A HOT AIR BALLOON PLT LANDED ON A MARINE POLICE BOAT.

Narrative

ACCORDING TO WX BRIEFING; CORROBORATING EVIDENCE OF PIBAL READINGS AND ANOTHER COMMERCIAL PLT'S OPINION; WX; IE; WIND DIRECTION AND SPD; MADE FOR A COMFORTABLE RIVER XING IN A HOT AIR BALLOON. CLASS E AIRSPACE; VFR CONDITIONS. STARTING POINT WAS RIVER FRONT; BATTERY PARK; NEW CASTLE; DE. ETA SALEM; NJ; 20 MINS TOPS. WITHIN 15 MINS OF FLT; WIND CURRENTS WERE NOT AS STRONG AS PREDICTED. IT TOOK 30 MINS TO REACH SALEM OUTSKIRTS (SWAMP AREA). WIND SHIFT TOOK US OUT OVER THE RIVER AGAIN; THIS TIME GOING DIRECTLY DOWN RIVER INTO THE BAY. WITH EASILY 2 HRS OF FUEL ON BOARD AND LIGHT AND VARIABLE WIND CONDITIONS; PLT KNEW GETTING TO LAND WOULD TAKE LONGER THAN THE ESTIMATED FUEL LEFT ON BOARD. BECAUSE WINDS WERE SO LIGHT; I ASKED THE ASSISTANCE OF SOME CRABBERS FOR A TOW TO SHORE. DURING THIS PROC; THE MARINE POLICE HAPPENED BY AND ASKED IF I NEEDED ASSISTANCE. ACTUALLY; DIDN'T NEED THEIR ASSISTANCE AS CRABBERS WERE DOING A FINE JOB OF TOWING; BUT ASKED IF THEY WOULD BE STAND-BY. AS THE WIND CONTINUED IN A DOWN RIVER PATTERN AND TOWING BECAME A SLOW AND XWIND PROCESS; MARINE POLICE ASKED IF I COULD LAND THE BALLOON ON THEIR BOAT. I SAID I COULD. I LANDED IT; AND WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE CRABBERS; MY PAX AND 2 MARINE POLICE; WE WERE ABLE TO BRING THE BALLOON ENVELOPE DEFLATED DOWN INTO THE BOAT. IT DIDN'T EVEN GET WET. NO DAMAGE OF PERSON OR PROPERTY. MARINE POLICE CONTACTED FAA BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE DOING THE RIGHT THING (COVER THEMSELVES). FAA ASKED ME FOR A WRITTEN STATEMENT. I FELT I HANDLED IT WELL UNDER CIRCUMSTANCES. AT NO TIME WAS IT AN EMER SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS A FULL TIME BALLOONIST IN THE RIDE BUSINESS. SHE SUBMITTED A RPT TO THE LCL FSDO AS REQUESTED AND HAS HEARD NOTHING FROM THEM. THE MARINE POLICE WERE VERY HELPFUL AND WERE PLEASED TO BE AN 'ACFT CARRIER' FOR THE DAY. THERE WAS NO INJURY OR DAMAGE.