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Cool weather, light showers dampen Seafair party plans

Published 11:09 am Monday, August 9, 2010

Two Mercer Island Marine Patrol Officers and a State Patrol Officer watch the Blue Angels show Friday from their Marine Patrol Unit as another spectator follows the show from a temporary dock that was set up for the weekend at Proctors Landing so law enforcement could use the area as a staging zone for BUI infractions
Two Mercer Island Marine Patrol Officers and a State Patrol Officer watch the Blue Angels show Friday from their Marine Patrol Unit as another spectator follows the show from a temporary dock that was set up for the weekend at Proctors Landing so law enforcement could use the area as a staging zone for BUI infractions

Cool weather and weekend showers are likely the reason Seafair boaters partied more responsibly this weekend, said Mercer Island Police officials.

This year was “hugely different” said Emergency Preparedness Officer Jennifer Franklin.

“In terms of actual arrests and infractions, it was very quiet,” she said of the weekend-long event on Lake Washington.

Between Friday and Saturday, law enforcement contacted 463 boats and issued 54 “Boating Under the Influence” infractions, or BUIs. Four of those given BUIs were booked. Other criminal arrests included one felony harassment for threats made on a police officer, three counts of reckless endangerment of a minor, one resisting arrest, one obstructing, and one weapons violation for failure to obtain a concealed weapons permit for a loaded handgun.

In comparison, law enforcement issued 110 BUIs in 2009, 83 in 2008 and 155 in 2007. The weather was significantly better for the 2009 event with clear, cloudless skies and temperatures in the 80s. This year, highs ranged from 66 to 70 degrees and more than a quarter of an inch of rain fell on Saturday, according to The Weather Channel.

Emergency response for Seafair 2010 was a joint effort between Mercer Island and Seattle’s fire, police and marine patrol, as well as the Washington State Patrol.

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