Justice is seen to be done

So there we were sitting in Centerpointe Marina in Sturgeon Bay at 5.30 wednesday evening, and I'm looking down the bay towards the canal. Off in the distance I see what appears to be a large fizzboat heading up harbour at speed. "Strange", I think, "this is a well posted NO WAKE zone and this guy is sure putting one up!" I put the binoculars on him and discover he is not a fizz boat but a gin palace about 65' long and he is honking along at about 18 knots. As he reaches the first bridge, he "slows" to about 9kts and continues in our direction making a wave that rocks the living daylights out of one small tinnie and two larger motor boats. As he passes us I see the skipper talking on the phone, perhaps asking the lift bridge in front of him to open....he had just missed the scheduled 5.30 opening (perhaps that was his hurry). The bridge remained firmly closed and he sat in the channel while we hoped he would be made to wait till the 6.00 opening. Now I'm not a vindictive person, but this guy either was too stupid to know the rules, or  didn't think the rules applied to him. Either way he deserved some kind of retribution so we were quite pleased about 10 minutes later, to see a Coastguard vessel coming up from the canal at a reasonable clip (but not putting up much wake) blue lights flashing. However were disappointed to see him go past the offender and the bridge begin to open. But then to our delight came the message over VHF channel 16: " 'Plane to Sea', please follow the Coastguard vessel right through past the Michigan St bridge". The speedster acknowledged, and followed the CG boat out of our sight.

About 15 minutes later the CG boat returned downharbor at a much more liesurely pace. I presume that justice was done and the offender admonished and fined as he should be. If not, at least it was seen to be done.