2011 - 11-4 - The Coast Guard wants to do WHAT?

We left at 5am, Friday,11/4 (yes, I was functioning at that god-awful hour) Dead calm (did you see the movie?) and it remained so for quite some time. I actually saw the ‘crack of dawn’! It started to kick up just before we entered the Gulf Stream then the wind kicked up, the sea became confused & choppy. At least it was better than the trip from Andros. Once past the Stream it settled a bit & then we saw them - in

 
the distance - the US Coast Guard. They called & wanted to board us (couldn't we just say NO?) They’re going to board us in these rough seas? You’ve GOT to be kidding. They told us to keep up our course & speed. A side line here…How many illegal’s do you think enter the US on a daily basis without so much as a nod from anyone? 1000? More? And here we are, 2 old folks, 2 dogs on a very slow boat heading home & they want to board us in the middle of the ocean! Here’s the interesting part - our para-vanes were out so they couldn’t board on the port or starboard like they usually do. Five Coasties approached our swim platform scratching their heads trying to figure out how to get on board. Three decided to jump for it on the swim platform - one almost didn’t make it.(I figure they wrote that up as an exercise) Unfortunately, I have no visuals of this cluster-f_ _ _.  They were nice enough, lots of questions & paperwork but they were hanging on for dear life. These pics were taken when they were departing. This time they got smart
                                                                All aboard - See ya !
& the dinghy came along side of the swim platform - not on top of it! The only good thing was we were able to maintain speed & course during this event & were soon entering the Lake Worth inlet. At 5pm we anchored somewhere in Palm Beach.