Portland Cruise vessel, vs RedBull Event crowd.

[thataway]

There are 3 videos embedded in this link.

Warning profane language.

Incident occurred August 1, 2017

The captain of the cruise vessel had his license suspended. Red Bull organizers were given a warning.

Is it proper for a group of pleasure boaters (Many likely drinking heavily) to block a navigable waterway? Should have the cruise been canceled--and the organizers made to pay for lost revenue? Why was the coast guard not be more proactive in clearing a path? Should have a safety zone been established to allow safe transit of commercial traffic?

[Wandering Sagebrush]

The city and CG should never have permitted the event.

[colbysmith]

Wow. Wonder what the USCG's role in this was, since one of the videos it appears they were initially escorting the cruise boat. Regarding the cruise boat, it does redefine "barging thru". I think the city and organizers failed here as well in not protecting a navigable water way. None the less, it probably was not prudent for the cruise boat to continue as he did. But the USCG should have shut the event down or "moved" a lot of boats prior to the cruise boat's arrival. Colby

[TyBoo]

While I do not condone the pleasure boaters' actions in any way, I think the aftermath was handled properly. No way should that cruise vessel have even reached the crowd knowing full well beforehand it was already there. If the cruise operators suffered financial hardship they could have sought remedy from the event sponsors in the courts like the system provides.

This event was a couple years ago. It would be interesting to see what follow up actions were taken and what appeals, if any, were heard.

[AstoriaDave]

The videos are worth viewing as an illustration of a situation that should never been allowed to develop.

The Buoy 10 sports fishery down here at the mouth of the Columbia has a much greater potential for damage to life and limb as well as vessels, largely because the prime mooching waters are adjacent to a major shipping waterway regularly transited by freighters and other encumbered vessels. Currently, USCG vessels patrol the boundaries of the channel, with a USCG vessel operating just ahead of the freighter (etc.) as it moves through the fleet, to "encourage" boats to move aside.

Without the heavy patrol presence, there would be problems, as was the case in years past.

Given that example, I would lay the blame mainly on the USCG. They clearly did not have have the situation in hand.

As for the drunken rowdies, they should not have been there. The event organizers had no license to occupy the channel. I bet Red Bull takes it in the shorts if the Spirit looks for damages.

The skipper? An idiot to attempt to push through that mess.

An all around clustermess.

[ssobol]

Don't know if this is the case or not, but what if the event organizers had got the event permitted which allowed them to close the river down. Maybe the Spirit wasn't supposed to go there in the first place.

On the other hand, I'll bet that one of the draws of that particular run (whether advertised or not) was that the cruise was going to go by that event. Perhaps the Spirit captain was under pressure to maintain the route. It is not clear if the incident shown was on the normal cruise route or whether it was unique because of the event. In various places I have been, the Spirit line tends to lay on special or extra cruises when there is an event that can be viewed from the water.

Where I boat, for some events they do close off navigable waterways for particular events. Sometimes major waterways get closed for a number of hours. There are notices published and the CG makes period announcements via VHF about the closure.

In other cases, the authorities mark off a channel for transit boats and patrol it to keep it clear. If you want to loiter in your boat for the event you have to do it in the designated areas.

In the video of the Red Bull thing it looks like the most visible CG boat is just there to watch the event. It doesn't look to me like he is escorting the Spirit, just getting out of the way.

[Foggy]

IF the Red Bull organizers of this event permitted, without specific instruction to
not do so, a mass of ETOH indulging pleasure boaters to block and stand in the
way of a commercial vessel's known route to and from its known legitimate
destination, the organizers should be fined, jailed and held accountable for any
personal injuries and/or property damage incurred by the commercial vessel.

I am not an attorney. I just play one in certain situations. This is one of them.
And I'd get my fee. Believe me.

Aye.

[ssobol]

[Foggy]

[localboy]

Here is my take:
1. This should NEVER have been permitted.
2. Obviously it was not well organized
3. LE/CG should have kept the area clear. Perhaps not enough on duty.
4. On a bigger picture, this appears to be the "new Amerika". It's all one big huge party. Why work? Why obey laws? Why obey rules? "F" everyone but me. I'm a millennial and only my feelings matter.
4. Where do these youngsters get the money to afford $75K wake board boats? Hmmmmm....
5. Ridiculous. Arrests should have been made, by the hundreds I'd imagine, and boats should have been impounded.

[localboy]

[colbysmith]

Local Boy you hit a nerve here and I'm going to call you out on it. The Democrats are no more responsible for BS than the Republicans are! Until our country learns how to get along responsibly and respectfully, it will continue on the path of destruction! And it's not just the millenials that show no respect. I've seen some old farts that should know better as well. (And who is raising those millenials anyway?) IOW, lets knock off the political name calling or blaming and understand there are aholes or enough blame to go around in both parties. Ok, back to C-Brats, one rule, just be nice! Colby -Independent and proud of it!

[olsurfdog]

Thanks, Colby--that needed to be said!!!

[Ordutch1975]

Aside from political convictions, I will tell you that area is a mess anytime there is an event downtown. We tried to head down there for the Jazz fest, the amount of wake due to idiots speeding past groups of boats tied together is insane. Too many drunk and stupid people. At the rate the Portland spirit was moving these people could have moved as well in time. You cannot tell me sober, intelligent people would not have seen the cruise ship coming by.

I'd like to see the coast guard and police start to crack down on these drunken parties on the river and start breath testing these people.. They don't have common courtesy, can't respect no wake zones and frankly should not be on the river.

The other day I saw a dad flying at 40+ miles an hour with a open bow boat with his little 3-4 year old kids without life vests up front bouncing in the air from him purposefully hitting waves. I don't understand why the river patrols are not more aggressive. Boating is a privilege like driving NOT a right.

As to ageism, its always the old fisherman who is irate at the dock. I have never seen a millennial scream at people for taking a minute longer to load or unload their boat.

my 2 cents

[Ordutch1975]

As to the river, Bob the area they hang out at is in front of a grassy field & cove where events are held all summer long. The Portland Spirit just happens to be parked along the broadwalk a little ways down from this field / area. Most if not all other commercial ships do not come near this area / side of the river unless its fleet week.