August 11, 2011
Thursday

On August 9th a friend & I had a trip to Yes Bay planned to subsistence fish for sockeye salmon. We prepared the day before. We had all our gear ready toped off the fuel tank and planed to leave Knudsen Cove by 9:30 am. We got off to a good start beautiful day, but by the time we reached southern Neets Bay the motor died?? WE soon found out that our gas was siphoned the night before!! So here we are sitting drifting. What to do??

I noticed two Yes Bay charter boats about 75 to 100 yard north. It was quiet and calm so I decided to try too alert them with my whistle, no luck, then I got the flare kit out & rigged the orange flag on a fishing pole and stood on the bow & waved the flag and blew the whistle -- still no response?? I then took out the flare gun fired two fares directly at them still no response?? Then I held a hand-held flare on the bow and blew the whistle again, still no response??? By now we have been drifting 30 minutes or so.

Another was boat heading our way about 250 feet between the shore and us and I fired another flare at the bow of the boat and waved the flag. He just keep going into Traitors Cove??? So now I'm thinking what is wrong with these boats??

I then turn the vhs to channel 16. I contact the Coast Guard and explained the situation. At this time I'd like to give a big thanks to Rick Dale for responding!!! A super special thanks to Jarrad on the Regicide who responded and was there to help in less than 10 minutes, thank you so much for selling us 15 gallons of gas. I'd also like to thank Gabe Easterly and Sonny Cannon for giving us 5 extra gallons of gas in Yes Bay. I'd also like to thank AL White from Salmon Falls Resort for running gas to us in Neets Bay even though we were in Yes Bay by then. Thanks AL White and Shirley White for being kind enough too help!! And last but not least id like to thank the US COAST GUARD for helping make our day!!! It was eventful that for sure!!

It said, I'm not quite sure how to refer to the operator of those boats. But it is of my opinion, that it could be possible they got their license out of a cracker jack box. Have you ever heard of the international rules of the road?

Kenneth G. Reese
Ketchikan, AK