I enjoy reading TRUE boating related news stories as much as the next person. I wonder if it would be okay to start a thread pertaining to TRUE boating incidences that we've been personally involved in. Especially if the story made the press. Keep it short so we don't use too much space, those "long winded" stories just get passed over anyhow. This isn't about a sight-seeing or fishing trip - this is about news worthy incidences. Remember: Keep it short, know it to be TRUE, first person stories only - not something you heard about!
I'll start with something that happen to me several years ago on a weekend trip back from Catalina Island to Dana Point Harbor, CA. The water was smooth with gentle swells so we (my wife and I) were moving along at a good clip. I noticed something ahead in the water, which I figured was a patch of kelp. I try to avoid kelp when I can so I altered course a little so as to pass close on my starboard beam. As we went by I saw that it was one of those wind breaker jackets. I was going to just leave it, but for some reason I brought it to my wife's attention and she said, "Turn back - Let's get it". So I turned around, went back, and we hauled it on board with the boat hook. In one of the pockets we found a laundry claim ticket made out to a Steve Xxxxxx (not going to mention the last name) with telephone number. Well, for the last week we've been hearing on T.V. how this person has been missing at sea! We were close to the harbor entrance now, so we tied up at the Harbor Patrol dock and turned it in to them. We answered a bunch of questions about our course and location at the time. The exact time we picked it up, etc. then we were excused. We lived in the marina then, so we went to our dock. We had one other investigator come to our boat, but nothing else. It kind of faded away. I never did find out if this Steve person was ever found. I will always remember the hair on the back of my neck going up when I read that laundry ticket!
I have another about finding burnt pieces of a boat out there, but I'll wait to see if Les wants us to keep this going or not? I'm new here, so I don't know if someone tried to start something like this before. If it's okay, let's hear some others...
I'll start with something that happen to me several years ago on a weekend trip back from Catalina Island to Dana Point Harbor, CA. The water was smooth with gentle swells so we (my wife and I) were moving along at a good clip. I noticed something ahead in the water, which I figured was a patch of kelp. I try to avoid kelp when I can so I altered course a little so as to pass close on my starboard beam. As we went by I saw that it was one of those wind breaker jackets. I was going to just leave it, but for some reason I brought it to my wife's attention and she said, "Turn back - Let's get it". So I turned around, went back, and we hauled it on board with the boat hook. In one of the pockets we found a laundry claim ticket made out to a Steve Xxxxxx (not going to mention the last name) with telephone number. Well, for the last week we've been hearing on T.V. how this person has been missing at sea! We were close to the harbor entrance now, so we tied up at the Harbor Patrol dock and turned it in to them. We answered a bunch of questions about our course and location at the time. The exact time we picked it up, etc. then we were excused. We lived in the marina then, so we went to our dock. We had one other investigator come to our boat, but nothing else. It kind of faded away. I never did find out if this Steve person was ever found. I will always remember the hair on the back of my neck going up when I read that laundry ticket!
I have another about finding burnt pieces of a boat out there, but I'll wait to see if Les wants us to keep this going or not? I'm new here, so I don't know if someone tried to start something like this before. If it's okay, let's hear some others...