The first Indigenous led coast guard in the nation, taking the Genawaaboonagak for a ride after the induction ceremony. All photos by Alex Dobbins

By Alex Dobbins - Boreal Community Media - October 20, 2025

Last Wednesday afternoon in the Grand Portage marina, the nation's first Indigenous-led Coast Guard celebrated its historic partnership with local Sheriff Departments of Cook and Lake Counties with a boat christening ceremony.

The celebration opened with a welcome speech from Tribal Chairman Robert Deschampe, followed by a powerful drum circle from the Stonebridge Singers and an invocation from Ojibwe Elder Billy Blackwell. 

 The Stonebridge Singers opened up for the Grand Portage Band Coast Guard Ceremony.

Special guest speakers were Minnesota Senator Grant Hauschild, Minnesota Representative Roger Skraba, and Commissioner Bob Jacobson.  

In 2022, the Grand Marais Coast Guard shut down, leaving the North Shore from Duluth to Canada hours away from search and rescue boats. Dr. Seth Moore, Chairman Deschampe, and Senator Hauschild, along with law enforcement and community members, have worked tirelessly for years to create this unique partnership to start a Coast Guard in Grand Portage.

Special speaker, Senator Hauschild (right), traveled to Grand Portage for the Christening and Induction Ceremony after years of advocating for Coast Guards along the North Shore. Senator Hauschild is standing next to Tribal Chairman Robert Deschampe (left). 

Living in rural northern Minnesota has many challenges, and Senator Hauschild praised the community's perseverance:

 “...Local folks on the grounds who are taking on the challenges that we face and solving them together. The first tribal county-sheriff partnership in the nation, doing life-saving measures on a major lake like this. It's truly a story that needs to be told. Not just here and across the state, but nationally, we need to take this and show people what you guys are doing.” 

The Grand Portage Coast Guard was awarded state funding of $3 million from the 2023 Judiciary and Public Safety Omnibus Bill, along with $240,000 to help Grand Portage hire an emergency re­sponse coordinator.  With that money, they were able to get four state-of-the-art boats.

Grand Portages' new search and rescue boat is named Genawaaboonagak, meaning "Watchers over the Waters". 

Two of the search-and-rescue boats will be staying in Grand Portage, with one named Genawaaboonagak, meaning “ Watchers of the Waters”.  The other two boats will be given to the Lake and Cook County Sheriff's Departments, allowing for faster, more coordinated emergency response times along the North Shore.

The event closed with Genawaaboonagak sailing off from the Grand Portage marina, with a strong sense of pride that the new Grand Portage Coast Guard partnership was officially launched. 

 Genawaaboonagak takes off from the marina after the ceremony on Wednesday.

The Grand Portage Band’s leadership in public safety on Lake Superior stands as a model for how sovereign nations and local governments can work together to protect their shared waters and communities for generations to come.

 Tribal members and residents from the North Shore gathered for the christening of the Grand Portage Coast Guard.

 Pictured is Dr. Seth Moore (right), director of natural resources at Grand Portage, and Billy Blackwell (middle), Ojibwe Elder and invocation speaker.

 Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa's Chairman Robert Deschampe gave the welcome speech for the first indigenous led Coast Guard christening and induction ceremony.

 Minnesota Representative Roger Skraba

The new Cook County Sheriff's Office Marine Patrol boat.