# Near misses! Involving boats....



## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

Seeing as the warmer months are coming to a close....bummer I know......but the cooler months bring in just as many fish. How many kayakers have had NEAR MISSES on the water this year with power boaters? It seems to me that more and more people are getting into the sport without being to knowledgeable in what to do when a "near miss" happens. A bud of mine had a "near miss" last weekend on the Norfolk side of the HRBT with a boater. The boater intentionally shot over to where he was fishing, then motored down at the last second, and scared the living...well you know... out of him. He is NOT a new paddler. He has been doing this for a number of years. Ever gone out to Owls Creek, Lynnhaven, HRBT, CBBT, or any other favorite place to fish and had an ignorant a$$hole come by to close for comfort, just to speed off? Seeing as though this thread can help educate those whom haven't experienced these incidents, I thought it would be helpful to them. Do your part and put down what you like so that others can benefit from your experiences. 

Thanks! Safe paddling!


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

I had a couple this year. A couple of drunks on a 22' Scout at 1/4 throttle was the scariest. They were bow up at about 20 degrees and had no freakin clue what was in their path. Others involved kids on PWCs


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

I've had a few, since I fish the bay...lots of traffic out there! Thanks for your input "Too Busy"! Also alot of boaters at night have toal dis-regard as to what else or who else is on the water. Mind you, alot doesn't mean all.


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## RAYTOGS (May 8, 2010)

I HAD A REAL CLOSE ONE LAST YEAR THAT SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA ME. 3 GUYS IN A CENTER CONSOLE CAME WITHIN 10 FOOT OF ME AT FORT MONROE. I KNEW THEY COULD SEE MY VISIPOLE AND MY WHITE PADDLE BLADES.I WOULD HAVE SLUNG TREBBLES AT'EM IFIN I HAD SOME. I HOPE THERE WONT BE A NEXT TIME, BUT IF SO I'LL BE READY


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## fishnuttz (Jun 27, 2008)

Out in front of the Salt ponds about 2 miles out. I was anchored & chumming and had a 45-50 ftr come with in about 50' of me at 30 mph . I'll tell you 50' felt like 5' that big running that fast the guy just waived and kept going.. I have a yellow drifter and was waving my arms He seen me way off but was just being an A$$..


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## RAYTOGS (May 8, 2010)

It seems to me they would give us a break knowing we fish fairly close to the shore, and knowing we have a little knowledge on whats biting and where . You'de think we all could just get along......guess not.

I have only had one positive encounter and that was wit a center console and the board name was catman 32. If your out there thanks for watching out for us


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## CIRCLEHOOK76 (Dec 1, 2007)

I was right off the end of the N. Jetty in Murrell's Inlet jigging up bait to king fish.....50ft sport fisher came barreling in at a sharp angle towards the marker buoy, once on top of the buoy he kills throttle sending a double up wake straight at me nearly throwing me and my yak into the rocks.....no need for a boat that size to be going that fast that close to the rocks.....not sure if he saw me last minute and killed throttle or if he was just that reckless


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

My biggest problems are jet skiers. 
Maybe it is the areas I frequent, and there are more skis here or something, but I get buzzed almost every time out by some hot dog on a jet ski.
Not as dangerous as getting swamped by a fifty footers wake, but annoying as hell.
I am in a bright yellow yak with yellow paddles, so a lack of visibility is not to blame. They just seem to like to come over and cruise by closer than needs to be with the vast amount of water available.
There was one guy, and his 7-8 yr old daughter. I am fishing a rip-rap shoreline, maybe a cast and a half away from the rocks, just drifting along minding my own business, when pops decides to cut the corner to the cove mouth.
He is full throttle in a straight line to me from about a quarter mile away. When he got closer I put my rod down and flashed my paddle blades at him. He kept coming.
At about 25 yards he reacted, and swing the ski hard to starboard, so close to me that I got wet from his wake. Pops evidently did not know how to ride well because the ski went right, but his daughter and he went left.The daughter came up sputtering and spitting about 10 feet from me, at least she wore her PFD.
I paddled over to her, and pulled her over the side of the yak like a 40 lb Striper, and got her calmed down somewhat while pops gathered up his ski and motored calmly over and retrieved his little girl, and sped off without so much as a how yer doing.
The next thing you know, about 5 minutes later, here he comes again.
This time at a much more sedate pace. He came over to me, shut down his machine and apologized to me, and thanked me for helping out his kid.
At least one powered boat operator learned his lesson.


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## GreenFord (Apr 11, 2009)

Jet skiers are most of the issues I have had at Oak Island. It seam about 70% wanna show everyone how cool they are and fly around in the narrows at the end of the island. I have gotten so made before it was a good thing I didn't have a weapon with me!


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## Carolina Rebel (Aug 25, 2005)

Had a few run-ins with jet skiers, usually kids that don't know any better. Have some drunkards in different sizes of boats that will come too close just because they can. Scariest I've had was fishing at night here, I had a small lantern mounted on half a surf rod in one of the vertical holders on the back of the yak, works nicely as a work light and a safety light, but had one boat cruising straight at me, not paying attention, about 1AM earlier this year. I keep a spotlight on the yak too and I blinked it at him once at about 70 yards, again at 50 yards, he kept coming right at me--probably reading a map or something. Finally at 25 yards just as I'm about to raise hell I hear his passenger, "hey man I think there's something right there", they bank hard, look at me like I'm crazy, and go on to the ramp. 
I had some bad experiences with big sportfishers when I went out a couple times at the jetty at Masonboro, I think they like to see what kind of damage they can do just because they can.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

dena said:


> My biggest problems are jet skiers.
> Maybe it is the areas I frequent, and there are more skis here or something, but I get buzzed almost every time out by some hot dog on a jet ski.
> Not as dangerous as getting swamped by a fifty footers wake, but annoying as hell.
> I am in a bright yellow yak with yellow paddles, so a lack of visibility is not to blame. They just seem to like to come over and cruise by closer than needs to be with the vast amount of water available.
> ...


So did he explain what happened ? did he say he didn't see you or what/ Just curious!


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

Don't wait for someone else to take evasive action, do it yourself. I know you all have traffic up there but so does Hatteras Inlet, if I see a boat coming at me, I am uncliping my anchor and getting out of its way. I play Dodge the Sound Class Ferry all day long, along with the Fleet of 55 plus footers, I do not expect them to back down for me. I had one instance where 15 or 20, 55 plus Sport fishers coming back from a tourney all at once, it was chest high white water rapids for several minutes. 

Don't expect anyone to do anything but you... Save yourself and take your self out of harms way. Most boaters down here are quite nice, and do steer clear or come up on me nice... I know its a different world up there, lived there 11 years, but protect yourself..

JAM


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## NaClH20 (Sep 27, 2010)

A couple weeks ago my wife and I were out and had a close call with a small tiller boat. We were stopped fishing the mouth of a creek and he was cruising around with his 3 kids/ grandkids. The small boat being a tiller had all the weight in the back and the bow was raised as he was cruising around and there was no way he could see what was in front of him. He probably got within 50 feet of us before turning away. Really gave us our first scare! 

I saw him again later in the day and he apologized and admitted that he did not see us. Probably a good lesson for BOTH of us to keep our heads up


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

bbcroaker said:


> So did he explain what happened ? did he say he didn't see you or what/ Just curious!


Nope, nothing. The guy just apologized for coming so close, and thanked me for helping out his daughter.
I didn't ask him any questions either because I just wanted him to leave.
Anything I would have said would have been a smartass response, and would have just escalated an ugly situation.
The guy did mention, now that I think of it, that he was test driving the ski, and thinking of buying it.


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## bbcroaker (Jan 6, 2005)

That was probably the thing to do!


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## Cdog (Mar 18, 2002)

RAYTOGS said:


> It seems to me they would give us a break knowing we fish fairly close to the shore, and knowing we have a little knowledge on whats biting and where . You'de think we all could just get along......guess not.
> 
> I have only had one positive encounter and that was wit a center console and the board name was catman 32. If your out there thanks for watching out for us


 Eric is good people, we usally keep an eye out for you guys, partially to see what yall are catching and partially because of all the idiots,some boaters really have no idea and I hate to see how they drive on the road....


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## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

Cdog said:


> Eric is good people, we usally keep an eye out for you guys, partially to see what yall are catching and partially because of all the idiots,some boaters really have no idea and I hate to see how they drive on the road....


Funny - I was wondering how many responsible boaters have the same problem we do - near misses with some of these "winners" out there with toys they don't have sense enough to handle


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

How about Charter Boats? They have the "right of way" all the time. Ever been down to Lynnhaven or been out on the bay and had'em come right at you knowing damn well....you'll move? I went out on a charter with my Dad, for a Fathers Day outing, and was informed by the captain that most charters refer to kayakers as "speedbumps"! I told him I was a yaker and if he saw me on the water....well....ya'll probably know what i said. Can't repeat it on here. I mean we, kayaks, are able to cut around corners easier...but it takes some time to get out of the way. For all boaters that may read this thread, this doesn't apply to all...just a few. You know the saying, "A few bad apples ruins the bunch.".

Thanks for all of the replies on this thread! Keep it safe on the water!


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

I have noticed in some of the replies that the boaters/jet skiers have said "sorry" for not paying more attention to what they were doing on the water. Now gather your thoughts for a second.....what happens when someone dies? Hmm....will "sorry" do? Will the apology suffice? When someone is not paying attention and behind the wheel of a car/truck or anything else on the road and they have a "near miss", aren't they all "sorry"? What happens when someone dies? Are they MORE SORRY for not paying attention? If you can't move out of the way in time or just don't see the boater/jet skier and you get hit or worse off killed, will "sorry" account for anything? Just be safe and look out for yourself! As we truckers say, "C Y A!"....cover your ass cuz no-one else will. Have fun out there and be safe!!!!


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## RAYTOGS (May 8, 2010)

What would you suggest we do , chunk lead atcha


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

RAYTOGS said:


> What would you suggest we do , chunk lead atcha


Use your best judgement, kimo sabi!!!


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

Today there will be plenty of kayaks on the water with the TKAA Fishing Tournament. Hope no-one has any "near misses"! Good luck to all!


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

I had another incident, but this one didn't involve boats, or anything else on the water.
I was fishing this cove by a bridge for Perch.
The road goes along the shore of the cove for a half mile or so, but the road is 20-30 feet higher than the shore.
There was a group of young gentlemen, about 8 or so deep.These upstanding citizens were walking along the shoulder of the road, facing traffic, as they should.
They hollered and waved, asked if I was catching, what a nice sister I have, and something about my mother. No problem, right?. I gave no response, and kept fishing, acting like I didn't hear them. Not the reaction they were looking for.
They, using their superior intelligence, decided it would be cool to hurl rocks in my general direction. Fist size rocks raining down all around me.
What to do?
All kinds of thoughts ran through my head, from running up the hill with my paddle, to calling the cops.
I did neither, I just sat there fishing. My thoughts were that if I got the phone out, called the cops, by the time donut break was over, the kids would be long gone. By the time my old ass huffed and puffed up the hill, I would be in no shape to do anything but roll back down the hill battered and bruised. I relied on their candy, video game playing arms being weak and inaccurate, and continued to drift just out of range. After a few minutes they grew bored and moved on down the road. 
You never know what you will run into out there.


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## baydaze (Mar 20, 2010)

dena said:


> What to do?
> All kinds of thoughts ran through my head, from running up the hill with my paddle, to calling the cops.


At the very least a call to the cops would have been in order. They might have actually been near and done something about these idiots. Next option would be to go back and fire off a few 9mm rounds and see how funny they think it is then. With better aim or a stronger arm, they could have caused a real issue if, let's say, you'd been hit in the head by a rock. That's assault in my book and any way to defend yourself goes when idiots are involved.


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## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

Completely unrelated and off topic, but while we're talking about idiots...

A bunch of us were preparing our kayaks for launching at HRBT last night and a truck comes into the parking lot and starts doing donuts. Well, I like hot rods and all but besides the element of danger if things got out of control, he was throwing loose gravel around and could easily have hit a windshield or dinged the paint of some of the rides out there that it would matter or be noticeable (my truck is excluded from that list!).

Well, we all just sort of stood there and watched thinking to ourselves "what an idiot" when the truck pulled out of the last donut and exited the parking lot. From the back of the lot came a car none of us (including Evil Knievil) knew was there. It was a patrol car    He followed the truck out while we clapped for him and I'm sure EK was pulled over promptly. 

Sorry about the thread jack but it was dang funny


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## Lars A (Nov 3, 2009)

That's funny you mention that, because I've been there in months past loading up and a truck pulled in, did donuts and pulled out. We thought the same thing about him.


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## YakAttack (Aug 8, 2006)

Was it red? If so, I bet he won't be doing that anymore


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## redfish12 (Aug 7, 2010)

That was definitely funny! I thought the guy was gonna loose control into the guard rail, but the cop chasing him was definitely better.


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## Lars A (Nov 3, 2009)

LOL, I think it was red. Full size.


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## dena (Jun 20, 2010)

baydaze said:


> At the very least a call to the cops would have been in order. They might have actually been near and done something about these idiots. Next option would be to go back and fire off a few 9mm rounds and see how funny they think it is then. With better aim or a stronger arm, they could have caused a real issue if, let's say, you'd been hit in the head by a rock. That's assault in my book and any way to defend yourself goes when idiots are involved.


I thought about the cops, but I have come not to expect much with the cops around here. Besides, I couldn't ID any one of the idiots well enough to file a report.
You are right, if one of those rocks would have conked me in the melon, I would have been a goner. I don't carry when I kayak. If kayaking has to resort to gun play, I need to find a new sport. Life is too short, and I'm not trying to make anyone's, or mine any shorter.


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## wannabeangler (Feb 7, 2009)

YakAttack said:


> Completely unrelated and off topic, but while we're talking about idiots...
> 
> A bunch of us were preparing our kayaks for launching at HRBT last night and a truck comes into the parking lot and starts doing donuts. Well, I like hot rods and all but besides the element of danger if things got out of control, he was throwing loose gravel around and could easily have hit a windshield or dinged the paint of some of the rides out there that it would matter or be noticeable (my truck is excluded from that list!).
> 
> ...


Touche' Luther...touche'!


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