After taking on water in a DIY inflatable vessel, an unidentified 32-year-old man was in danger of sinking on Wednesday, prompting a rescue by the U.S. Coast Guard in Gastineau Channel.
With a dog in tow and without a life jacket, the 32-year-old unidentified man was paddling his homemade craft, described in a Wednesday USCG press release as an “inflatable, duct taped craft,” when he was spotted by off-duty USCG Lt. Joseph Schlosser. Schlosser saw the man was in danger and contacted USCG watchstanders, who diverted a 25-foot Response Boat-Small crew to the man.
“I noticed the craft in the channel and could tell the man was not wearing a life jacket and the craft was not safe,” Schlosser said in the USCG press release.
According to a USCG press release, the man was attempting to paddle to Point Bishop south of Juneau at the entrance of Taku Inlet about 10 miles away. Weather on the scene was reported as calm seas and nine mph winds. The RSP boat transferred the man, his dog and his craft to the Mike Pusich Douglas Harbor.
