These donkeys give cruisers a bad name

[Heritage]

Some people think the arctic is a lawless frontier. They are fortunate the RCMP didn't seize the boat

Paul McDonald facing thousands in fines after Northwest Passage trip | Canada | News | National Post

[Katiusha]

Especially the Paul McDonalds from Noosa:

In 2006, a man with the same name — Paul McDonald — also from Noosa, turned up in the news after an even more hazardous yachting mishap

But I would think that it's the mega-yachts that this incident is giving a bad rep to.

[ReMetau]

What a dirt bag. They should have at least held him until the check cleared.

[atoll]

now i am beggining to understand the canadian sense of humour.........or lack of it......whenever we visit remote locations it is either us or the locals who put on some sort of celebration to show mutual appreciation for getting there,and as a way of saying thankyou!!!

this guy should be given a medal!

[DeepFrz]

They have no where to run. What do you think committing fraud against the RCMP will get them?

atoll, shows you have no idea the extent of the alcohol and drug problem in our northern communities. Getting a minor intoxicated, no declaration of alcohol, no declaration of fireworks (probably illegal to possess in Canada) along with fraudulent checks are not matters to celebrate.

[Dockhead]

For having alcohol on board? I don't know what's so shocking about that -- there's always alcohol on board my boat. Remind me not to put into Cambridge Bay.

Setting off fireworks? I guess that was a bit indiscreet. Otherwise, sounds like a fun trip to me.

[David M]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

They have no where to run. What do you think committing fraud against the RCMP will get them?

I dunno. Do horses swim fast enough to catch up?

[Efraim]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

....Remind me not to put into Cambridge Bay.

You won't be missed.

[virginia boy]

I must be missing something here. Judging by the pictures, I saw a small pile of fireworks and enough alcohol to stock the bar. I sure as hell didn't see tens of thousand of dollars worth of booze and/or fireworks. Talk about biased reporting!

They played paintball and had a party for Pete's sake.

I'm a believer in obeying local laws and no doubt they committed a few misdemeanors, but the article makes this sound like the crime of the century. Sensationalism at its best.

[svHyLyte]

Originally Posted by Dockhead

For having alcohol on board? I don't know what's so shocking about that -- there's always alcohol on board my boat. Remind me not to put into Cambridge Bay.

Setting off fireworks? I guess that was a bit indiscreet. Otherwise, sounds like a fun trip to me.

While a ship on the high seas is subject to the laws of its own nationality, once a ship enters territorial waters of another nation, it is subject to that nation's laws. That said, "Ships Stores in Transit" are not normally limited although alcohol may be subject the being secured in a bonded stores locker under seal. In fact, had the owner of the yacht not "shared" his stores with the locals, or engaged in activities that offended their sensabilities, he likely would have had no difficulty at all. That was obviously not the case, however, so I am less sympathetic than I am otherwise inclined to be.

Also, I think the original post does a disservice to Donkey's. These guys were obviously Jack-Asses, not Donkey's.

FWIW...

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

While a ship on the high seas is subject to the laws of its own nationality, once a ship enters territorial waters of another nation, it is subject to that nation's laws. That said, "Ships Stores in Transit" are not normally limited although alcohol may be subject the being secured in a bonded stores locker under seal. In fact, had the owner of the yacht not "shared" his stores with the locals, or engaged in activities that offended their sensabilities, he likely would have had no difficulty at all. That was obviously not the case, however, so I am less sympathetic than I am otherwise inclined to be.

Also, I think the original post does a disservice to Donkey's. These guys were obviously Jack-Asses, not Donkey's.

FWIW...

To be serious (for a change), of course every cruiser should be sensitive to local morals and customs. For example, you would never want to set up a big pig roast on a spit on the beach in a Muslim country -- it's just wrong.

If those guys were getting underaged local girls drunk, for example, and all the more in a dry community, then that's really bad, and they deserve to be in a lot of trouble. But we don't know that from the article. The only thing we know from the article is that they had an average amount of alcohol on board for a larger cruising yacht, and that they had a party. If they were drinking on board and at anchor, removed from the local community, not navigating, not wandering around drunk on shore shocking people, then this is fairly normal cruiser behavior which no one should find shocking.

I cannot personally tell from the facts as reported whether they really were jackasses, or whether they were subject to some overzealous, excessively prudish, perhaps envy-fuelled enforcement. I would not rush to judgement as did the OP.

[atoll]

make's you wonder why " rcmp deputy Dawg" was sent to cambridge bay in the first place!,hope fully for his sins where he could cause the least trouble,dealing with the run of the mill wife beating,incest and animal beastiality cases as is so common in the far north............ little did his superiours know.............deputy dawg had other ideas......

as revenge for not being invited to the party.........with the full force of the law................... Deputy Dawg decided to make canada...and his lonely out post the laughing stock of the world! for 15 minutes any way............

[atoll]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

They have no where to run. What do you think committing fraud against the RCMP will get them?

atoll, shows you have no idea the extent of the alcohol and drug problem in our northern communities. Getting a minor intoxicated, no declaration of alcohol, no declaration of fireworks (probably illegal to possess in Canada) along with fraudulent checks are not matters to celebrate.

so what you are saying is that these communities are screwed up to start with by canadians!

so what is the point of scapegoating a foreigner other than trying to shift the blame form where it belongs.......firmly on canadas shoulders!!!

ps the recession must be getting really tough for a multi millionaire to smuggle in alchohol to sell on his 40million dollar yacht.......get real!

[Heritage]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

Also, I think the original post does a disservice to Donkey's. These guys were obviously Jack-Asses, not Donkey's.

FWIW...

You are quite correct, and I apologize to all donkeys.

For those of you who think that this was just an innocent little party, you should be aware that most communities in the north are "dry", which means that alcohol is not allowed, even in small quantities. With the retreat of the ice pack, cruising in the arctic is now possible, but visitors must leave their fireworks, booze, and guns at home.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by Heritage

You are quite correct, and I apologize to all donkeys.

For those of you who think that this was just an innocent little party, you should be aware that most communities in the north are "dry", which means that alcohol is not allowed, even in small quantities. With the retreat of the ice pack, cruising in the arctic is now possible, but visitors must leave their fireworks, booze, and guns at home.

canada has got off very lightly in the eyes of the world,over its policy of "locking up the indigenous owners of canada in reserves" and imposing draconian laws,with no recourse to the justice system,whilst "white"canadians rape and sell to multi nationals,their disenfanchised populations heritage........

one only has to look at the tar sands fiasco that is now in chinese hands to see the duplicity of the colonists........a story like the ops only serves to draw attention away from what in other colonies would be called apartheid!