I have to laugh sometimes at the ridiculous type A nature of power boaters. They couldn't be more predictable or more stereotypical of male humans with money.

Since we go to Sequim Bay often from Anacortes we cross over what I call the 'Cow Trail' which is the shortest path between locations in Seattle and the San Juan Islands. In our case that's the well worn path just west of Smith Island and we are frequently sailing across this because the sailing is quite often perfect for such a course.

Most boats on the cow trail will not veer from their course to save their lives whether power or sail, but if they do they will always change course so as to go in front of you. Keep in mind in these parts most people only motor they never sail so the difference between a power boater and a sailor is relative even though the same bunch will be quick to let you know what expert sailors they are.

The worst offenders of the "I'm not going to go behind you dammit!" crowd are the big power boats doing 20+ knots. I laugh at these guys often because with a tiny two degree course change from a couple miles away there would never be any encounter or any need to stress about a close encounter. Ah but you see many times such a course change would take them behind me and by G$d these asswipes are not going to behind me. They haven't gone behind anyone in their entire lives and they aren't going to start now.

So they keep altering course to go in front until they are way way off their original course and starting to deviate from the all important cow trail which if they get too far away from will require them to re-enter all the way points and what not that their wiz bang navigation skills require of them. Hell they're likely to be completely lost if they get off the trail too far and may have to call for rescue, or call Siri, or maybe send a quick e-mail to Garmin about what to do.

I've seen these guys in these huge boats do this until they are easily 30 degrees off course or more and then at the last second change their mind and make a major turn back to their previous course and the worst part of it is, go behind me.

I do get tired of that sort of thing but thankfully as of Monday the season is over and these assholes will put their boats away until Memorial Day.

All joking aside though it can be frightening having a power boat heading beam on at 20 - 30 knots. There's really nothing a sailor can do at that point to avoid a collision since we are essentially sitting still in the water in comparison to their speed. We are completely at the mercy of the dude in the power boat. I've actually turned all the way around and started heading the other way to avoid encounters before. Who knows if the jokers are even on watch. Maybe they put the way points in at Shilshole Marina and went to bed?

Boater education is pretty much a joke in these parts, at least when it comes to rich dudes in big power boats. It's going to be nice to be able to go out an not have to dodge all the summer boating warriors. Winter is good.