Tango7
Member
Many years ago, a buddy of mine was vacationing down at Padre Island (TX, on the Gulf of Mexico, for the Geographically challenged). He and his buddy (rented?) a small sailboat, and were cruisin around, havin' a good time. Buddy decides to hoist the ol' "Jolly Roger".
Being teens, they figure "yeah! that's cool". Sail around for a brief while when a USCG cutter appears, spots the flag, and hauls up to 'em at full throttle, swings around, and hails 'em
"VESSEL WITH THE SKULL AND CROSSBONES, HEAVE TO AND PREPARE TO BE BOARDED"
Ha ha ha...yeah, sure....until the crew performs an "action drill" and suddenly my buddy and his friend are looking down the barrel of a 40mm (?...some BMF mounted piece).
It'a amazing how fast hands can go to vertical, and that flag can come down. It's also amazing how little a sense of humor those guys had...
BTW, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal a few years back (my Dad was still alive, so it's gotta be about 8 or 10 now) about piracy. and how relatively easy it was, especially with the open ports of centro americo.
Being teens, they figure "yeah! that's cool". Sail around for a brief while when a USCG cutter appears, spots the flag, and hauls up to 'em at full throttle, swings around, and hails 'em
"VESSEL WITH THE SKULL AND CROSSBONES, HEAVE TO AND PREPARE TO BE BOARDED"
Ha ha ha...yeah, sure....until the crew performs an "action drill" and suddenly my buddy and his friend are looking down the barrel of a 40mm (?...some BMF mounted piece).
It'a amazing how fast hands can go to vertical, and that flag can come down. It's also amazing how little a sense of humor those guys had...
BTW, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal a few years back (my Dad was still alive, so it's gotta be about 8 or 10 now) about piracy. and how relatively easy it was, especially with the open ports of centro americo.
