Coolest/scariest flotsam

[simmo]

In the eighties I was sailing on Darwin Harbour with a few mates when we spotted a new looking plastic esky (cooler box, chilly bin ) bobbing up and down in the water. After a couple of desperate tacks and jibes we managed to get along side it and two of us got it on board. Inside. Half a dozen fresh fish on ice.
BUT NO BLOODY BEER!

[forsailbyowner]

I came across a turtled mid 20s powerboat in the Fl straits by the tortugas. Was talking to a. commercial fisherman who found a dead elephant floating in the gulfstream south of KW. .

[SkiprJohn]

Was that after the election?

[s/v Beth]

I found a guy out in the great salt lake with the wind taking him out. Nearest land leeward 12 plus miles. He didn't speak either. Didn't even say thank you. Just got off at the dock went to his car and drove off.
Being that close to death must have been hard on his psyche.

[Capt Phil]

+1, SkiprJohn!... Don't know why I thought of this but it is reputed to be a true story that was circulating around the bar in Maple Bay, Vancouver Island back in the 70's.
Story goes according to the bartender who knew the old gent who used to come across from where he lived on on of the smaller Gulf Islands for a pint and fish on the way over. He was trolling along one morning across to Maple Bay when he spotted an orange buoy floating in mid-channel. He figured 'what the heck, I might as well pick it up'.
Turned out it was a three year old girl who had fallen overboard off a pleasure boat out of Bellingham, Washington unbenounced to anyone aboard. She was fine, wide awake and crying a bit but not at all frightened. He pulled her aboard his little tinny and took her back to his cabin to warm her up, get her dry clothes and called the RCMP who had already received a call from the frantic parents aboard the cabin cruiser. They sent a seaplane to pick her up and all was well.
I've thought about that tale many times when I see kids aboard without life jackets even under the watchful eyes of their parents. Phil

[HopCar]

I have seen several empty rafts drifting north in the Gulfstream off Miami. These had once held Cubans trying to escape Mr. Castro's paradise. These rafts ranged from slabs of styrofoam to one very large catamaran made of metal drums welded together to make the hulls. On the platform was a large truck engine complete with a manual shift transmission and a big 8D battery to start it. I know the people on that one were saved as I had seen a picture of it in the newespaper the day before. The story said that the Coast Guard had picked them up down near Key West. I don't know why the Coasties didn't sink it. It sure looked like a hazard to me.

[LewDel]

Sailing through dozens of sheets of 3/4 inch plywood off Jacksonville, Florida.

Lew

[Ram]

About 35-40 years ago working on a new building on the beach, _ Jupiter Fl- I would go down and take a dip in the morning each day before starting work- this particular morning I went down and came out and noticed that the sea weed looked a little different than normal, and about a second later I realized it was Marijuana & a lot of it.So I scooped up as much as I could carry and quickly brought it to my truck decideing to take the rest of the day off-and as I was leaving the police was pulling in, I got out of there just in time with my stash for the next few years- This sort of thing happened once in a while back in the late 60s & 70s in this area- - I no longer smoke pot or even drink, I had my fill in my youth

[casual]

3 events 1.Light Green water patch about an 1/8 mile in circumfrence in the middle of the Gulf Stream on a Flat Calm July day.As I,went thru under power all engine gages quit working compass started swinging and vhf quit when leaving the patch all returned to normal.No I,was not drinking and don't do dope.Any answers will be appreiated .This hapened 30 years ago and after many inquires still no explanation.2.Container just below the surface off Memory Rock Bahamas missed it by a coulple of feet just luck as I,never saw it till it was along side.3.Crossing the Little Bahama bank a plane flew over turned and flew over again at a low altitude the sky started raining 2 ft square objects I,had to dodge one heading straight at the boat.Off in the distance I,spotted 2 power boat's heading toward me Took off as fast as I,could away from the drop zone never looked back.

[mikereed100]

Originally Posted by s/v Beth

I found a guy out in the great salt lake with the wind taking him out. Nearest land leeward 12 plus miles. He didn't speak either. Didn't even say thank you. Just got off at the dock went to his car and drove off.
Being that close to death must have been hard on his psyche.

Similar incident during the wooden boat race in Santa Barbara in the early '80's. The wind and seas kicked up, our garboard opened up and we started taking on more water than the pumps could keep up with. We were heading for the kelp beds with one crew on the whale gusher, one on a 5 gallon bucket and the most experienced seaman aboard desperately trying to keep the joint lit in difficult conditions when we came across a windsurfer who had lost his rig and was drifting out to sea. We took him on board, offered him a bucket and the joint, both of which he declined, and he just curled into the fetal position until we got back to the dock when he jumped off the boat and ran off without his board. Never said a word the whole time.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by LewDel

Sailing through dozens of sheets of 3/4 inch plywood off Jacksonville, Florida.

Lew

In 2000 we sailed through a spot in which we saw 1 foot square pieces of white plastic every 100 yards or so. I though someone was throwing them off a boat just over the horizon.

[motion30]

Was takinh a late fall cruise on the Delaware river one year Just under the Delaware memorial bridge was a lady floating belly up , her car was still running on the bridge .

[daddle]

Roadtown: The complete gut of a cow fouling the dink in the morning. Some places might see that as a gift for breakfast. Not me.

[Kettlewell]

Was anchored up Spa Creek in Annapolis once during the boatshow when a big buck deer swam by antlers sticking up. I called the harbormaster and reported it. Not sure where he came from or where he was going.

[svWindfall]

Saltwater.....LOTS of it!