No one hurt during tour boat grounding

The Coast Guard says they’re still investigating a grounding of a tour boat north of Juneau on Monday.

Lt. Jennifer Ferreira could not say how extensive the damage was to the 34-foot Voyager, or how the grounding occurred. She said that’s part of the ongoing investigation.

Fourteen passengers and an operator were on board when the tour boat operated by Gastineau Guiding went aground on Little Island, which is located just to the north of Lincoln Island.

The passengers evacuated to Little Island. They were taken by a small boat from the Coast Guard cutter Naushon to other nearby tour boats. A small rescue boat from Station Juneau was also dispatched to the scene and eventually escorted the other vessels to shore.

Gastineau Guiding co-owner Dawn Wolfe said the passengers were not hurt and they just considered the experience as another adventure.

The Naushon then escorted the refloated Voyager back to Auke Bay.

The Coast Guard reports conditions in the area on Monday as five mph winds, one-foot seas, and five miles of visibility.

Wolfe said a gust of wind and a strong current pushed the boat close to a rock as the tide rapidly dropped.

The vessel’s propeller was dinged, but there was no other damage. Wolfe said there wasn’t even a mark on the hull to indicate that it set down on the rocks.

She said the boat is back in the water and running again after it was looked over by the Coast Guard.

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