followed at night

[robert graham]

Re: followed at night

I was talking with some Fl. Wildlife officers over at Cedar Key who were lanching their black, go-fast, Cigarette-type boat right at dusk when most folks were just coming in for the day, said they would be out all night with their night vision equipment looking for game poachers, clam thieves, crab thieves, boat thieves, etc., said all kinds of mischief going on at night out on the water while the rest of us are home watching TV. That boat following you could have been Wildlife guys, Homeland security, Coast guard, DEA, Nancy Pelosi, who knows. We pretty much stay off the water at night except to anchor in some quiet spot to spend the night. I'm scared out on the water at night!

 

[Sikiguya]

Re: followed at night

ROTFLMFAO!!!! Sorry...when I first read the thread..I was just thinking of that scene. So glad that there are many Princess Bride fan here!

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: followed at night

I wasn't sure if you were thinking that or not.... lol

 

[pine island fred]

Re: followed at night

ROBERT, the case I related concerning being followed by a boat with no lights and using the radio did not happen to me. I was just passing that along, dont know the time frame that it occured.
My experience goes back many years ago. Remember feeling like those Si FI movies where you are on a dark lonesome highway, east of OMAHA ( BOB SEIGER ) and that 18 wheeler is on your tail and wont pass you. Was totally not called for. Remember thinking they were some drunken yahoos joy riding at night. It was dark out there. All I had was a flare gun and I did not want to start shooting the thing around unless I was really provoked.
Like you, I dont go out at night. To dark, to many mangroves, become disorientated real fast. On occasions there are some older utility type boats going out in the middle of the night. They come back in maybe 1/2 hr., Dont know what they are doing, dont care. I wait till the sun comes up. regards FRED

 

[rjlipscomb]

Re: followed at night

Reminds me of Miami years ago, the go fast boats would fly WOT into the inlets and coastal waterways without lights and using muffled exhausts. They knew the water better than most fishermen. My DEA friends said they were extremely difficult to catch because of it.

These days, it could have been inexperienced drug smugglers or "shadow" smugglers. Or, just as likely Law Enforcement. Calling on the radio probably just made them comfortable he wasn't running drugs.

Either way, I'd keep the firearms out of site unless absolutely necessary. The smugglers and LE are way better armed. Displaying a firearm may make you feel better but would likely send you to the bottom looking like swiss cheese.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: followed at night

Whoa - scary chit.

I like my boring inland lakes where any boats running around after dark without lights are harmless drunks...

Although we did have an unfortunate case about 30 years ago where one such drunk decided it might be fun to blast up between two lit boats and give them a good scare.

Problem was they were escorting someone with busted running lights. Idiot ran right over the middle boat and killed a girl.

 

[Campylobacter]

Re: followed at night

where any boats running around after dark without lights are harmless drunks

Uh...

... Idiot ran right over the middle boat and killed a girl.

You were saying? Fourth of july at my boring inland lake is a scary place after dark.

 

[scoutabout]

Re: followed at night

Uh...


You were saying? Fourth of july at my boring inland lake is a scary place after dark.

All typed with tongue firmly in cheek my friend. Ontario cottage country can be an exceedingly dangerous place in the summer. We get a couple of deaths a year due to BUI regular as clockwork. Add the yahoos drinking and sledding in the hard water season and you have a year-round potential for bad stuff.

Pirates, drug runners and covert enforcement activity, though, is thankfully rare.

 

[tkrfxr]

Re: followed at night

Sailor's paranoia.

Fast black-muffled-quiet boat following a sailboat topping 7 knots....Yup. Too many margaritas...

 

[And-Con]

Re: followed at night

PI Freddy, I grew up in Pineland on +/- 40 acres in the mangrove swamps bordering the sound. Yes, there are drug runners at night, when we surveyed that land upon selling the house in Pineland we found many signs of that kind of activity. We have friends who lived on the fish streets and they had the land half going on: blacked out atv's fly through that area at night. I don't know the exacts, but it happens out there, I suspect its like that throughout the state. That being said, whoever is doing the runs would not want to make their presence known to law abiding boaters? PS, I personally suspect you know my father and probably myself, both of us being Andrew Conlyn, and the house I referenced currently belonging to the Wagners, but being a little south of Pineland marina, right across from the little post office, and currently painted like a McDonalds.

 

[DYLBOSS]

Re: followed at night

this actually made me laugh out loud.

DITTO!

 

[And-Con]

Re: followed at night

PI Freddy, I grew up in Pineland on +/- 40 acres in the mangrove swamps bordering the sound. Yes, there are drug runners at night, when we surveyed that land upon selling the house in Pineland we found many signs of that kind of activity. We have friends who lived on the fish streets and they had the land half going on: blacked out atv's fly through that area at night. I don't know the exacts, but it happens out there, I suspect its like that throughout the state. That being said, whoever is doing the runs would not want to make their presence known to law abiding boaters? PS, I personally suspect you know my father and probably myself, both of us being Andrew Conlyn, and the house I referenced currently belonging to the Wagners, but being a little south of Pineland marina, right across from the little post office, and currently painted like a McDonalds.

 

[pine island fred]

Re: followed at night

ANDY, would not surprise me if I knew everyone you mentioned, only make it up past the center to ship out packages on ISLAND GIRL out to N. CAP. Pretty much know every ones first name at FROGGYs where the wife and I are always home till closing time. Any chance that you are the ANDY that put our privacy fence in at FLAMINGO BAY.
Sure there is activity out there but its not my business, these are my neighbors. At times have been approached by a deputy seeking info from a law abiding, noisey, senior citizen like me. To many people out here looking for work, got to make a living somehow. Did I mention I had a privacy fence??? Contrary to some neighbors suspicions, only have ANGEL TRUMPETS growing which are legal in LEE county.
Will get off the subject after I relate That one neighbor was stopped bringing a boat load of trash from N. CAP. Authorities went thru each plastic bag, were looking for oversize or out of season fish, RIGHT! Sorry you had to move off island, not the same in FT. MYERS.
regards FRED ( the designated decoy this month )