1. Introduction
Following Seas Guide Service (“Following Seas,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) operates followingseasguideservice.com (the “Site”) and provides inshore and nearshore fishing charters out of Ocean City, Maryland. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have.
By using the Site or booking a trip with us, you agree to the practices described below. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site or submit information to us.
2. Information We Collect
Information you give us
When you submit our contact form, call, text, or email us, you may provide:
- Your name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Trip preferences (trip type, requested dates, group size)
- Any message or details you choose to include
Information collected automatically
Our hosting provider automatically logs basic technical information for security, abuse prevention, and reliability. This includes IP address, browser type, device type, referring URL, and timestamps of requests.
Information from booking platforms
If you book through a third-party platform such as FishingBooker, that platform collects booking and payment information directly and shares with us only what we need to confirm and run your charter (name, contact info, trip selection, party size, and notes). We do not receive or store your payment card details.
3. How We Use Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Respond to inquiries and quote trip availability
- Confirm, schedule, and run your fishing charter
- Contact you about weather changes, safety updates, or trip logistics
- Send booking confirmations, reminders, and follow-ups
- Maintain the security and integrity of the Site
- Comply with applicable laws and respond to lawful requests
We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your information for targeted advertising or to build a profile of you across the internet.
6. Third-Party Services
We rely on the following categories of third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy, which governs how they handle your data:
- Cloudflare — hosting, DNS, edge security, and the Turnstile anti-bot challenge.
- Email delivery providers — to send booking confirmations and replies to your inquiries.
- FishingBooker — when you book or leave a review through their platform.
- Google Fonts — for typography on the Site.
The Site may contain links to third-party sites (for example, a review page on FishingBooker). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites.
7. Data Retention
We keep inquiry and booking information for as long as is reasonably necessary to run our business, maintain accurate records, resolve disputes, and comply with legal obligations. Typical retention windows:
- Contact form submissions: up to 24 months after your last interaction, unless we need to keep them longer for legal or safety reasons.
- Booking records (through third-party platforms): retained by those platforms per their policies; we keep our working copies for at least one full season for scheduling and follow-up.
- Server and security logs: typically 30–90 days, unless needed for investigation of abuse.
You can ask us to delete your contact information sooner by emailing us at Colevns@gmail.com.
8. Your Rights & Choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
- Ask us to correct inaccurate information
- Ask us to delete information we hold about you
- Opt out of non-essential communications at any time
To exercise any of these rights, email Colevns@gmail.com. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request. We will respond within a reasonable time as required by applicable law.
California residents. If you are a California resident, the CCPA/CPRA gives you additional rights, including the right to know what personal information we collect and to request deletion. We do not sell or “share” personal information as those terms are defined under California law.
9. Children's Privacy
The Site is intended for adults making trip inquiries and bookings. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Children are welcome aboard our charters, but their parents or guardians handle the inquiry and booking. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
10. Security
We take reasonable administrative and technical steps to protect the information we collect. The Site is served over HTTPS. Access to inquiry data is limited to the captain and anyone he designates to help run the business.
No method of transmission over the internet is perfectly secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to protect your information and will notify you of a material breach as required by applicable law.
11. Do Not Track
Some browsers send a “Do Not Track” (DNT) signal. Because there is no industry standard for how sites should respond, we do not currently change our behavior based on DNT signals. As noted above, we do not use cross-site tracking or targeted advertising.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the revised version here and update the “Last updated” date at the top. If we make material changes, we will take reasonable steps to notify you, such as posting a prominent notice on the Site.
13. Contact Us
If you have questions or requests about this Privacy Policy, contact us at:
Following Seas Guide Service
Ocean City, Maryland 21842
Email: Colevns@gmail.com
Phone: (410) 708-4139