[CINC] RIP Captain Fred Benko

[Mr Zalophus]

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           New post on *Condor Express*
<http://condorexpress.com/?author=2>  RIP Captain Fred
Benko<http://condorexpress.com/rip-captain-fred-benko/>by
CondorExpress <http://condorexpress.com/?author=2>

[image: fred] <http://condorexpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/fred.jpg>
Captain Fred

Friends,

It is with great sadness that the crew of the Condor Express passes along
the news that Captain Fred Benko died peacefully in his sleep early this
morning. His wife Hiroko was at his side. Fred was the founder, owner and
operator of the Condor Express, and was a pioneer in the realm of local
sportfishing and later, whale watching.

Fred was born on July 6, 1938 and hailed from Ohio. He had worked as a
pharmaceutical salesman for Pfizer, who eventually moved Fred to new
expanded territories in California.

Old timers may remember the fishing vessels Hornet and Sea Hawk, or the
bait boat Scout that worked out of Sea Landing, all of which were
originally owned by Fred Benko. Fred spent late 1978 and early 1979
building the original Condor in Willmington, California and it was launched
in May, 1979. The Condor was a sportfishing vessel that worked the Channel
Islands, and eventually took up whale watching after seismic testing by oil
companies stopped and whales returned to the area in great abundance. Fred
was an innovator, known for devloping the art of shallow water rockfishing
and for his passion, whale watching in the Santa Barbara Channel.

In March, 2002, the Condor Express was launched and was dedicated to whale
watching and party cruises. The Condor Express revolutionized whale
watching by prividing a very stable, high speed viewing platform.

Fred was an inspiration to all of us and will be greatly missed.
Information about services and a celebration of Fred's life will be
forthcoming.

On behalf of the crew,

Bob Perry

Condor Express Odd Jobs
 *CondorExpress <http://condorexpress.com/?author=2>* | March 7, 2013 at
8:32 pm | Categories:
Uncategorized<http://condorexpress.com/?taxonomy=category&term=uncategorized>|
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