Most days, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Maple is a beacon of safety in Southeast. But on the night before Halloween, the crew members transform the vessel into a haunted ship.
This annual event in Sitka doubles as a canned goods drive and scholarship fundraiser for Coast Guard families, many of whom operate behind the scenes to spook visitors.
Crew members were responsible for decorating their own section of the ship, complete with special effects and creepy lighting (Mike Hicks/KCAW photo)
Zelman, who organized said the event, said the strangest item on this year’s shopping list was a straitjacket (Mike Hicks/KCAW photo)
According to Ensign Kristen Zelman, who organized the event, 650 people walked through the Maple last night and the canned goods bin was full.
Guests descend the ramp of the Cutter Maple, a 225 buoy tender operated by the Coast Guard in Southeast waters (Mike Hicks/KCAW photo)
