David said the Thunder Jet boat is preferred for disaster rescues. More room for people. But river spray now washes over the windshield. And the weather can change after you get out on the river. The deputies said it's not unusual for boaters to ignore a safety check when it calm and smooth, then the weather changes after they're out and problems arise.
Foster adjusts the throttle as another wave cascades over the bow.
Both men wear life jackets with whistles attached. The boat crosses beneath power lines, circles around the end of Crow Butte Island and docks at the marina. The deputies chat with anglers and children on the dock then walk to a boat launch. A pontoon boat moves down the incline then floats onto the water. The deputies say they checked that boat on the river the day before.