Anchoring Without A Light

[kenny]

I guess people have a death wish or are just clueless. I can't tell you how many times this has happened, but again this morning at dark:30 I pulled in, staked out and hopped in to wade. At dawn I realize there is a boat just beyond where I anchored, and off to my left is a guy & his wife wading chest-deep water.
The other morning it was two guys in kayaks 100 yards off Shell Island point, and NO LIGHT!

[mgstei1]

So many beacon type flashing battery operated devices to hang around your neck or to stick on a kayak are available and without one a person is taking a hell of a risk. I did it in my younger days when there just wasn't that kind of stuff available. But a 2 cell flashlight will do wonders also in the darkness.
The last 5 years or so if I fish late evenings or go out extra early and I've almost quit that, I carry a 240 Blitz that operates on 12v. We use them to get deer counts at night on my SIL's ranch for the biologists for management.
It will spot out anything and everything within 4-6 hundred yards.

[Root Canal]

Kenny,
You can't fix stupid. I do most of my summer fishing at night, and see this all the time.

[Gulfcoast13]

I've had this happen multiple times and it raises the hair on my neck every time

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk

[SCHU]

And people wonder why boating accidents happen...go figure!

[Mini-x Fan]

Coming out of the canal one night I clicked on my led cubes and there was a kayaker with no lights about 100 yds straight ahead of me. I would have run right over him without ever knowing he was there.

[J.R.]

I thought it was illegal to be in a boat at night with no lights.

[kenny]

I thought it was illegal to be in a boat at night with no lights.

It sure is, red & green if running and white all-around light at anchor.

[coachlaw]

Yep, there's a reason it's called an ANCHOR LIGHT! Stupid people are breeding at an alarming rate. Strange they can figure out how to do that, but can't figure out what an anchor light is for.

[J.R.]

It's really unbelievable. I know if I was sitting at anchor at night or wading, I'd want to be lit up like a Christmas tree. I guess you just cant fix stupid.

[JT]

We use them to get deer counts at night on my SIL's ranch for the biologists for management.
It will spot out anything and everything within 4-6 hundred yards.

What?? A Ranch??

Wonder what poor people they or her family screwed to get the $$ to acquire that and the poor people they or their family screwed out of the land somewhere in the chain of title.... Bet your smart enough not to talk that **** around them though. Lmao

[Jerkyourcroaker]

I know it is preaching to the converted but I'll offer this up anyway. I bought one of these light/flag/reflector deals at Southwest Paddlesports a couple of years ago and it works great. The foam deal at the bottom jams into one of the rocket launchers on my kayak box. The light is bright and 360*. It is wrapped in reflective tape. It's not cheap at $90 but it has been very durable.

A light is no substitute for being cautious with your personal position, staying out of boating lanes, etc. A kayak isn't a boat. It's like biking on a city street - you have every right to use the street but you have to watch out for yourself. Defensive paddling required.

It really burns my a@@ that some people are so cavalier with boater safety. I know TPWD has plenty to do but it would be beneficial to see strict enforcement of some of these very basic rules.

Rant over.

[Gilbert]

It's really unbelievable. I know if I was sitting at anchor at night or wading, I'd want to be lit up like a Christmas tree. I guess you just cant fix stupid.

I don't know if it is so much fixing stupid as it is ignorance. Anyone can buy a boat and let me tell you, there is a ton of new boat owners that don't know how to run/operate a boat. Its pretty dang scary cause someone will get hurt or killed.

[Lightweight 8]

No, you can't fix stupid, but you can shut it up, that's why they invented duct tape. There are literally hundreds of ways to comply with boating regulations, but just the other side of stupid-is LAZY.

[plugger]

If you are wading /kayaking dark morning or dark night , you usually have a light source for retying and such , I do . If a boat approaches I shine my light at it . If wading , you may not be near enough to your boat light to be out of danger .