A list of those people who book and don't turn up
Hall of Shame

8th January - We started with yet another no-show. I'm getting tired of people making bookings and not turning up.  Daniel Wilson emailed several days ago to book for two people and then rang a couple of days later to book again for exactly the same day. Luckily I spotted the double booking and corrected it. This morning I turned two people away as I was full. So I'm doubly annoyed that he didn't turn up. No phone calls, no apologies, nothing - so Daniel Wilson is now on my Hall of Shame

10th January - Would you believe it? Four more no-shows today. Hariata Eden is our latest person to book a trip and not turn up. She booked for 4 people and seems to think that our contract is not binding. She is now on my blacklist and I'm passing her name around all the charter businesses so if she wants to go fishing the Bay of Islands won't be the best place to try anymore. She also joins my Hall of Shame.

4th April - Hall of Shame - Two new members: We had good numbers booked today. I had been turning people away all week to keep our numbers to a maximum of twelve people. Unfortunately, today I had two no shows. The booking was made by Donna Wharewaka for a Fred Matthes and friend. We had to leave by 9:50am to pick up people from Russell, we hung in until just before 9am before we were forced to leave. I've received no apology or any other communication from these guys and am forced to believe that these people decided not to come. Too bad they've now excluded themselves from ever coming on the best Snapper boat in the Bay of Islands (modest aren't I?) Apologies to those people I had to turn away because of these guys as you missed a pretty good day.


15th April - This was a great trip that was only marred by three no-shows. I have a new member in the Hall of Shame: Last night I received a booking from Tahere Murdock and his two sons. Apparently he'd been out on the Arline before I bought it and wanted to come out again. Unfortunately his word is worth nothing as he didn't turn up and doesn't answer his phone. Well, he managed to miss a great trip plus he's now banned from fishing on my boat again. All it takes is a phone call if you've changed your mind, then I can open that spot up to others. If people don't extend me that courtesy then I reserve the right to slam them here.


6th May - We got off to a great start today with two no-shows. This particularly annoyed me because I had gone to a lot of effort to ensure that this trip happened as I didn't want to let them down. So my new entries for the Hall of Shame are Bruce and Glenda Hawdon and the beauty of it all was they missed the chance to get some pretty good fish.
Update 11th January 2011 I finally got an explanation (not an apology though) and only after they became aware of this entry. While I appreciate that Bruce came down very sick unexpectedly, I do expect some sort of communication as soon as practical. I hope that Bruce has fully recovered and I also hope that in future they remember their obligations to others should such an emergency happen again.

10th October - Hall of Shame goes to Pablo. He was the reason I organised the trip. He gave me all sorts of conditions - times to ring and so on. He was keen and polite but he never answered any of my four phone calls, he never turned up and he's never called to apologise. Oh well, I may not have his last name but I know his voice and he's never going to have the pleasure of fishing on the Arline.




18th November - We didn't head out with our full compliment as once again we have an entry in the Hall of Shame. Phillip Quah of Singapore booked for two trips, he asked lots of questions and got lots of detailed and honest answers. Not once did he hint that he was going to renege on his booking. I don't know if he plans to go fishing someday but I do know that it won't be on the Arline.
27th November - Yes, I have yet another entry into the Hall of Shame - Shaughan Carney. This guy called me a couple of days ago and made a firm booking and then decided not to turn up. Hope he enjoys the Bay of Islands but if he's thinking of going fishing ........ Not on my boat.

12th January - We started today with a full boat but then we found that we had three no-shows. See my Hall of Shame for more details. Anyway their loss as I heard later on that they only caught two fish. We however, headed out past the boat who took them out, past all the boats crowded around Centre Foul and out to where we'd caught so many great fish the day before.

The only reason that I'm not naming these guys is that apparently the wife made the booking but forgot to bring the information with her from Australia. It pisses me off that they made no effort to find out who they had booked with. Instead, they just went out and made another booking. I wonder how many other bookings she's made and reneged on. Anyway here family is banned from my boat anyway.
13th January - Another no show, I'm getting really tired of this. People seem to think that they can book but because there is no money up front they can change their mind without extending the courtesy of letting us know. Unfortunately this is going to force me to take credit card numbers for bookings which is something that I have resisted  doing for four years. It seems that people's word is no longer their bond, which really pisses me off. So the latest addition to the Hall of Shame is John Scott who wandered down to the wharf two days ago, made a booking and then failed to turn up today. We had a good day today with lots of very good quality Snapper so John missed out twice today - missed a great trip and he's now banned from my boat for this lifetime.
9th February - They are getting fewer in number but it still bugs me that people book a trip and then don't show up. Whatever happened to "my word is my bond" ?  Our latest entry in our Hall of Shame is Neil Newman who had booked a trip for two for today. Unfortunately he failed to turn up, no communication just silence. I'm not sure if it was the weather or a change of plans - whatever his reason was, a simple phone call would be enough. He's entered into a contract for a fishing trip and there is no excuse for not letting me know that he's not coming.  So he's banned from the boat while I own it.
9th February - I was struggling to keep the numbers down today but I managed it, so I was a bit pissed off when we had two no-shows. So our latest entry in the Hall of Shame is Tina Johnston. She booked for two people, we had everyone on the wharf by 8:50am and waited for Tina until 9am but the she never turned up. I never got a phone call or email so as per my policy - she's banned for eternity (and that's much much longer than a week.)


15th April - We started with a new entry in the Hall of Shame. Heidi Drummond booked us for today's trip way back in January. I'd had a bit of trouble finding others to make up numbers but luckily at the last minute I managed to find two other groups. So understandably I was pretty pissed off when she didn't show up. Oh well, I know that she missed out on a fun trip and if she wants to go fishing in the Bay of Islands in the future it won't be with us.