That is classic (blue part) what the Coastie Petty said to the reporter!
These people (one's blaming the USCG) are maroons (even in the literal sense! :D )!
At work there was a small recreational vessel that broke down in front of a 6 barge tow (about 9,000 ton of product bearing down on them)... I kept on asking them if they were broken down... Not a peep or wave from them... I thought they were gonna move... Just phucking around like most of them do in the face of certain danger... :wallbash: :wallbash: Till the tow started laying on his whistle (repeatedly to signified danger)... I finally go to them on the lower lock guidewall and started to go ballistic on them (I am not a saint! ;) )... The guy replied (he was holding a beer): "What do you want me to do?" I said: "First thing sir is to put down the beer!" I was ready to evacuate him off onto the guidewall in case the tow hit the his small vessel or made a pancake out of it against the wall, but another recreation boat came in and tossed him a quick line and pulled him and his vessel from danger (the tow was already backing down and trying to stop it's momentum).