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Thread: Detroit River Terrorist Drill

  1. #1
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    Detroit River Terrorist Drill

    We're gonna try to make it downtown by 9:00 AM to hear the mock terrorist bombs and watch the action if we can get close enough. http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2011/08/...roit-princess/
    Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Oakland

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    enough drama

    I wonder if we will ever get enough of this drama - I used to think the berlin wall mentality was in Germany between the cold war soviets and USA. Never planned on having it under my nose all the time here in good old America. barb wire restrictions all along the riverfront that used to be full of parks - welcome to lock down America. No computor or cell phone is free from gov surveilance within 9 miles of a US border - thats like most of the city of Detroit. And its nice when they pull me over on the Detroit river for a safety check - I am offically a "captain at sea."

    Across the border in Canada they have that great no one cares attitude. Hope they enjoy all the noise and explosions and military in what ought to be another great day of watching the FEDS do it again in the good old USA.
    Last edited by Dr. David Fleming; 08-25-2011 at 11:26 AM. Reason: redundancy
    Dr. d

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    I haven't had any problems with them. I was boarded by the Coast Guard a couple weeks ago and a female officer did actually come aboard and looked around the engine room. They were all very polite and professional and the outcome was the usual certificate that says "no violations" and "thank you for promoting safe boating". Just recently we were taking a break at the Detroit River Light and a Border Patrol boat was nearby. They saw me look under the hatch and they came over to ask if we were OK. That's all. No other questions. We talked with them for awhile about their awesome boat and I told them we were taking a break on our way to Put-in-Bay. I saw them the next morning in PIB's harbor and stopped to say hi. Frankly I'm glad to see these guys out there. As far as the exercise, the river was closed to recreational craft so we shot back north and into Lake Huron. Ran 2-3 footers the whole time and racked up about 120-130 miles. That was a riot but took a lot of concentration to drive fast over that water! Good times!
    Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Oakland

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    yah I hear ya carl

    Its good to always carry your passport. Basically, they are polite - unless you happen to get one on a bad day or don't mind police, sheriff, border patrol, coast guard supervision CONSTANTLY of about everything you are doing.

    By the way I don't know how they closed the Canadian side of the river they have no juridiction over there. They can only interfere with boaters on the American side. So you see, they changed your holiday by intimidation - man I wouldn't have stood it! - Closed an international river! Maybe the Canadians were part of it. Did you see any Canadian Coast Guard - I doubt the Canadians would stop boating for what the Americans were doing. Of course I wasn't there.

    I was in the Canadian Channel east of Belle Isle - the Fleming Channel - a Canadian boater was broke down and flagged me for assistance or a tow - he was in the international shipping lane and vulnerable to being hit by river traffic. I told him I would stand by but couldn't help unless absolutely necessary. If I did I would have to go down river to Wyandotte and process through imigration to re-enter the United States. Same if I bought gas or even threw out an anchor in Canadian water.


    Was over at my local marina - Island Harbor - Border Patrol rolled up drew guns - kept watching for some boat that might come into the harbor. Were rude to the owner of the marina and myself who were busy boating. I mean we are not at war after all. Went away about as fast as they came - didn't talk to us when we asked what they wanted. They were on his private property. What an ego trip.


    Before 9/11 none of this went on. I mean if you really screwed up, like smuggling, you were in trouble but the police work was subtle and unseen so as to not offend everybody. Guess I grew up in the 1950's and 60's when all we worried about was the bomb or ICBM coming over to Selfridge AFB from the soviets. America was famous for its free and friendly border with the USA - was almost one country. Crossed many times with only a wave of a hand from the border officers - never needed a passport, or any ID. Still that way going into Canada.

    All this American muscle flexing seems like just a big drama - and would like to see the tax bill for it - bet the terrorists are laughing at the bang they got for their buck from the good old paranoid USA. Thanks George Bush for using any emergency to give us a police state. When they bombed Pearl Harbor it was a lot worse and we just went and kicked the **** out of them until they couldn't stand any more. Give me the old time America it was good enough for me.
    Dr. d

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    Sounds like they don't like you Dr. D
    Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Oakland

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    1,200 HP and front & aft gun mounts
    Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Oakland

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    Nice to see are tax dollars at work.

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    Yata

    Well I guess they like me as well as about anyone - am polite - just into personal freedom and liberty - get tired of the bullet proof vests, shoulder mikes, pistols, military boots and sunglasses, duel gun mounts and my Donzi will out run their cop boat. "And no you can't search my car, home or boat. Further, I am not answering a lot of questions past yes or no." Yes I have a personal flotation device, my horn works, I have a throwable cushion, and flares, and my fire extinguisher is in the engine compartment next to the three kilos of ilegal drugs and two foreign nationals I am smuggling. Been through this same converstaion about three times a year for the last three years.

    You don't need to carry a drivers license while boating, just some personal ID and registration. "No officer I'm not carrying my drivers license." Last time I checked the Sheriff does not patrol the water with officers - just volunteer deputy personel who usually know next to nothing about police work. Make pretty good cowboys though. Oh how they love to wear the badge and see the smiles when they get to turn on the blue lights.

    "Why are you boating in the Rouge River? I don't know, because its got water in it." We would prefer if you stayed out of there! Why? Because its dirty. Ok officer, thanks! Have a nice day!"

    In England, Canada, etc. individual persons are "subjects of the crown." America when founded, the imigrants wanted freedom from all this crap - citizens with individual rights - great pains were used to give exeptional freedoms to you - so exercise them. While you can there is always some legislator somewhere working day and night to trim them back for you. And some lawyer or the ACLU working to give them back.

    I do enjoy boating in Canada - has about zero law enforcement. Reminds me of the USA before 2000.
    Dr. d

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    Interesting thing. I have spent a lot of time Down River this summer testing and setting up my boat. I have never been stopped, but it could be that I never let one of these guys catch up with me long enough to pull over. I am also normally suited up in a Lifeline and behave like a responsible boater at all times, so I don't draw any attention to myself. As for those laid back Canadians, at least during my informal surveys, they typically have more patrol boats running around out there from every possible government agency imaginable, than we do. The Border Patrol does do circuts at our launch site. I could care less, as I have nothing to hide. I just wave and smile at all of them.

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    Quote Originally Posted by roadtrip se View Post
    Interesting thing. I have spent a lot of time Down River this summer testing and setting up my boat. I have never been stopped, but it could be that I never let one of these guys catch up with me long enough to pull over. I am also normally suited up in a Lifeline and behave like a responsible boater at all times, so I don't draw any attention to myself. As for those laid back Canadians, at least during my informal surveys, they typically have more patrol boats running around out there from every possible government agency imaginable, than we do. The Border Patrol does do circuts at our launch site. I could care less, as I have nothing to hide. I just wave and smile at all of them.
    Exactly. Dr.D, maybe your attitude is part of the problem! If their vessel says "homeland security" then they do have the right to search your boat. In fact they can take your boat and drill it full of holes if they think there might be a hidden compartment. I would start being nicer and carrying your driver's license. These guys have always been good to me and I'm glad to see them. Todd, you can't out-run the helicopter that they would call in! And, yes, they like to see life jackets in use. I always slow down and look back to see if they want me to stop. If you wave make it a quick hand up so they don't think you are hailing them. That's what I tell my passengers so they don't start waving like crazy!
    Lake St. Clair, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, Lake Oakland

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dr. David Fleming View Post
    "Why are you boating in the Rouge River? I don't know, because its got water in it."
    Priceless!

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    Quote Originally Posted by FlatRacer, aka BarrelBack View Post
    Priceless!


    +2

    Dr. D. . . . . .My kind of guy.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Carl C View Post
    Exactly. Dr.D, maybe your attitude is part of the problem! If their vessel says "homeland security" then they do have the right to search your boat.
    I'm with the doctor. Respectfully Carl, I would offer a nuanced point but an extremely important one: what they have is the *power* to search your boat, not the *right* to do so. The world sees plenty of bad law, usually in the fine print, and this is no exception. Nothing in the highest law of our land says our government or its citizens in our waters are excepted from that highest law and the protections it affords. Including those protections against search without probable cause. There are larger discussions implicit in all of this, as we are in the intersection of boating and politics, so it makes sense for me to stop before departing that confluence.
    "I don't have time to get into it, but he went through a lot." -Pulp Fiction

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    sorry I see some of the responses here as FLIPPANT, and EXACTLY the attitude that will give our enemies the oppotunity to inflict greater damage than their last attack.

    the midwestern attitude might be "we are not at war". where I live is most definetly "at war" on a daily basis. We will soon mark a decade since the attacks on the US . Several attempts to strike at NY again have been foiled and if it was done by a nosey citizen,a stand up citizen, or homeland security listening to cell phones OR checking boats coming from Canadian waters that might annoy some boaters I could give a bald ratz azz.

    These drills or drama as you say, Have come to save lives here in NY. In the aftermath of 9-11 here in NY drills have prepared Gov't and private organizations to react,respond and to save lives. The most notible occassion was the "miracle on the hudson" emergency responders as well as ferry boat pilots went into action seconds after without hesitation or indecision they reacted THAT'S WHAT THEY TRAINED AND DRILLED FOR. That landing by the skill and talent of the pilot might not be remembered had they fallen victim to the frigid waters and current of the hudson river during the winter.


    I have been pulled out of the traffic going into one of the cities tunnels during my commute in my company vehicle on a few occassions. Did it mess up my day well maybe it is a part of living here yes, I have boxes and electronics they want to know what I have before I go into the tunnel or city.

    I think if most here would spend an hour or two stuck in one of the NYC tunnels a couple of hundred feet under the hudson looking at a rent a van driven a person of islamic origins, you would come to appreciate the job most of the police and "homeland security" are doing.
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    Thumbs up "Be Prepared"

    Well stated Matty !
    Better to "Be Prepared" for any emergency~~~
    Than to be caught unsuspecting & flat footed; like we were 10 years ago on 9/11 .

    I don;t mind being stopped once in a while.

    I for one sleep better at night knowing these great folks are on the job helping keeping the USA safe.
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    There is no such thing as going too fast ~ ~~
    OR~ Being too old~ for a new "Toy"!

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