We were boarded yesterday afternoon, just off Point No Point on Puget Sound. It was kind of a shock, because they called on channel 16 just seconds after I noticed the Coast Guard cutter astern, as I was wondering why they hadn’t shown up on AIS. I learned the answer a little later.

Anyhoo, they hailed, and after a bit of confusion it became clear they meant ME. Once I confirmed that Two Lucky Fish was outside the traffic lanes, I agreed that they should conduct their visit right where I was.

"Yeah, Tim, like you had any choice in the matter!"

No, I’m serious. They were perfectly polite, and I’ve no doubt that if I’d suggested that I scoot out of the lanes, they would have agreed. I also asked over the VHF if I could take pictures, indicating that I wrote a marine blog, and they said I could.

Three personnel came alongside in their RIB and tied up to our starboard side. First, they asked if I had any weapons aboard, and I was obliged to mention the Spyderco Delica I keep in my pocket. I love the Spyderco knives…but that’s a post for another day.

Then they asked for my ID and vessel registration. Before the trip, I had my vessel registration at home, in order to make a photocopy of it for my fuel tax refund, and I nearly left it there, since I hadn’t made a copy yet. After all, what are the chances anyone would ask to see it, eh? Nobody ever has before, right? OK, so I brought it along anyway…a very good call, in retrospect.

And then they asked how many persons were aboard; my daughters were asleep in the V-berth, so I think they were a little surprised when I said "three". They asked about safety gear, but anybody who reads my blog can probably guess that I had no trouble producing everything they asked to see.

Then they returned my ID, along with my (yellow) copy of the boarding report. A few pleasantries, and did they mind if I took a picture (no), and we were all on our way. In point of fact, they never "boarded" at all; in a little boat like Two Lucky Fish, everything’s pretty much right there where you can see it anyway.

So, a few thoughts:

First: Why no AIS? It turns out that military and Coast Guard vessels don’t always broadcast AIS that we ordinary civilians can see. OK, that makes sense. The lesson: don’t assume that all the large, fast vessels with which you could possibly collide are displayed on your AIS-equipped chart display! Remember, "The prudent mariner will not rely solely on any single aid to navigation."

Second: What kind of vessel was this? A little Googling reveals that "The Sea Lion is an 87-foot marine protector class cutter that entered the fleet in March, 2004." Hey, it’s just about the same age as Two Lucky Fish!

Third: Why me? During our discussion, it turned out they had noticed me the day before, and then earlier on this day, and now here I was again. No surprise…I seemed to be seeing Coast Guard cutters EXACTLY LIKE this one for the entire trip, too, pretty much everywhere I went. I’d see one, then I’d be on my own, then I’d see another one just like it someplace else, and this happened four or five different times in about 24 hours. It was kinda spooky, like.

Turns out it was the Sea Lion each of those other times, and somebody aboard must have shared my feeling that it was a bit odd that Two Lucky Fish just HAPPENED to be everywhere they were!

Unlike shoreside law enforcement, the Coast Guard does not require "probable cause" to stop and inspect your vehicle…they can conduct a random safety inspection any time. If some little boat seems like it’s shadowing one of their assets, there’s no need to wonder what’s going on…just stop ‘em and take a look!

So I’d like to say "thank you" to the men and women of the United States Coast Guard. They’ve got to be prepared for dangers both natural and man-made, yet they remain professional and courteous, treating the citizens under their protection with dignity and decency. I may sound like a hopeless fan boy, but I don’t care. These guys are awesome, and I’m glad they’re around.