Okay...What would YOU have done?

[ApS]

Sunday was a quiet afternoon on the lake at 12:30PM, with only a few surface ruffles to indicate any wind, and only a few boats.

Occupied in my driveway—and coming from the lake—I heard the following very loud call:

HELP! I need HELP!

I turned to see what was happening, and heard again:

HELP! I need HELP! Oh My ******* God! I need HELP!

Then...

I need a Witness! I need HELP! I need a witness!

Ambling down my steep slope I reached my dock and saw—about a ½-mile away—a small, dark, greenish boat that was being approached by a 20' red aluminum boat I'd seen fishing earlier. (Blue canvas top).

I picked up my telephone and called the NHMP, relating what I'd just heard and seen. The NHMP dispatcher said the NHMP "were on my side of the lake—and were on their way".

The red-boat with its two rescuers touched the smaller boat, then backed off: A conversation was held towards the back of the boat. I heard only mumbles from the "rescuee", and couldn't make out any substance to any of it.

Now I'm concerned the NHMP may encounter someone who's crazy!

A few minutes later, the "rescuee" takes off for The Broads. (I call the NHMP back to advise of his action, and of my suspicions). Maybe the explanation for "The Emergency" will appear here.

I've since figured out what "The Emergency" was—I think...and if I'm right—this "rescuee" owes an apology to every person on (or near) the lake who could have responded.

[Airwaves]

So what did you figure out was happening? Yes, I would have called the NHMP as well.

[fatlazyless]

Sounds like that 1st boat actually got that huge & legendary Lake Winnipesaukee lake trout, known as SMILEY, on the hook of a fish'n line. Good thing the MP still has their Coast Guard UTB here, and available for emergency tows, so it could tow that giant lake trout over to McDonald's to be sliced & diced into 3500 fish-a-ma-jig sandwiches for $2.49 each plus 9% NH tax!

Save Smiley for the taxidermist, before it's too late!

[Pepper]

APS can you be a little more clear about what you think was happening? I am completely confused. Thanks!

[sa meredith]

At first, I thought perhaps there was a dispute of some kind and boat 2 was attacking boat 1...road rage on the water...
But, upon further review...the "oh, my f**** god" comment shows excitement, not fear.
Add in the "I need a witness" part...and I would say that boat 1 simply caught an insanely large fish, he was having trouble landing it, and wanted a witness to see the size of said fish.
However...very poor choice of words for the speaker.
All just a guess on my part. 12:30 is not the ideal fishing hour.

[ApS]

Exhaust-pipe noise, fishermen-voices and Loon-calls (!) carry very far over water. At lunch-time Sunday, it was calm and quiet on the lake. Even through these heavily-forested properties, it couldn't be determined that "the emergency" was one-half-mile away!

Originally Posted by Pepper

APS can you be a little more clear about what you think was happening? I am completely confused. Thanks!

FLL nailed it—right off the bat! ("Thanks" to Airwaves for confirming a reasonable response—sa meredith got in good points, too).

FLL's possibility was relayed to the NHMP by my second call, but the boater had used such volume and urgency I just couldn't just stand around...telephone in hand. This early in the season—with no boat—even my neighbors don't have "basic boats" in the water to row to a rescue!

Physical assault , medical emergency , sinking in frigid waters , but the last thought to a cry for help was "Big Fish".

[VitaBene]

APS, somehow you managed to parse your own text

Thanks for the explananation SA!

[OCDACTIVE]

Originally Posted by sa meredith

At first, I thought perhaps there was a dispute of some kind and boat 2 was attacking boat 1...road rage on the water...
But, upon further review...the "oh, my f**** god" comment shows excitement, not fear.
Add in the "I need a witness" part...and I would say that boat 1 simply caught an insanely large fish, he was having trouble landing it, and wanted a witness to see the size of said fish.
However...very poor choice of words for the speaker.
All just a guess on my part. 12:30 is not the ideal fishing hour.

Thank you for clearing up this witch hunt... The fisherman may not have realized his voice was carrying as far and perhaps was yelling out of excitement to another person on his boat to help him with a fishing net and such. Poor choice of words but not something to convict them for. It was nice of the other boat to check out what was going on. Still shows how helpful other boaters can be. It was good they were there to check there was not an emergency before jumping the gun.

[Airwaves]

APS wrote in part:

FLL's possibility was relayed to the NHMP by my second call, but the boater had used such volume and urgency I just couldn't just stand around...telephone in hand. This early in the season—with no boat—even my neighbors don't have "basic boats" in the water to row to a rescue!

Did the NHMP respond at all?

I would expect that they would/should have just to make certain and your second phone call would have just given added information about the incident. Like the local police responding to 9-1-1 calls even though someone calls back and says the kids were playing with the phone.

This brings to mind an incident a few years back in which the Coast Guard made a determination that a MayDay call was a hoax and did not launch a SAR, turns out the call was real and foks died. Now the Coast Guard launchs SARS on every distress call and seeks help from other boaters.

This is also why the Coast Guard take hoax calls very seriously and they are prosecuted. They have already started an investigation of a hoax call this boating season in Maine.

[ApS]

(Apologies to Peter Sellers).

Originally Posted by Airwaves

"...Did the NHMP respond at all...?"

I checked back with the NHMP today. There was a long interrogation of me (!)—that ended with their asking, "Who wants to know?"

My explanation was a little involved—and ended with my saying, I didn't actually know who "wanted to know".

However, their ears perked up when I mentioned this forum!

They checked the logbook for my name, date, time, and descriptions.

The MPs had stopped the boater, and immediately-summarily-forthwith got the explanation :

"I was talking to friends".

[Gilligan]

Originally Posted by Acres per Second

Okay...What would YOU have done?

I would have done the same thing you did under those circumstances. Thank you for being concerned and following up.

[wildwoodfam]

...that sounds, voices and conversations travel great distances on the lake - and whether or not you are in the mood to share your conversations, you are generally doing so, especially on quiet days (and especially nights!) I am often amazed at what I can hear sitting on my dock or beach as boats pass along off shore! BE CAREFUL - people may not be listening, but they can hear you!

BTW APS - I would have done the same thing!

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Originally Posted by wildwoodfam

...that sounds, voices and conversations travel great distances on the lake - and whether or not you are in the mood to share your conversations, you are generally doing so, especially on quiet days (and especially nights!) I am often amazed at what I can hear sitting on my dock or beach as boats pass along off shore! BE CAREFUL - people may not be listening, but they can hear you!

BTW APS - I would have done the same thing!

And BTW, when folks are out on the boat traveling at 35mph, be careful what you yell to be heard above the boat noise. We can hear you a quarter mile away.

[Yosemite Sam]

Maybe it's me but I have a real hard time understanding what APS wrote and what the outcome finally was.

[dpg]

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam

Maybe it's me but I have a real hard time understanding what APS wrote and what the outcome finally was.

I just read this whole post and now I have a headache and need to take a nap.

[ApS]

(Apologies to Inspector Clouseau).

Originally Posted by Yosemite Sam

Maybe it's me but I have a real hard time understanding what APS wrote and what the outcome finally was.

Followup—one month to the day:

Yesterday—in super-great sailing weather—I encountered a familiar red boat deep-trolling in The Broads.

Our paths were slowly converging anyway, so I sailed closer—pointed over my shoulder—and asked, "Were you fishing over there last month?".

Red Boat: Very likely.
ApS:....... Did you hear a call for help?
Red Boat: You called it in?
ApS:.........It was a call for help. >> shrug <<
Red Boat: That was me.
ApS:........What was the reason?
Red Boat: I'd caught a 10-pound Lake Trout.
ApS:........Sounds big...just asking...thanks for the info.

(FLL got it ex-act-ly right).

[Shedwannabe]

This whole thread is a great example of what makes the Lakes Region such a wonderful place... and I'm not even a boater.

Reading it again and I'm all smiles...