JUNEAU — Coast Guard Station Juneau crewmembers say they “terminated two recreational vessel voyages” in Auke Bay Monday for safety gear violations and suspected underage alcohol offenses.
The Coast Guard stated in a release that Alaska Wildlife Troopers on patrol in Auke Bay Marina saw “two vessels underway with minors who may have been consuming alcohol. A Coast Guard small boat with Troopers aboard stopped and boarded the recreational vessel Duchess and an unnamed skiff.”
Coast Guard personnel assessed the Duchess and found that the crew had insufficient firefighting equipment aboard, and the skiff crew had insufficient personal flotation devices.
“The Coast Guard boarding teams also detected signs of potential underage drinking and requested the Alaska Wildlife Troopers investigate further,” the release said.
“The waters of Alaska are some of the most unforgiving in the nation,” said Cmdr. Marc Burd, chief of response at Sector Juneau. “The right lifesaving equipment, even for a short day cruise, can mean the difference between life and death. Additionally, I’d like to note that in my experience boating and alcohol rarely mix together well, like oil and water.”
Comments (15)
Add comment@johnnyrebel
You know people were out in this town doing positive things and enjoying responsibly what Southeast, AK has to offer and this is what our Coast Guard and AST wastes there time doing. These boats were targeted point blank! They were within the 5mph zone of the harbor and within 150ft of the beach! Both had sober drivers and were very confident of the bay waters. No one was ever in danger at any point. Get a life a get off leaving stupid comments unless you know something positive.
Surefire89
Before you pass judgment perhaps you should learn how to properly use the English language. I assume you meant to say "waste" time vice "waist" time...we wouldn't want to come across as being uneducated would we???
Thank you Coast Guard and AST for keeping our harbors safe and more importantly our possibly misguided youth even safer....to much tragedy over the past weeks...how soon some people forget.
Let's all be safe out there!!
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak Wildlife Troopers.
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak Wildlife Troopers
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak Wildlife Troopers
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak Wildlife Troopers
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak
Thank you Coast Guard & Ak Wildlife Troopers
Surefire89
You made me laugh with your "waist" time comment. Obviously you are young or have only been in AK for a short time. Why don't you go on to the Coast Guard and Trooper websites, do a little reading and educate yourself on what the missions are of these two agencies. Minor consuming alcohol, no flotation devices, and no fire fighting devices is something I would only expect them to take seriously on the water. What would you rather have them doing then pottentially saving the life of a Juneau youth? I would expect the parent of these kids to call the USCG or AST that ended this recipe for disaster and thank them for looking out for the safety of their children, though that would probably be a waste of their time.
One other consideration
Please remember that members of the U.S. Coast Guard risk their own lives to save others. Sadly, Coasties have lost their own lives responding to ill-equipped boaters who lack of knowledge to ensure their own safety or those who made stupid, preventable choices. When a voyage it terminated more than just the boaters' lives may be saved!
Rockdigger
Im not sure I understand your comment about me only being in AK for a short time. What I see happening to todays youth are underage partying leading to black out drinking, drug users breaking into houses, cars and business', stealing from us. This is why I think AST is well within there "mission statement" to do something I little more possitive with there time.
@cnickerson
Thank you for your positive comments. Sadly the stupidity of others will be the death of us all.
Surefire89
So let me get this straight, you are fine now with the Coast Guard enforcing laws on the water, just not AST? Who do you think enforces state of Alaska boating laws and minor consuming laws?
Reality!
The reality is probably a little more than any would like. If the coasties and troopers are 'terminating voyages' when they spy alcohol or drug use from afar, isn't that a good thing? Sure, defend the incident with proper use and distance. OK, on the flip side, when is there proper use and distance if a boat gets overturned 25 feet from shore and improper clothing drags an unlucky anyone under? The reality in the bay is much the same as a DUI checkpoint. Truth is it's just not only the hardcore alcoholics, who get busted. It's anyone, including your mom or uncle that only had a couple after work and are just driving home to feed the kids. Drinking or drugging and driving anything at anytime is a crime for everyone including innocent youths who aren't bothering anyone.
Surefire
Should get a spellcheck program. Your continued improper use of the English language cracks me up. Is it a waist of there time? Or a waste of their time??? You kraxk me up