We have just spent a very pleasant night, four boats rafted
in the slough, when we are awakened at about 6:30 AM by the
roar of a motor quickly followed by the feeling of the boats
banging together from a wake.  Several heads pop up to see
what is happening.  About 200 yards away, we see a ski boat
with someone changing into a wet suit.  After a few minutes,
the ski boat comes roaring past us again, this time towing 
a person without skis.  It happens to be a very low tide and
there is only about 40 feet between us and the shore.  The
ski boat splits this distance, taking it within 20 feet of
our boats.  The double wake caused by the boat and the guy
being dragged behind create an even bigger wake.  The boats
bang together even harder.  The spray is so great that it
enters the open hatch of one of the boats.

The boat stops about 200 yards beyond our raft, turns around,
and pulls the guy back by us again.  This is repeated several
times before we decide that we should do something.

I hopped into my inflatable and positioned it halfway between
the boats and the shore, expecting the ski boat to stop so we
could suggest that they go somewhere where they wouldn't be
disturbing people and causing potential damage to the boats.
Much to my surprise, the ski boat didn't stop, but roared by,
within a few feet from me, the skiier heading directly at me.
At the last moment, the skiier dropped the tow rope and came
to a water-spraying stop a foot from my inflatable.

Well, the skiier's explanation went something like this:

  I'm a competition water skiier.  I don't get out very often,
  but when I do, I like to come here because it is flat and
  straight.  Because I like it here, I'm going to ski here,
  and you aren't being very courteous to complain.

I explain:

  We are legally anchored.  It is the law to observe a 5MPH
  limit in an anchorage.  You are liable for any damage done to
  our boats as a result of your wake.  And it isn't very courteous
  of you to disturb us like this.

He climbs back into his boat.

I holler out his CF (registration) number and point out that we
have a video camera filming the whole thing.

He begins making threatening gestures and statements.  His wife
begins saying, "Let's go, Gary!".  His kids begin saying "Don't,
Dad!".  He yells, several times, "Get out of the way!", shoves his
wife out of the drivers seat, guns the engine, and does tight
circles around my inflatable.  For good measure he does a few 
circles around the raft of boats.  He then drives back to a spot
200 yards away and gets ready to ski past us again.

A shouting match erupts on the ski boat after his wife says that
she will not drive for him.  After several minutes of screaming,
he drives back around us once more before speeding away.

We now have his ID number, his first name, and a very clear video
of him operating his boat in an unsafe and threatening manner.

What would you have done?  What would you do?

Capt'n Morgan
.