Re: Fellow boater wouldn't help tow me in
Well, I hate to say it, but like some of the other members, I'd have to say that a big part of the responsibility for this siuation lies with you. I've never been on Lake Mead, but from what I remember, it's quite large.
I'm from Michigan, and I regularly fish the Great Lakes, any one of which would make Lake Mead look like a farm pond in comparison. Venturing forth on the Great Lakes without some source of backup power (small kicker engine, trolling motor, duals, etc.) is not only foolhardy, but could result in fatal consequences.
I was once trolling on Lake Michigan about five miles out of Pentwater on an extremely foggy fall day. Over the course of an hour, we kept hearing the faint sound of a small outboard that was fading in and out of earshot. Suddenly, the vague image of a small 12 foot fishing boat with three young men in it came into view. As soon as they spotted us, they immediately made a beeline for my boat and began parallelling our course. After idling down his engine, the one in the stern yelled out, "Excuse me, sir, but could you tell us which way shore is?" After sharing a chuckle with my fishing partner, I determined that they did not have a compass, and since visibility was about 100 yards, I told them to stand by, and follow us into port after we pulled our lines.
Just as we were about to get underway, he again pulled near and called out, "Ummmm...Would you happen to have any gas you could sell us?" At this point, I could no longer hide my exasperation with these doofuses, so I had them pull alongside and come aboard my boat. I tied a bowline off on their bow eye and ran a short "V" line off of each of my stern cleats. (This is the proper technique for towing, otherwise, with a single tow line, the craft being towed will often begin to yaw.)
Once we reached port, I admonished them about the poor judgement they demonstrated, and let them know in no uncertain terms that they could have very easily become just another statistic, as victims of the Great Lakes' unforgiving nature.
That said, I do have to agree that there is a "Hooray for me, and to hell with everybody else" attitude that is regretfully becoming more prevalent among today's younger boaters. They invariably are driving some $30,000+ bass rig, with an outboard that would rival the horsepower output of some sports cars. They race from spot to spot, tearing across the suface of the lake, with little regard to the distance they maintain between their boat and other fishermen's. With their baseball caps turned backwards, all these Jimmy Houston "wannabees" need is a mullet haircut to confirm their ignorance. They're too busy to be bothered helping others, as their time is too valuable. Notice that I referred to them as "boaters," for I know of no true fisherman that would refuse aid to anyone else in need of help on the water.
This disregard for others is now so commonplace, that on Lake St. Clair, (A very high-traffic lake near Detroit) a marine towing service is now in operation during the summer months. Even the Coast Guard is reluctant to respond, unless you have a medical emergency, or your craft is in danger of sinking!
My life-long fishing partner was my Uncle Johnny, and he's the one who set the example I now follow. Although he's been gone for many years, it is impossible for me to step foot in a boat without thinking that he's still watching over me. Continuing his tradition, I have helped people countless times, and when they ask what they owe me, I always extend my hand and say, "A handshake, and the promise that you'll do the same for somebody else some day....."
Master Chief P.J. Anderson, U.S.N., Ret.
