I found the boaters in Boca to be the worst, most inconsiderate aholes on the planet! I often put in north of Lake Boca and paddle down to the inlet. The Intracoastal South of the inlet is a nightmare. It's a canal with seawall on both sides and boaters zoom through there at full speed, often passing smaller boats producing huge wakes resulting in a virtual Maytag on a busy day. The only socially redeeming qualities are the topless "trophy wives" displayed on the foredecks. cya -----Original Message----- From: owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net [mailto:owner-paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net]On Behalf Of Fred T, CA Kayaker Sent: Thursday, June 29, 2000 12:43 AM To: Paddlewise Subject: [Paddlewise] Defensive Paddling - Avoiding Weekend Boaters * Suggestions? A couple of years ago I paddled out of the Inter Coastal through the Boca Inlet. A 25 foot plus center console fishing boat sat on the south side of the inlet dead in the water. Just after I passed on his port side the guy starts his engine and at an idle slipped his craft into gear. There wasn't time for me to get out of the way and I was pinned to the bow of the boat. As I braced against the bow I yelled, but he didn't hear me so I reached down and slapped the side of the boast with the paddle. He came running forward to see what he hit and discovered me. Lucky, you bet. I was fortunate that he didn't slip it into gear and hit the throttle! Next time I would pass on the shallow side in any case to ensure that I wasn't going to be in the most logical path of the larger vessel. All of my paddling in Southern California has been limited to trips up and down the coast either from local harbors or surf launches. I agree with those that basically stated a collision is best avoided by making sure that you are seen. Even when seen I have had some distressing close encounters with pleasure boaters and a couple of local commercial fisherman servicing their traps. High speed passes with their captains waving to you as you brace against their wake combined with the swells creating a confused sea and paddler. The commercial fisherman appeared to take great pleasure in seeing what they could churn up and we could handle. In a couple of instances the VHF has proven valuable by being able to hail the boat by it's name and asking politely for them to please watch their wake as it presents a danger to a much smaller craft. Not all of the pleasure boaters have or monitor VHF, but the ones that did have significantly altered their actions. In a few other incidents a couple of short blasts on a canned air horn did the trick and the boater gave us a wide(r) berth. From what I have read from far more experienced people than I it seems that large ocean going vessels, though presenting an inherent danger, are easier to avoid due to their size and predictable movement. I have a greater fear and respect of folks out for the weekend drinking and enjoying the good life with little experience as boaters or possibly little to no respect for those they share the water with. Better to be seen and safe and avoid close and ugly encounters with larger water craft! (Jet Ski's Included!!!!!!) Any other suggestions? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ *************************************************************************** *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Isn't that what flares are for? >> How about carrying grenades or limpet mines and sinking the SOBs? "Fred T, CA Kayaker" wrote: *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Somebody seems to have come up with a solution. Maybe it can be scaled down to kayak-mountable size: http://www.west.net/~lpm/hobie/archives/v1-i2/humor.shtml ----------------------- Pete Cresswell *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Tim this short poem may not help get rid of the Jet Skis but saying it may make you feel better. It was written by a well known Australian Cartoonist Micheal Leunig Cheers David Ode to a Jet-Ski person Jet-ski person, selfish fink. May your silly jet-ski sink. May you hit a pile of rocks, Oh hoonish summer coastal pox Noisy smoking dickhead fool, On your loathsome leisure tool, Give us all a jolly lark And sink beside a hungry shark Scream as in it's fangs you go Your last attention-seeking show While on the beach we all join in With "three cheers for the dorsal fin" Michael Leunig *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - All postings copyright the author and not to be reproduced outside PaddleWise without author's permission Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.4.0 : Thu Aug 21 2025 - 16:33:15 PDT