Tony Czarnota

My name is Tony Czarnota. I am a member of Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 10-11. I would like to share with you how my day went on a recent Saturday. It’s a long story, but I think you will enjoy hearing about it.

At six that morning I launched my boat at the Wyandotte (MI) Boat Ramp. I volunteered, as a parent, to help out at a rowing regatta they were holding that morning. I felt that I could be helpful just in case someone went into the water.

The regatta started around 8:00 am. On scene were two Safeboats from Coast Guard Station Belle Isle, Michigan. Their function was to keep traffic and spectator wakes down at the finish line. They did a great job,

The reason I am telling this is because the members of the Boat Club wished to thank the Coast Guard for supporting their regatta.

Well, here is my part of the story.

After the race I went up to the Coast Guard Safeboat to tell them the event was over and invite them to come into the clubhouse and have some pizza. I left the area to retrieve my boat trailer. While I was backing my trailer to the ramp, I noticed someone in my boat. At first I thought it was the Dockmaster giving me a hand. As I jumped from my car it was obvious that he was driving my boat away from the dock area. I started yelling “Someone is stealing my boat!”

BM2 Crochet and MK2 Militano

There was no other boat in the boat ramp area that I could have chased him with. The Dockmaster called the police and I called the Coast Guard using a VHF radio I borrowed from a boat that was already ashore.

I informed the Coast Guard that I was an Auxiliarist and my boat had just been stolen. Within minutes there was a Safeboat at my location. I yelled over the description of my boat and off they went. My boat was gone, including thousands of dollars of equipment. I was bummed. The radio watchstander at the station kept me up to the minute, over the radio, how things were going.

After I calmed down, I realized my cell phone was in my jacket, not on the boat, so I called the station and gave them my phone numbers. I told the person who answered how much I appreciated everything that was being done for me. This is when “the good stuff” started. The person on the other end told me, “We are just helping one of our own, and appreciate what I do as an Auxiliarist.” (WOW!)

It made me feel proud. Every call that I received to update me, I thanked the person and they told me the same thing; they were helping our own. This is the reason I am making this letter so long. It had never sunk in to me before that I am part of Team Coast Guard like it did that day.

BM2 Crochet and MK2 Militano

Awhile later, as my son and I were driving on Grosse Isle, looking in the canals for my boat, I received another call. This time, it was good news; the Canadian Coast Guard found my boat somewhere in Lake Erie, with the person who stole it crying for help on the VHF radio. He had run out of gas.

The boat was located in or near Colchester in Canadian waters. Now the Canadian Coast Guard was involved. They towed my boat to Amherstburg where I believe one of our safeboats picked up the tow.

Around 11:30 pm I saw the blue strobes coming around Grassy Island. A few minutes later, the Safeboat pulled in to the ramp with my boat in side tow. They towed it to the same place it was stolen from earlier in the day, minus the 16 year old kid who took it.

I guess he had to spend the night in Canada. Nothing was missing, nothing was damaged. As I was shaking the crew’s hands and thanking them, again I heard it; “We’re just helping one of our own.”

I started the day helping people; I ended the day being helped.

I learned something that day; that I am part of the “Team” and all day long I was told that again and again.

I could have made this short and sweet, but I wanted to let you know my side of the story. I dealt with a bunch of people on that day. I will never forget their faces. Some I never saw, those that I talked to on the phone and radio.

This letter is to thank everyone at the Station and the boat crews for their assistance. It’s something I will never forget, and thanks for making me know that I am part of “Team Coast Guard.”

Editor’s note: The Coast Guard personnel in the photos are BM2 Crochet and MK2 Militano. They were the coxswains who helped recover Tony’s boat.