This was a new one

[Ken Honeycutt]

We were cruising Lake Michigan on the way to New Buffalo, MI, when I heard parts of this transmission (couldn't hear the boater but could hear the CG response). New Buffalo is approximately 10 NM North of Michigan City. The day was hazy with about 2 to 3 miles visibility.

Went something like this:

"This is the Michigan City CG station go ahead captain"
boater transmission
"This is Michigan City CG station, you say you left New Buffalo 30 minutes ago and you're lost?"
boater transmission
"This is Michigan City CG station, how many people on board"
boater transmission
"This is Michigan City CG station, do you have life jackets for all aboard"
boater transmission
"This is Michigan City CG station, OK captain, do you have a cell phone"
boater transmission
"This is Michigan City CG station, OK captain, call me on #####"

Wish I could have heard the rest of the conversation.

 

[shemandr]

I heard one of those too. Finally the CG asked the vessel to call on the cell. I have the appropriate number in my cell phone since then.

 

[sailaway78]

I'm always amazed

By the total idiocy of some of these calls. Heard one a few years ago, while leaving Sandy Hook. The boater didn't know whether he was in the Atlantic or Long Island Sound.

 

[Big Windy]

A number of years ago, I was teaching a cardiologist how to fly. We were doing his first night flight, a local area orientation. All of a sudden, we had a total electrical failure...no radio, no lights, no transponder, no nothing. So, as I sat there mulling how we were going to get back into the airport...it had an approach control and a tower, the doc says, "sure am glad a I brought this new cell phone." So we called the tower on the cell phone!