Visiting ‘pirates’ a boom to Port Townsend

PORT TOWNSEND — Noise complaints from cannons blasting from boats were the biggest complaint police had when hundreds of boaters converged on the town for a weekend party.

“As far as I’m aware as of now the noise complaints were the only thing,” Port Townsend Police Sgt. Michael Evans said.

Up to 1,500 revelers came in boats — many festooned in Jolly Roger pirate regalia — to participate in the Northwest Cruiser’s “Latitudes & Attitudes” party.

One boat continued to blast off the cannons — which are just for noise and show and do not shoot any projectiles — late into the night, but the owners of that boat hadn’t been tracked down.

Douglas Young, co- commodore of this year’s event, said that when police came and told him that a formal noise complaint was filed, he opted for a last-minute joke.

“I told them to slap the handcuffs on me and act like I was getting arrested,” he said.

“My wife didn’t know anything about it, but I had him lead me through the crowd.”

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