Lakes remain peaceful for Kootenai County over Fourth
PRESS FILE The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office kept busy on the water during a generally peaceful Fourth of July. Deputies conducted approximately 75 boat inspections, like the one shown in this Press file photo, but issued only seven citations.
Boaters flocked to Lake Coeur d’Alene and Hayden Lake for Thursday’s Fourth of July festivities, keeping the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office busy — but generally happy — during the holiday.
“This year, the water was busy,” Sgt. Will Klinkefus said, “but a little less than past years. Overall, the day went smooth, with no major issues or incidents.”
The Recreation Safety Section of the Sheriff’s Office reported three Operating Under the Influence incidents on Thursday. Seven citations were issued. Klinkefus estimated deputies conducted 75 boat inspections.
Only one significant water event, a wake-surfer who dislocated his shoulder, alarmed Kootenai County Sheriff’s deputies.
Klinkefus said the day was generally peaceful amid several hundred contacts with boaters and recreators.
Concerned about potential problems, the Sheriff’s Office enlisted help this year from another experienced marine unit: the U.S. Coast Guard, which sent a pair of boats to help patrol Lake Coeur d’Alene.
“[Lake Coeur d’Alene] was awesome,” Ensign Dustin Randall of the Coast Guard’s Puget Sound sector based in Seattle said. “It’s beautiful out here. The majority of the community was smart boaters. For a Fourth, it wasn’t too hectic.”
The Coast Guard can participate, Randall said, because Lake Coeur d’Alene drains into the Spokane River, which makes its way to the Columbia, which eventually finds the Pacific Ocean, officially designating our popular inland destination as a federal waterway.
Unlike the Sheriff’s Office, the Coast Guard typically doesn’t issue citations. It usually either lets boaters pass inspection or sends them back to shore.
“Our violations are not always monetary,” he said. “It’s usually [that] they have to correct the issue. We terminated a voyage [Thursday] for not having a personal-floatation device or navigation lights, and we assisted the county on an OUI. Generally, we felt comfortable with everyone’s ability to operate their vessels.”
Randall said the Coast Guard would continue providing assistance today before it heads back to Seattle Sunday, and if Kootenai County requests help next year, the Coast Guard will be happy to return.
“It’s always important to practice good recreational boating safety,” Randall said. “Ensure your vessel is in proper working order.”
“The Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office would ask boaters to operate responsibly,” Klinkefus added. “Keep an eye out for each other. Be safety-conscious, and enjoy our beautiful waterways.”