"It's rare to find a person who touches people so deeply. A
lot of nice things are said about someone once they pass, but with
Mike, the best things anyone can say barely touch the truth of the
beauty of his heart."
– Dia Sabella
I’m Tricia Caron. I’ve had the great fortune to have been
life-long companion, wife, First Mate, and friend of Alaskan sea
captain Michael Orth (Mike) for 28 years. Mike passed away at our home
on April 17, 2016 in Homer, Alaska, surrounded in love and support by
friends and family, after his valiant efforts of living gracefully
with cancer for 15 years.
Whether working on crab boats in the Bering Sea or as captain of
the M/V Rolfy, Mike had a life-long love affair with the sea. Those on
the fishing grounds knew him as an honest, fair and trustworthy
captain. Mike maintained a steady, calm and competent nature in an
industry that has the potential to change in a moment from
unimaginable beauty to a life threatening situation. On land, there
could be no better mate, friend or brother—he was ‘the gentle Buddha’
to all.
DONATE TO HONOR
Please donate to help us honor this beautiful human being. Your
donations will help pay for memorial tiles for the Seafarer’s Memorial
in Homer, Alaska, and the Fisherman’s Memorial in Seattle, Washington,
as a tribute to Mike. Additional funds raised will be used to help
defray the costs of medical care and maintenance of the M/V Rolfy.
GRATITUDE
"I will forever be grateful for all of the love and support
from our large working community, our friends of heart, and family.
Mike and I could not have made this difficult journey with grace and
dignity without you. My heart-felt gratitude and love to everyone!"
– Tricia
A LIFE WELL LIVED
Mike grew up in Longview, Washington, in a family of 16; a
loving mother, a well-known photographer as a father and 14 loving
siblings. As a child he accompanied his father on many hikes through
the great Northwest.
In high school Mike was a gifted athlete who lettered in
football all three years at Mark Morris High School in Longview,
Washington. He went onto be awarded a full scholarship to the
University of Washington's Rowing Crew. His Crew team was selected to
participate in the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany.
Mike’s love of the sea took him to Alaska in the early 1970s
where he made Homer—Alaska’s jewel by the sea—his home port.
“I’ve tendered cod, salmon and herring from the Southeast waters,
across the North Gulf Coast, Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet,
Shelikof Strait, Kodiak Island, Shumigan Islands, Bristol Bay and
the Bering Sea to Norton Sound, and the Aleutian Islands to Adak
Island. I also spent 10 years on the deck of several different crab
vessels fishing from Prince William Sound to Cook Inlet to Kodiak
Island, and on out the Aleutian chain to Adak, and then the Bering
Sea. I then captained on crab/tender vessels for another 6 years.
From 1991 to 1997 I served as First Mate on the 1000-ton processing
vessel, Ocean Pride, during the winter opilio crab fishery in the
Bering Sea. From 2006 to 2010 I served as an ice expert and First
Mate or Captained on Arctic Ocean environmental research vessels,
September through November.”
– Michael Orth
As Captain, Mike held a master license of 200-ton inspected
vessels and 1,600-ton fishing vessels. He purchased and operated the
M/V Rolfy in 1996, a magnificent 90 ft tender, built in 1942 by the
Seattle Maritime Company.
Mike and Tricia operated the M/V Rolfy to delivery ports of
Petersburg, Cordova, Kodiak and Naknek, Alaska, for the past 23 years.
Together, they’ve explored every river rock, nook and cranny of these
magnificent areas and have spent an average of 6 to 9 months a year on
the ocean. With Mike’s skillful knowledge of the sea, combined with
the culinary excellence of Tricia, they offered a full-service,
stellar operation as a tender for Seattle-based Ocean Beauty Seafoods.
PHOTO ALBUM
Visit candid shots online
M/V ROLFY FOR SALE
Please help us share the news that the mighty M/V Rolfy is for
sale.
(800) 992-4960
AlaskaBoat.com
Listing: TN032
