B will allow the same. It’s up to each angler to confirm with the individual carrier that rods and tackle boxes can be taken aboard, and this should be done well in advance of departure day.

The TSA recommends that nearly all fishing equipment should be checked through with your baggage. Some equipment could, in some circumstances, be considered sharp and dangerous- hopefully, only to the fish. However, very expensive reels or fragile tackle can be carried on and here’s where difficulties can occur. There are horror stories aplenty about anglers who were not allowed to carry fishing equipment aboard. For instance, Canada does not allow reels loaded with line to be carried on because the fishing line could be used to tie someone up or choke someone. There have been instances where anglers were forced to remove fly line from carry-on reels and dump it in airport trashcans. Captain Bill Hutchinson, president of Fishing International Inc., told us that based on his experience, the best policy is this: “Check in everything. Don’t try to carry on a thing.”   

Also, anglers going far afield should realize that each and every time your baggage is checked at an airport, the inspections start all over again. Individual TSA inspectors may see the same equipment differently. Just because the inspector at O’Hare in Chicago passed carry on equipment with no problem, another inspector at a different location may give you a hard time.

What If....You're The Victim of a Crime in a Foreign Country?
Before traveling abroad, all anglers should register with the State Department (www.travelregistration.stte.gov/ibrs/) - especially if the region you are anticipating visiting has a history of unrest or problems with Americans. This can help expedite with the replacement of passports, visas, and other official papers should they be stolen. This registration also helps the authorities look for anglers in foreign lands should they go missing while out on an expedition or lose contact with family or friends. In case a really desperate robbery occurs, the U.S. Embassy can get replacement papers quickly and can even advance distressed citizens cash to get home - not a common occurrence, but it’s good to know help is at hand.

Naturally, the best way to deal with personal robbery is to make sure it doesn’t happen.  The reason that old advice is good advice is because it's true: leave the expensive jewelry, watches and other stuff that glitters at home or in the hotel safe. Cameras and electronics that can be quickly fenced for fast money are inviting targets for thieves, so if you're using these kinds of devices, be discreet or be prepared to give them up without a fight. Being an American in a foreign land makes you conspicuous immediately, so you need not advertise that you are a wealthy target, as well.

Suppose that bad things happen even if you take precautions and your possessions are taken while you're out fishing? Jimmy Baogh of Hydrus Expeditions (www.HydrusX.com) offers this advice: contact the local authorities immediately. Depending on the country, a great deal may be done...or nothing at all. The responses of local law authorities vary greatly. In some places, the local police are very efficient and will try to restore your stolen property, while in others, they may not be very concerned at all. Most experts are consistent in their opinions regarding items stolen in foreign lands: once the stuff is gone, don't expect for it to be recovered.

What If…You Get Hurt or Sick While on a Foreign Fishing Trip?
Well, there is good news and bad news. First the good news: Most countries will provide emergency and critical care treatment to visiting anglers. However, the bad news is that this care and treatment may be very, very expensive. In addition, anglers traveling abroad must be aware that their health insurance coverage may or may not apply if medical problems arise while they are in other countries. Hospitals in other lands may not accept American health insurance even if the insurance company will pay. Therefore, well in advance of departure, anglers should confirm their health insurance situation and make arrangements to obtain travel insurance and health insurance which will be honored at the destination.  

A situation which must be recognized is that in case of an emergency overseas, medical treatment may very well be available once the sick or hurt angler reaches a medical facility, but emergency evacuation can be very difficult to find and very expensive to obtain. For instance, an angler up the Amazon River fishing for peacock bass will be literally up the creek without propulsion in case emergency evacuation is needed. The ambulances don’t go there.

A service which should be of interest to many overseas anglers is Global Rescue (www.globalrescue.com). This Boston-based company comes highly recommended by experts in the travel-angling field.  Basically how it works is this: Anglers subscribe to the service before departure, and in case something bad happens and the angler gets sick or injured, Global Rescue comes and gets the client. Josh Rose, Director of Member Services for Global Rescue says, “We are not insurance. We don’t pay doctor or hospital bills. We go save people, stabilize the injured person and then transport to the nearest treatment facility acceptable to the client.”

Global Rescue has highly trained emergency personnel and state of the art equipment including jet aircraft. Global Rescue offers short-term and annual services, and even family policies can be arranged. No one likes paying for services which aren’t needed, but this might be a case where a single instance of the service used would make up for a lot of trips which didn’t require it.

Hopefully, none of these worst case scenarios will happen to any of you, but it never hurts to be aware of what can occur and what can be done to improve tough situations abroad and at home. Whether it’s packing problems at the airport, robbery at our destination or worst of all, emergency medical care, traveling anglers need to be prepared to deal with whatever happens while trying to insure a successful fishing trip.