Happy Fourth of July

Happy Fourth of July

Hello ProRangers and Park People!

          Happy Fourth of July! Like most national parks, the weekend of the fourth means a significant increase in park visitation. At PIRO, a large majority of the recreation includes water based activities on Lake Superior including boating, kayaking, paddle boarding and swimming. Due to this, marine patrol on the Arrowhead is a priority. To help Ranger Paupore and I tackle the day, two officers from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Marquette joined us on the water. Not only was having them on our boat a blast, but their expertise in boating and water operations was extremely valuable when making vessel stops.

The NPS Arrowhead flying the U.S. Coast Guard Flag to identify our guests on board

Making a law enforcement contact on the water is very dynamic and requires a great deal of concentration, precision, and multi-tasking. Although Ranger Paupore is extremely experienced with marine operations, it can still be difficult to make contacts on the water. With the U.S. Coast Guard on board we had multiple boat operators and crewmembers to make vessel stops easier. It also ensured time for Ranger Paupore to supervise me while I assisted with vessel stops.

Ranger Debelak looking patriotic at the Miner's Castle overlook 

Throughout the course of the day, we wrote multiple tickets for operating with person’s in unsafe locations and insufficient PFDs. Safety is taken very seriously at PIRO. Failure to have the required safety equipment will result in a ticket and/or the termination of a voyage until the visitor obtains the proper equipment. 

For vessel over 16 feet they must have PFDs (also known as Life Jackets) that are U.S. Coast Guard approved, in good serviceable condition, and of suitable size for each person on the boat. Wearable PFDs shall be "readily accessible”, unless it is a child under the age of 6. Then a PFD must be worn at all times. Type IV throwable devices shall be "immediately available." They must also have a visual distress signal for both day and night, a fire extinguisher, and a sound producing device. Kayaks and paddle boarders are required to have U.S. Coast Guard approved PFDs and a sound producing device.

Another violation we were on the lookout for was boating under the influence. One vessel stop we made was checked for a BUI by the U.S. Coast Guard. Thankfully the driver was not impaired. However, they had multiple safety violations that resulted in the termination of the vessels voyage per the U.S. Coast's protocol.

The day wasn’t over yet, because you can’t have the 4th of July without fireworks! Munising, Michigan has one of the coolest fireworks displays I have ever seen, not to mention we had the best view. The Arrowhead was requested to set up and maintain the picket line (or boundary line) for the boats on Lake Superior. This entailed clearing a zone between the docks and ships for safety, making sure all boats on the lake had their navigation lights on, and monitoring vessel traffic back into the dock after the celebration.

The Munising Fireworks from the Arrowhead

We worked hard throughout the day to keep the visitors and park safe on the 4th of July. It was inspiring to be with such a dedicated and professional team of law enforcement officers. Watching the fireworks over Lake Superior with the rangers and Coast Guard was the cherry-on-top to an already awesome day.