The Sheriff Got Me

So I'm heading south to Solomon's on the Chesapeake at a raging 9kts. Ahead of me are two sailboats both under power with sails up as well. Also ahead of me is a white buoy that marks the boundary of a "Security Zone." There is deep water on either side of the buoy.

In order to slow pass the sailboats and not throw a wake, I slow down to about 6 kts and cut inside the buoy by about 5 feet. Suddenly a sheriff's department rib comes flying after me with lights and siren blazing. The gunwale of the RIB was lined with 5 machine gun armed LEOs. They tell me I violated a security zone and demand a driver's license or other ID. I provide the license and they tell me they are taking a picture of it and forwarding it to the CG and that I might receive a fine from the CG. They never asked if I had a weapon on board despite the fact that I had to leave the bridge and go inside the boat to retrieve my license. If I were bent on destruction I could have come back out of the cabin with a rocket launcher. I guess they just had nothing to do except hassle a law abiding recreational boater.

I asked them how far I was into the security zone and they replied that I just cut the edge of it by a few feet. Oh, well.

Strange. Why didn't they write you the ticket?

Can't see why they would pass it to the CG who did not witness it?

menzies said:

Strange. Why didn't they write you the ticket?

Can't see why they would pass it to the CG who did not witness it?

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Exactly my thoughts.

Shoulda seen how itchy they were right after 9/11.

Man It was either gun it to win the ramp position (when you gotta trailer 40 miles it counts) or risk getting shot. Port Canaveral was a true "T Bone the rib with weapons drawn" in your face kind of town for a while.

I learned very fast that the radar was a no no when coming in at speed.

menzies said:

Strange. Why didn't they write you the ticket?

Can't see why they would pass it to the CG who did not witness it?

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Probably because they didn't really figure it was an issue worth a ticket so passed it off. The CG won't figure it is worth pursuing if the the local LEOs didn't.

Per chance was your intrusion into the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear power plant security zone? If so, I'm glad they take that security zone seriously.

Ted

what_barnacles said:

Shoulda seen how itchy they were right after 9/11.

Man It was either gun it to win the ramp position (when you gotta trailer 40 miles it counts) or risk getting shot. Port Canaveral was a true "T Bone the rib with weapons drawn" in your face kind of town for a while.

I learned very fast that the radar was a no no when coming in at speed.

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They masked all the street signs on military bases and ringed all high value targets with concrete barriers. So, if we were terrorists, look for the barriers as a sign of value... They even closed down highway A1A across from Patrick AFB for many months causing some businesses to go out of business due to lack of traffic.

At least the building they thought was so important to close A1A down has been demolished...

Hah, youse guys and your amateur examples.

Try entering back into the States after going to the Bahamas in the years after 9/11.

What an absolute cluster****.

I was in traffic court one time, waiting my turn. A guy is in front of the judge, arguing his case. He got a ticket for going 75 in a 60. "Judge," says he, "I wasn't going 75." "How fast were you going," asks judge. "No more than 62 or 63," says he. "Guilty," says the judge, "pay the fine."

If you want sympathy, don't admit to being a little bit guilty.

Whenever I get pulled over, I just think of all the times when I should have been, but wasn't. I'm way ahead, as are we all.

Classic over reaction.
I'm sorry to hear about your encounter.
Certainly sounds as though their tactic blew chunks.


While a security zone is a security zone, and they're there for a reason, even if it were the nuke plant, every incursion should be judged on it's own merit. This one doesn't sound like a lot to get one's bowels in an uproar over.


If they send it the CG, my guess is 99.9% chance they're not going to do anything with it. They have bigger fish to fry. It's stupidity like this that keeps the agencies from wanting to work with the "locals."


OD

Sounds like a scare tactic by the LEOs.

I just can't believe they let a flagrant violator of the law free to roam the waterways among us. I'm just glad I boat so far away from the perp as a left-coaster.

Frequently off Port Chicago (on the south shore of shallow Suisun Bay, CA) the authorities patrol the shipping lane, requiring recreational boaters to detour north into shallower waters. One can request an escort to stay in the main channel, but I've always made the detour (just yards north of the yellow floats). FlyWright requests the escort, but then he is highly experienced in requesting official permissions.

menzies said:

Hah, youse guys and your amateur examples.

Try entering back into the States after going to the Bahamas in the years after 9/11.

What an absolute cluster****.

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Hmm, I was gunna comment about not missing that aspect of American society, but then I remind myself that I live in the Middle East. These guys invented the word "paranoia!"

Whenever the Emir is scheduled to fly overhead with his helicopter, the Coast Guard kicks us off the water (sending us back to dock) or sits next to us for a half hour until the big excitement is over.

Yep, big brother lives everywhere!

Unbelievable

hmason said:

So I'm heading south to Solomon's on the Chesapeake at a raging 9kts. Ahead of me are two sailboats both under power with sails up as well. Also ahead of me is a white buoy that marks the boundary of a "Security Zone." There is deep water on either side of the buoy.

In order to slow pass the sailboats and not throw a wake, I slow down to about 6 kts and cut inside the buoy by about 5 feet. Suddenly a sheriff's department rib comes flying after me with lights and siren blazing. The gunwale of the RIB was lined with 5 machine gun armed LEOs. They tell me I violated a security zone and demand a driver's license or other ID. I provide the license and they tell me they are taking a picture of it and forwarding it to the CG and that I might receive a fine from the CG. They never asked if I had a weapon on board despite the fact that I had to leave the bridge and go inside the boat to retrieve my license. If I were bent on destruction I could have come back out of the cabin with a rocket launcher. I guess they just had nothing to do except hassle a law abiding recreational boater.

I asked them how far I was into the security zone and they replied that I just cut the edge of it by a few feet. Oh, well.

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Unbelievable ! They spent time and gas for that ???
That is money wasted for nothing !

I assume you got nabbed at the Dominion LNG dock. I have made that mistake twice. The first time the CG came out of nowhere and just came along side and we talked. The next time the security on the dock hailed us on the radio. I finally put waypoints on my charts so I didn't miss them again. They are very hard to see and judging 500 yard on the dock is tuff. I have run the shore side just for grins. The admiral doesn't like it.


You cant miss the Calvert Cliffs Nuke plant markers just north of the LNG pier. They are much closer to the plants intake and way out of the channel.

Do you have any idea how boring it is sitting in a small boat all day with no TV , and no donuts?

Get copies of the picture , it would make a great Xmass card photo,

I think the OP is referring to the Dominion LNG dock. I passed it northbound last year and will again next week. If I remember correctly the security zone is well marked on the charts.
I wouldn't blame the LEO's for doing their job. If you let one get away with it then ....

That being said I doubt the LEO's will go to the trouble of sending your name to the CG and more importantly:
THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP.

timjet said:

I think the OP is referring to the Dominion LNG dock. I passed it northbound last year and will again next week. If I remember correctly the security zone is well marked on the charts.
I wouldn't blame the LEO's for doing their job. If you let one get away with it then ....

That being said I doubt the LEO's will go to the trouble of sending your name to the CG and more importantly:
THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP.

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Capt. Tim, if you get caught behind on of those LNG ships going to the Dominion dock, it will be moving about 2 knots with security boats all around it. Absolutely no passing. Next time I will just tie up and wait until the show is over.

Yes, it was the LNG dock. I thought I could fill my tanks. When I realized I use diesel I backed off, but too late.

Moonstruck is right.
I've escorted these things, and it's one of the most boring bit's of boating you'll likely ever do.

A buddy of mine and our families were out one evening in the channel off Harbour Island, and saw a shadow in the distance. Of course the curiosity got the best of him, and he started heading toward it. I just let it go...

A short time later, the blue lights came on and the CG Safeboat "informed the approaching vessel" of the security zone:lol:. They were very polite and professional, and never left their position.

FF said:

Do you have any idea how boring it is sitting in a small boat all day with no TV , and no donuts?
Get copies of the picture , it would make a great Xmass card photo,

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No donuts!! Blasphemous!!! Unheard of!!!
Gotta have the "POWER RINGS":lol:

timjet said:

I think the OP is referring to the Dominion LNG dock. I passed it northbound last year and will again next week. If I remember correctly the security zone is well marked on the charts.
I wouldn't blame the LEO's for doing their job. If you let one get away with it then ....
That being said I doubt the LEO's will go to the trouble of sending your name to the CG and more importantly:
THANKS FOR THE HEADS UP.

Click to expand...

Unless the really want to look like idiots, no they wont LOL.
Loading up the CG with useless trivia like that is a waste of time and resources. Now, if you were in say a fast boat (or at least something quicker thank most trawlers), and deliberately breached the security zone for more than a quick pass to get past a couple of sailboats, and I'm sure if they were paying attention they should have seen that, then I'd see a shot at sending the info over assuming you might be testing the security responses.

Then again, as the LEO on scene, if I really thought you were up to something, by the time I cut you loose you could probably cancel your next colonoscopy:lol::lol:

Sounds like they were bored.

OD

About 8 years ago I was coming in to Grand Isle, LA from day trip for tuna and wahoo and happen to cut a corner of the security zone on the LOOP (Louisiana offshore oil port....only US port for offloading the big boy tankers and a significant percentage of US imports) at dusk. I was running about 40 kn in my 29ft SeaVee with 4 young boys aboard when one of them points out a large boat running us down from the port stern quarter. This 'boat' was about 110 ft and had a gunner on the foredeck manning a .50 cal mounted BMG. I cut the throttles and turned up the vhf in time to hear the warning that I was in a security zone....rhut rho Relroy! They were pleasant about it and escorted us a couple of miles East to clear the prohibited area. This was very entertaining to my son and his friends and they still give me crap about it now and then. The silhouette of that deck gun and the fact that that vessel was capable of that speed was impressive.

Every time I boat on Lake Tahoe I am boarded by the GC. Kids with guns, why does a CG RIB on Tahoe need a 30 caliber machine gun?

My boat is a newer non descript run about with 4 senior non drinking adults aboard.

BigJim said:

Every time I boat on Lake Tahoe I am boarded by the GC. Kids with guns, why does a CG RIB on Tahoe need a 30 caliber machine gun?

My boat is a newer non descript run about with 4 senior non drinking adults aboard.

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That's a dumb question. It's because Lake Tahoe is a direct route to Colombia.

hmason said:

That's a dumb question. It's because Lake Tahoe is a direct route to Colombia.

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Medical marijuana moving from California to Nevada?

BigJim said:

Every time I boat on Lake Tahoe I am boarded by the GC. Kids with guns, why does a CG RIB on Tahoe need a 30 caliber machine gun?

My boat is a newer non descript run about with 4 senior non drinking adults aboard.

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I (likely mistakenly) thought that the Coast Guard's ability to search without a warrant came from the (implied) customs exception to the 4th amendment, and the the exception only applied on waterways that could potentially be used for international travel. Since Lake Tahoe and its inlets/outlets are all internal to the US, where do they get their authority to search absent a warrant?

vp1 said:

I (likely mistakenly) thought that the Coast Guard's ability to search without a warrant came from the (implied) customs exception to the 4th amendment, and the the exception only applied on waterways that could potentially be used for international travel. Since Lake Tahoe and its inlets/outlets are all internal to the US, where do they get their authority to search absent a warrant?

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any navigable waterway...

https://www.uscg.mil/legal/CGHO/cghoart/INFORMATION/HOA1ART1.htm

http://navwaters.com/2012/11/12/the...rding-power-of-the-united-states-coast-guard/


HTH

OD

They're comin' for ya!

We were running north of Fernandina a few years ago and a swarm of CG vessels appeared and one with the mounted M16 approached and asked us to move to the side. He then stood by us as a big boomer appeared from the King's Bay Sub Base. Now that's a sight - and not a time to be messing with the CG.

Flying into JAX earlier this year I saw this out the window just off the St Mary's inlet.

hmason said:

Yes, it was the LNG dock. I thought I could fill my tanks. When I realized I use diesel I backed off, but too late.

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For many of us around this area, avoiding the gas dock is second nature.

In addition to their periodic security zone announcement on Ch 16, the security detail usually hails 4-5 times before sending out a boat. Otherwise, maybe that boat just happened to be already out there, patrolling near where you were...

-Chris