I'm Officially a Liar.

[Roger Long]

I'm in Saint Marys, GA but I crossed the line briefly into Florida on the way in so I am now proud to report that I am officially a liar.

See http://forums.sbo.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=136890&#post878785 if you don't know what I'm talking about.

 

[Bill1565]

Congrats on being official. Now to admit that florida wasn't so bad.

 

[sea_casper]

Florida has had issues

Congrats on being official. Now to admit that florida wasn't so bad.

http://cruisersnet.net/important-bo...between-new-smyrna-beach-and-mosquito-lagoon/

Not to mention some towns illegally try to prevent cruisers from anchoring.

Although we enjoyed Florida on our trip north,

http://fauxcastle.blogspot.com/2010_11_01_archive.html

 

[AnsleyS]

Dear Roger,

I think that there are some of us who may contest your self proclaimed accolade as a liar. Although your ongoing posts telling your stories of adventures from afar and your SPOT trails showing your movements in a southerly direction, your liar label makes us wonder. Donald Crowhurst also told a great story of southern travel.

Knowing you, I submit to the group that that one incidence of dragging your keel through the mud clears you of all charges of being a confirmed fabricator.

Enjoy the trip. See you next summer.

Ansley

 

[Roger Long]

http://cruisersnet.net/important-bo...between-new-smyrna-beach-and-mosquito-lagoon/

Not to mention some towns illegally try to prevent cruisers from anchoring.

I first heard of this incident about the time that the initial reports hit the Internet and it was one of the things that aroused my interest in the question of whether law enforcement is being used to influence the demographics of cruisers passing through Florida. I don’t think any reasonable person could maintain that a million dollar plus, late model, yacht is as likely to have this kind of experience as the older Gulfstar which reported it.

Putting that question aside however, I think there is an important lesson that comes out of this story. Even allowing for public relations spin and bull puckey, there appears to have been some misunderstanding and confusion in this incident. By the owner/master’s admission, the first he knew that people were on deck was when his crew yelled. If a boat was close enough for people to jump on board, a potential collision situation had been developing for some time before the intentions of the law enforcement vessel were clear. I would consider this a failure of the master to establish clear and appropriate SOP and to maintain situational awareness.

If the master had told his crew to alert him about the proximity or approach of any vessel, he would have had time to secure the galley and be on deck to manage the situation. Organized cooperation might had done much to keep the guns in their holsters. He might have even had time to remove the seacock handle or slap a wire tie on the valve in question.

There are many reasons for the master to be aware of the vessels in the area and the crew should clearly understand that passing on this information is a vital part of their duty.

 

[sea_casper]

Roger most cruising "crews" consist of the "captain and his "admiral" and the naval competency of non-professional family crews on the ICW varies widely, law enforcement agencies know this and should as professionals adjust their operations accordingly. If you read the comments following the reporting of the incident, for the most part the Volusia County "potty patrol" are not.

I found the report from the "SV Jezabel" especially enlightening,
The officer stated ” I spend three months in the spring and three months if the fall doing nothing but stopping boats going north or south”.

Another persons quote "I first saw a center console boat coming directly *head-on* at extreme high speed in a NO WAKE/MANATEE zone. They came close aboard to apparently/OBVIOUSLY to read my homeport, etc. while covering me with some spray, the “VOLUSIA COUNTY SHERIFF” boat then did an immediate 180 & then came alongside...."

As you know on the ICW boats passing in both directions at high speed are not uncommon, I don't believe "a potential collision situation had been developing for some time before the intentions of the law enforcement vessel were clear."

 

[Jim Seamans]

You guys from Maine!!

You lie about everything just to keep the tourist out of the state....

The snow was higher than my house.....
The water is so cold it froze my ankles...
Nothing up here but trees and bad roads....

Etc,etc,etc....

 

[Roger Long]

I don't believe "a potential collision situation had been developing for some time before the intentions of the law enforcement vessel were clear."

That's a good point. I thought about the point of my post back when I first read this account and just pulled it out of the memory heap. The bit about coming in from offshore and my unfamiliarity with the ICW had me envisioning the setting as being more like the Georgia inlets and bays. If this was in a typical ICW channel, you're right.