Oak Island Coasties

[marine4003]

Splashed Defiance for a quick spin up the ICW..shake out the webs, Last Thursday,great day low 80's..wind 5-10..giving me that nice chop that hulls love to flatten, thought i'd open it up..crused by Lockwood Folly river full tilt boogie,out of the corner of my eye..BLUE LIGHTS.. glanced back ,and sure enough Coasties in hot persuit..throttle back,came along side and asked if i had any weapons.."nope" "well, were boarding your vessel for a safety check" sure,no problem...standard stuff..LJ,FE,horn,ect....ID -nope, "Why not? well i didn't plan on needing ID for a 20 min. spin. "we need to see some identification..your holding it..my registration.."OH" as he's filling out his tiny blackberry he asks for my S.S.#...why? I didn't do anything wrong and you had no probable cause to stop me,plus everything is in order,so why do you need my SS #? Never did get an answer..he told me to go on my way and have a nice day...S.S.# whats up with that?..we are still in America,right?

[Robja]

You must have had some hot babe on the bow in a thong. 99% of the boats I see them stop for a safety check have some hot chick on the bow.

[seapower]

Don't steam down the creek with your "Marine" pennant flyin'. Smart a s s !!!!!!! Frank

[billschwabe]

Splashed Defiance for a quick spin up the ICW..shake out the webs, Last Thursday,great day low 80's..wind 5-10..giving me that nice chop that hulls love to flatten, thought i'd open it up..crused by Lockwood Folly river full tilt boogie,out of the corner of my eye..BLUE LIGHTS.. glanced back ,and sure enough Coasties in hot persuit..throttle back,came along side and asked if i had any weapons.."nope" "well, were boarding your vessel for a safety check" sure,no problem...standard stuff..LJ,FE,horn,ect....ID -nope, "Why not? well i didn't plan on needing ID for a 20 min. spin. "we need to see some identification..your holding it..my registration.."OH" as he's filling out his tiny blackberry he asks for my S.S.#...why? I didn't do anything wrong and you had no probable cause to stop me,plus everything is in order,so why do you need my SS #? Never did get an answer..he told me to go on my way and have a nice day...S.S.# whats up with that?..we are still in America,right?

Yep, land of the free, got to love it. I haven't seen anything free in a long time, or at least worth having, have you? Have to keep your drivers license, fishing license, boat registration, and a current Visa card on you at all times to survive in todays society.

Robja is right, around here either you have a cute bow ornament, there just wasn't anyone else around or you were going too slow and they caught up with you. Had them pull alongside last year with all intentions to board and inspect but another boat passed by with two or three well endowed babes and they smiled and said "next time" as they pulled away. Ah, youth. I guess I would have wanted to do the same thing if I were in their boots. I was stopped by them on new years morning and I laughed when he pulled out his blackberry. I asked him how long that lasted on the boat and he said "so far, one day". Linked it up with his wireless printer and printed me out a nice clean boarding report. Our tax dollars at work!

I for one am sure glad they're out there protecting our homeland. Knowing they are there and ready (Semper paratus?) if we ever have to call on them to rescue us. Makes me feel safer every time I head out. No wait a minute, that's why I bought a tow membership. Over to you Frank....

[seapower]

Back a few week's ago when I was in, I don't seem to remember anyone complaining about "our" style when it was in the middle of Feburary, midnight, 150 miles off the beach, blowin' NE 60 knot's plus and we showed up when called. That "Semper Paratus" thing, really meant something to us then. Word's I live by to this day! I can't help it, I loved it! Then again, we ALL know how hard it is to keep "Marine" happy. Nag, nag, nag !!!! Frank

[seapower]

There weren't any "tow boat" membership's back then. Most of us commercial guy's never called the Guard, because the following boarding just wouldn't be worth it. We never needed "commercial assistance", we relied on each other. Something the commercial fleet I am familuar with, still does. Frank

[marine4003]

Dont get me wrong, Coasties are doing a great job, but as with most Govt institutions, its the pen pushers i hate,not the man-doin-his-job...Now, with most govt institutions paperwork is paramount,and i doubt those men enjoy pulling boats,cause unlike me?,I'm sure some get testy...

[billschwabe]

I too remember the "old days" Frank, commercial fishing offshore all winter long and chartering all summer. We did and still do rely on each other when things got hairy. It is a shame the Coast Guards primary mission seems to have changed from rescue to law enforcement. Bet they hate it too when they see one of those testy Marines coming!

[clt_capt]

The Coasties have a tough job these days - I had the opportunity to go aboard the Bouy Tender in MHC. Unfortunately instead of tending bouys these days, they wind up spending most of their time dealing with illegals - because they have a large deck area and a crane to hoist those floating bathtubs...

That said, I'm much rather see them on patrol when I'm getting waked at the fuel dock by an idiot in a scarab doing Mach 5 through no wake zones...

[Ace1st]

Hope youre warming her up to get ready for the "HOOK A HOO" RODEO? Captains meeting is the 18th, come join us and spend some of that dough of yours.