Just five hours after I posted the words
"Close calls don't make the news", I had the closest call of my life!
This time of year, the sun doesn't hit my shoreline or dock. Since it was such a nice day, I attached my rowboat to the mooring with a little additional line so I could relax in the sun, feet up, while reading.
This was a mostly calm day with a bright sun — overhead and in the southern sky. My boat and I were perfectly in view, about 150 feet from shore. At 2:30, a bass boat going top speed approached from the east, pointed directly at me.
Between the thoughts "I'm going to die" and "I've got to jump up", he veered away at about 300 feet, passing me about 40 feet away. His gaze was locked on the horizon as he passed. He was about 28-years-old.
There was no time for a signal of any kind -- not even time to stand up.
It's a long shot, but somebody needs to confront this guy. He didn't appear to be looking for a fishing spot -- and may not be a fisherman at all. The boat is a charcoal gray color on the sides, with a large black outboard.
And so few boats on the water! Grrrr.