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Gashmore · 01-09-2008, 15:42

French registered Beneteau, 3AM 26 nm SSE of Isla Beata, DR in large following seas. BIG light from astern and a call from a USCG cutter to maintain heading and speed and prepare to be boarded. RIB appears on the Stbd side with 5 heavily armed tightly wound coasties, none over 19. Four attempts to board refusing help from our side. Two finally made it aboard while all but the helmsman trained their M16s on our boat. They relaxed considerably when they found 3 old farts making a delivery to Texas but wiped the boat down from one end to the other with sampling cloths. Besides the regular safety and placard check they examined our log, charts and the GPS track. Told us to maintain our course until instructed and left. The cutter followed us for about 20 minutes and then radioed that we sere free to go. Evidently they took the rags back to an on board lab to check for drugs. Whole episode took about 2 hours.

I would not want that job.

01-09-2008, 15:42	#42
Gashmore Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 94	French registered Beneteau, 3AM 26 nm SSE of Isla Beata, DR in large following seas. BIG light from astern and a call from a USCG cutter to maintain heading and speed and prepare to be boarded. RIB appears on the Stbd side with 5 heavily armed tightly wound coasties, none over 19. Four attempts to board refusing help from our side. Two finally made it aboard while all but the helmsman trained their M16s on our boat. They relaxed considerably when they found 3 old farts making a delivery to Texas but wiped the boat down from one end to the other with sampling cloths. Besides the regular safety and placard check they examined our log, charts and the GPS track. Told us to maintain our course until instructed and left. The cutter followed us for about 20 minutes and then radioed that we sere free to go. Evidently they took the rags back to an on board lab to check for drugs. Whole episode took about 2 hours. I would not want that job.