--- title: "In other news, the Coast Guard has recovered a stolen tiki hut boat" description: "The rest of the country may be embroiled with riots and impeachment votes, but the Coasties are keeping things real." date: "2021-01-13" modified: "2021-01-18" authors: - name: "David Roza" job_title: "YouTube Writer/Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/david-roza/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/coast-guard-tiki-hut-boat-florida/" categories: - "Around the World" - "Coast Guard" - "Military Branches" - "News" - "United States" tags: - "justice" --- # In other news, the Coast Guard has recovered a stolen tiki hut boat ![]() *Coast Guardsman assigned to U.S. Coast Guard Station Key West guide in a tiki hut that had been piloted by an intoxicated person sometime the week of Jan. 13 (Twitter / USCGSoutheast)* In some lighter news, Coasties are keeping things chill over at U.S. Coast Guard Station Key West, Florida, where they recently recovered a reportedly stolen tiki hut boat in the emerald waters of Hawk Channel. “The person aboard showed signs of intoxication and was taken into custody,” U.S. Coast Guard Southeast tweeted on Wednesday, along with pictures of Coasties piloting the Margaritaville-style tiki hut back to shore. “Don’t drink and boat!” https://twitter.com/USCGSoutheast/status/1349446406122123268?s=20 What is a tiki hut boat, you ask? Well, it is what it sounds like: a floating tiki hut bar where guests can booze and schmooze while gliding along on warm Florida waters. The boats can carry up to six guests and accelerate up to four to six miles per hour, according to tiki boat cruise service [Cruisin' Tikis Key West.]() Apparently the pilot of this particular tiki boat had a bit too much fun, and it's difficult to blame them amidst news of riots and impeachment votes coming from Washington, D.C. Still, I envy the Coast Guardsmen who got to spend a sunny day hauling in that runaway vessel. Observers [on Twitter]() seemed to echo this sentiment. “The content we need rn,” wrote one Twitter user. “I want one of those!” said another. "This picture better be the plastered on every recruiting office in the United States," wrote a Facebook user reacting to the news. Indeed, the rescue of the tiki hut is right up there with the Coast Guard’s rescue of an inflatable unicorn last summer, which was hoisted from the waves after a shark interrupted a Coast Guard swim call in the Pacific Ocean. A brave Coastie scared away the animal with [rifle fire](), saving the day and lighting the internet on fire. Just another day in America’s oldest sea service. Semper Paratus, and tiki tiki pina colada! ***Related: [These stick figure comics will change how you see the Coast Guard]()*** ## Author David Roza writes scripts about military news for the Task & Purpose YouTube channel, and he also writes articles about military pay, benefits, health care, child care, culture, and other personnel topics on a freelance basis. Roza previously covered the Air Force and Space Force for Task & Purpose from 2019 to 2023 and for Air & Space Forces Magazine from 2023 to 2025. In the course of that reporting, he has set off a ‘Hollywood explosion’ with Air Force bomb techs, turned the (unarmed) keys of a nuclear missile bunker, hovered over the Nevada desert on an Air Force rescue helicopter, and got the best sleep of his life on the floor of a C-17 over the central Pacific. Share tips and story ideas with David at [david.roza@teamrecurrent.io]()