The viral footage out of Steilacoom, Washington, from back in May, of a runaway motorboat narrowly missing two massive commuter ferries before careening directly into a rocky embankment is a stark, terrifying reminder that being a captain is a lot more Captain America and a lot less Captain Jack Sparrow. Witnesses reported the 21-year-old operator was literally passed out cold at the helm of the vessel, leaving the boat to steer itself on a high-speed collision course that could have easily resulted in a tragic loss of life for innocent ferry passengers or bystanders. Operating a boat requires sharp, split-second reflexes and constant situational awareness—things that completely evaporate when you are boating under the influence.
By all means, enjoy your day out on the water, but let’s agree to leave the heavy drinking and drugs for the dry land, or at least designate a strictly sober captain; because as this close-call proves, waking up gasping in the Puget Sound after flying out of your own windshield is a terrible way to sober up!
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