c_deezy

iTrader: (1)

Just as the title says, they showed up at my house with some 'questions'. I'll preface the story a bit first. Curious if anybody else has had this happen to them being out on the water.

I decided to go for a lunch run on Wednesday over to Put-In-Bay (I live in Perrysburg, suburb of Toledo, OH). I work nights so if I can I try to get out during the morning/early afternoon during the week. So I called a buddy of mine to see if he wanted to go, which he did and since I was about ready to leave my marina I told him to meet me at a marina about halfway (Anchor Point) and I would pick him up. So he showed up, we took off, had lunch at PIB, then headed back. I dropped him off at the same marina, ran the boat back to my marina, then went home.

So Thursday I was at home, hanging out after work (about 11:00 am or so), and the doorbell rings and somebody beats on the door. I don't get many surprise visitors, and the doorbell AND knock seemed unusual. I go to the door, and greeted by a local police officer, a guy in a suit and two other dudes. The guy in the suit tells me he is with Homeland Security and starts asking questions, like where I was going yesterday, did I go to Canada, etc. I was polite, answered his questions because I had nothing to hide and didn't do anything wrong, and chatted a bit. It didn't take long for him to realize I was just some dude out on a boat ride. We finished talking, I shook all their hands, and they left.

After I thought about it for awhile, it did seem odd that the Homeland Security guy did show up with a local cop, and two other dudes who didn't say anything and didn't look cops so I don't know why they were there. There were also a few things about the ride that may have seemed suspicious as well, but are typically a pretty normal ride for me.

1) I picked up and dropped off someone at a marina. From the sound of it, it seems that they saw me when I was dropping off. The HS guy made mention that the boat had two people going in, and one going out of 'a' marina.

2) There is a nuclear power station between Toledo and PIB, and because of how the wind/waves were I ran a little closer to shore than usual. Not anywhere where I shouldn't have been, but closer than usual.

I don't recall seeing the Homeland Security boat out on the lake or any other boat close enough to get my OH numbers even with binoculars, so I figure they were either on shore or somebody from the marina called them. Which if that was the case then maybe that was who the other two dudes were...don't know and didn't really care, I was tired and ready to go to bed.

So that's about it, just curious if anybody has a similar experience.

CigDaze

Well, that's got to be awkward.

I'll bet that someone from the power plant probably called you in as they have guards keeping an eye out at all times.

What sucks is that Big Sis probably has a file on you now, perhaps even as a suspicious person. Hopefully, this doesn't impair your ability to get through airports and such. Stranger things have happened for far less as you peruse the news.

Sydwayz

iTrader: (1)

Just wave "up" for the next 4 or 5 years when you head out. They will be "hubbeling your ass" for a while.

TWIN-SPINS

or build a dummy to take with you,,,

thirdchildhood

iTrader: (6)

That's screwed up! Once I had local county Sheriff's Deputies show up at my house because someone called in a loud boat complaint on my local lake. They asked if they could see my boat which was already put away in the garage. Like you, I had nothing to hide so I let them see the boat. They were decent and all but still I wasn't happy that they would waste the time and effort to track my boat's numbers to my home and come knocking and asking if I owned a yellow Donzi....Now all the local water cops have been laid off and they only respond to emergencies so it is a free for all on the lakes in Oakland County, Michigan.

c_deezy

iTrader: (1)

I'll swing by later today and grab my gps and post my breadcrumb route. I would say I was still a good 4 miles or so away from shore when I went by the nuke plant, and the HS guy pretty much gave it away that 'they' were on me (wherever or whoever) when I went in and left Anchor Point the second time. It had to have been by land because the Homeland Security boat up here has quad 300's on the back of it and my boat is not fast so I'm sure they could have caught up to me if it was the boat.

I don't mind answering questions, I did feel it was a little blown out of proportion to show up with 4 dudes but whatever. I should have asked for a sticker similar to my Coast Guard sticker that shows they already checked me out and to give me a pass next time

So much for trying to keep a low profile....

thirdchildhood

iTrader: (6)

I know that boat. This was taken by the Detroit River Light:

mim3

Hope your taxes are in-line!

h2oboater

There are HD cameras all along the Michigan shoreline that boarders Canada. Homeland Security monitors them all . You would be amazed what they can see from great distance. I'm sure there in Ohio too..

OldSchool