Meet Capt. Austin Munda, 30, a U.S. Coast Guard licensed captain and owner/operator of Marine Rescue CDA, a professional marine towing and salvage company based on Lake Coeur d’Alene.

With 15 years in business on the lake and over 18 years of experience in marine towing and salvage, Austin has dedicated his life to working on the water. He grew up sailing and operating boats at a young age, learning marine operations and mechanics from his father, Capt. Tony Munda. From an early age, his dad mentored him in the marine towing and salvage industry. He watched his dad respond to calls, often leaving for hours or even days at a time to help people on the water. That firsthand exposure built the foundation for the work he does today.

Together, they bring over 40 years of combined experience serving the boating community. Austin also owns High Seas Productions, where he produces on-water media and drone content. He is a founding member of the Off the Clock Networking Group, a longtime supporter of local community events, and a former member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary for over 10 years. In addition, Austin supported Navy testing operations for three years as a civilian while continuing to run his businesses.

Details: marinerescuecda.com

1) What is Marine Rescue CDA?

Marine Rescue CDA is a licensed and insured marine towing and salvage company serving Lake Coeur d’Alene and surrounding waterways. We provide services including towing, jump starts, fuel deliveries, soft ungroundings and full salvage and recovery operations for sunken vessels, flipped jet skis and emergency response situations.

We also utilize advanced technology like sonar and an underwater drone to assist with recoveries, allowing us to locate and retrieve personal items like phones, wallets, keys, sunglasses and even hearing aids lost in the water.

Beyond local operations, we’re able to travel for marine salvage and recovery work throughout the region, including Washington, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. We’ve also been involved in recovering other types of vehicles and have experience working on ocean-based vessels, including working alongside the active-duty Coast Guard during recovery efforts in post-tsunami environments.

To legally provide marine towing for hire, operators are required to hold a U.S. Coast Guard captain’s license along with a towing endorsement. That level of licensing and training ensures that we’re operating safely and professionally while assisting boaters on the water.

We’re also an authorized provider for the Sign and Glide program, a nationwide marine towing service supported by Progressive Insurance. Boaters can sign up for Sign and Glide for around $60 per year, which includes benefits like unlimited towing, jump starts, fuel deliveries and soft ungroundings. In addition, we regularly work directly with insurance companies to help customers get reimbursed or covered for towing services when applicable. Our goal is to provide fast, reliable service and minimize stress for boaters when something goes wrong.

2) What inspired you to get into marine rescue?

I’ve been around the water my entire life, but more specifically, I grew up watching my dad work in the marine towing and salvage industry. I remember him getting calls at all hours and heading out sometimes gone for hours or even days, helping people in tough situations.

Being involved in the industry early on, I saw firsthand how much commercial marine assistance can truly help people when they need it most. It felt good being on the receiving end of those calls and dispatches, knowing that people could relax because help was on the way and they were going to get home safely.

You also get to meet a lot of great people who share the same passion for boating, and you see some really unique and beautiful watercraft along the way. And let’s face it, who doesn’t love boats?

3) What was one of the biggest rescues you've participated in?

Some of the biggest rescues aren’t just one call, they’re the high-demand days when multiple incidents happen at once. We’ve responded to stranded boaters during heavy wind events where conditions can escalate quickly on a lake as large as Coeur d’Alene.

We’ve also handled recoveries of larger vessels that have sunk, which require sonar, dive teams and lift bags to safely bring them back up. Other intense situations include flipped jet skis where passengers are in the water dealing with hypothermia. Those calls require fast response and coordination to make sure everyone gets out safely.

4) What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I was born and raised here in Coeur d’Alene. I’ve spent my entire life around this lake and community, which makes the work we do even more meaningful to me.

I’ve also always had an interest in becoming a pilot. I’ve spent my life on the water, but aviation has always been something that’s interested me as well.

Another thing that stands out about what we do is how closely we work with our local partners. Whether it’s marinas, businesses or other organizations, we all support each other and work together to take care of the boating community here in Coeur d’Alene.

When I’m not all business, I enjoy traveling, spending time with family, watching movies and going on adventures. I’ve got a growing list of places I’d like to visit some day. Europe, Italy, New Zealand, Hawaii, and England are all at the top of that list.

5) What is the most fulfilling aspect of helping people the way you do?

The most fulfilling part is being able to show up when people need help the most and turn a stressful situation into a positive outcome. Whether it’s rescuing someone from the water, recovering something valuable or getting a family safely back to the dock, you can see the relief immediately. 

I also really value community involvement, whether that means hosting large lake and shoreline cleanups, volunteering at local Ironman races and triathlons, participating in on-water safety events through the Wear It boating safety campaign or maintaining our adopted highway and organizing multiple highway cleanups throughout the summer. Being able to give back and help keep both our waterways and local environment clean means a lot.