madrasahs

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Thanks to convergent thread subjects (Night Boating and Challenging Adventures), I've just now recalled one very scary episode that I haven't revealed here before from my long history of Winnipesaukee experiences:

It was not unusual for me and my boat to get stuck at friends' lakefront homes hours after sunset -- miles from home. "Getting stuck" means my boat never had navigation lights!

I only had difficulty on one moonless night when, just beginning my trip getting home, I was encountered by "Sea Witch" -- a ~28-foot wood Chris-Craft cabin cruiser.

I was traveling at my maximum speed but he was tailing me about 50' astern. (My ten-foot plywood boat topped out at ~22 MPH). When I zigged -- he zigged. When I zagged -- he zagged. Then he turned out all his lights!

He eventually lost track of me, and I got home much relieved. I learned later that this was not unusual behavior for my distant neighbor: He'd drive up from Massachusetts, get roaring drunk, and take the boat out -- at night.

I haven't seen that boat in the last ten years. The owner himself died of natural causes last year, which makes possible the telling of this story.

Remember these were simpler Winnipesaukee days -- no "Marine Patrol", dock lighting was nearly unknown, and encountering another boat at night was rare.