My letter to the port authority

[ICDEDPPL]

8/1/11

Hello,
My name is Daniel Baloun. I would like to report an incident/file a complaint about an incident that transpired this past weekend at the Portage public launch.
I have been a regular user of the launch without any issue and find the employees and facility to be a pleasure and well run.This year we have been there close to every weekend.

This weekend was the exception however. This incident had nothing to do with the emloyees but rather with certain slip holders. I had my 2 childern, Austin 4 and Kylie 7, my wife Erica, our friend Bridgett and a friends 6 year old daughter Madison with us.

At the end of a beatiful day we headed to drop our guests off. The launch area was completely full with no room to tie off, since I had a transient slip at Marina Shores all I needed to do was drop off Bridgett, Madison who were leaving, and my wife to drive the truck over to Marina shores.With no available spots and childern who needed to use the bahroom , I decided to turn into the Marina to find a drop off spot. I found an empty spotat the 'T' dock facing the gas dock at the end of the Marina. Not in a slip, not in anyones way and planning to be there less than 5 minutes.
We were there for 3 minutes when a few intoxicated slip owners on that dock were pulling in. We were immediately confronted by a small group of people telling us this was their dock and we don`t belong there. I explained I was just letting people off and we are not staying. One of the gentelman named "Mick" proceeded to physically block the path and get in the face of Bridgett and Madison (6 years old) (Bridgett later told me she was afraid he was ging to push her into the water.)I got off my boat at this point, words were exchanged as I did not undersatnd such hostility from fellow boaters. At this point the rest of mostly intoxicated folks, even from other docks started to converge on us. My 2 kids now unattended in the boat had tears in their eyes as now a large mob continued to harass and yell at us.
I made the decision to leave as the mob mentality set in for the slip holders and it was obvious there was not a normal, reasonable person in the group who could explain what I had done that was so terrible.

I had to leave 2 women and a child at the dock, they were followed and harrased by close to 7 people to the parking lot, Bridgett was told this is their lot and she could not park there even thou the sign CLEARLY states PUBLIC parking. They also told her she cannot use the bathroom.
At this time the mob decided that they would get us in more trouble. Obviously the infraction of dropping off my passengers was not a matter for the police so they had decided to report that I had wielded a knife.
Now I had police looking for me at Marina Shores, kids scared, wife still being harassed till the police arrived.
The police saw I was 100% sober and realized the slip holders were completely in the wrong, they had made some negative comments toward 'that' crowd. something to the affect of white trash
Bridgett tried to have 'Mick" arrested for assault but all of a sudden he was nowhere to be found.
It was something we had never experienced and it had ruined the rest of our weekend.

At the end of the Sunday when we pulled our boat out the slip holders had sent one of the wives to our car, for what reason I`m not sure but I`m now afraid they will vandalize our vehicle if we launch there again.

In conclusion, my kids were now afraid of going back, Bridgett who is a regular guest does not want to leave her car in the PUBLIC launch, as we are both afraid of vandalism.
Were were told to "go back to Marina Shores you don`t belong here" "we own this dock", get the F- out of here" etc etc.
It is a few days later and I still cannot believe the trailer park behavior of the slip holders.In my 15 years of boating I have never experienced such mentality as a matter of fact I was always proud how boaters treated each other.
Not sure what can be done but I was told to report this to the Port Authority.

Sincerely,
Daniel Baloun


A question arises from this, what if someone starts to vandalize, board, unties or otherwise messing with your boat, how far can a person go to defend their property? lets say someone is cutting the ropes when docked I`d like to get out and beat their ass but would I be arrested?

[teamsynergy]

Are you phuckin' serious??? WTF! My opinion is that if you find some A$$ clowns phucking with your stuff, you have every right to defend it! Whether its kicking the phuck out of someone are knocking someones drunk A$$ in the water... you have my vote...

[redhotsommer]

Holy CRAP. That is unreal. I think you handled it and ARE handling it as well as you can. Seriously...I'd be willing to bet any and all physical retaliation would make you susceptable to the lovely legal system. And yes, I'd be worried about my rig from now on...total bs. Hopefully the PA responds and can at least get you some names, so if something further DOES occur, you'll know right where to go.

[redhotsommer]

Now...I say we ALL go there. Any takers?

[Bobcat]

Damn, you handled it the right way. (I however would be in jail)

We get a lot of the mob mentality B.S. down here (everyone thinks they're gangbangers)

[MILD THUNDER]

Now...I say we ALL go there. Any takers?

Im in. What time?

[teamsynergy]

Well it would have to 2 weeks from now... considering Mike's done boating and will be pedalling...

[ICDEDPPL]

This story would have a different ending if not for the kids and wife and Erica yelling at me to just leave.
The cops told me those people have no authority to 'police' their precious dock nor do they have any authority to tell me to leave.
I was thinking of just pulling up again and just sit there, leave my Go Pro on. Of course Erica doesn`t want anymore trouble but I`m all for visiting again.

I`m sorry but if you rent a slip in a PUBLIC Marina don`t be suprised if the PUBLIC happens to be there.

Their leader is some old bastard "mick" who has a 24' something boat .. I was told "you can`t talk to Mick like that!!!"
oh ok I didn`t know mick was the King around so sorry lol

In retrospect I think it was a bunch of haters.. I show up in a power boat they all been drinking their powerboat Haterade all day and then I had the balls to drop off on "their dock". One dope told my wife they own the dock. really you own a Public dock? Thats the mentality right there.

[MILD THUNDER]

Well it would have to 2 weeks from now... considering Mike's done boating and will be pedalling...

Maybe we can use Mikey as "bait". We can send him to use THEIR bathroom on his peddle bike. Then when they pick a fight with the small guy in the tight shorts, its game on.

[teamsynergy]

Maybe we can use Mikey as "bait". We can send him to use THEIR bathroom on his peddle bike. Then when they pick a fight with the small guy in the tight shorts, its game on.

Tight shorts = funny

[teamsynergy]

This story would have a different ending if not for the kids and wife and Erica yelling at me to just leave.
The cops told me those people have no authority to 'police' their precious dock nor do they have any authority to tell me to leave.
I was thinking of just pulling up again and just sit there, leave my Go Pro on. Of course Erica doesn`t want anymore trouble but I`m all for visiting again.

I`m sorry but if you rent a slip in a PUBLIC Marina don`t be suprised if the PUBLIC happens to be there.

Their leader is some old bastard "mick" who has a 24' something boat .. I was told "you can`t talk to Mick like that!!!"
oh ok I didn`t know mick was the King around so sorry lol

In retrospect I think it was a bunch of haters.. I show up in a power boat they all been drinking their powerboat Haterade all day and then I had the balls to drop off on "their dock". One dope told my wife they own the dock. really you own a Public dock? Thats the mentality right there.

So we these guys sailboat guys or powerboat guys?? if they were sailboat guys, I see some high speed close quarter fly by's in the works lol..

[redhotsommer]

Maybe I'll pull up in my boat with my tight shorts on...they won't know what to think...but I doubt they will like it.

I say we get about six or seven of us to all idle in there at the same time and spin around to they can really get a nice earful. Maybe hang out that way for 1/2 hour or so, and see what transpires.

[Twin Whackas]

I think you could get more than enough of us fellow boaters to head to the marina with you.

[Payton]

Nope, all powerboat guys.
What a bunch of hilljacks. They own the dock.... what morons!

[Magic Medicine]

Now...I say we ALL go there. Any takers?

I'm in!

[MILD THUNDER]

Maybe I'll pull up in my boat with my tight shorts on...they won't know what to think...but I doubt they will like it.

I say we get about six or seven of us to all idle in there at the same time and spin around to they can really get a nice earful. Maybe hang out that way for 1/2 hour or so, and see what transpires.

Haha, tight shorts on the boat would be funny. I would think that if you got the dry pipe crowd together, it would be really noisy in the ditch. I prefer to leave one motor in gear, and the other in nuetral at 3k rpm while in the harbor.

[Magic Medicine]

Gotta love the hillbillies you run into while trailer boating.

Dan, I'm in as a fellow parent I can relate what you went through.

[SC288]

I'm always wondering how I will be accepted when going into different harbors....for once Angie, Taylor and I had a good experience last weekend in Michigan City....the people slipped next to us were very helpful when getting tied up and when leaving as well as very friendly at the docks.

I would of thought that Portage would have been the most performace boater friendly area but I guess not....what a bunch of douchebags! I'm all in for a parade through the harbor anytime! What those idiot's don't realize is that the income from slip rental, launching fee's etc. all helps to keep the whole marina running throughout the year.

[WETTE VETTE]

Twin "smokey" Whakas can sit in front of their dock idling and fumigate them like a bunch of skeeters!

[teamsynergy]

I'm always wondering how I will be accepted when going into different harbors....for once Angie, Taylor and I had a good experience last weekend in Michigan City....the people slipped next to us were very helpful when getting tied up and when leaving as well as very friendly at the docks.

I would of thought that Portage would have been the most performace boater friendly area but I guess not....what a bunch of douchebags! I'm all in for a parade through the harbor anytime! What those idiot's don't realize is that the income from slip rental, launching fee's etc. all helps to keep the whole marina running throughout the year.

I couldn't agree more!!! Everytime we overnight in MC... I always have people come to aid and are very giving... great group of people... even the snailboaters lol..