"funny things" floating 20 miles E of Gibraltar

[SV DestinyAscen]

Originally Posted by buzzstar

I am not sufficiently up-to-date, but would not most, if not all, national military forces operating in open waters for training purposes wear uniforms rather than random/casual civilian clothing. More likely a private op of some sort, probably training, and well financed?

Rough generalisation but in general the higher operational readiness and specialization the less "formal" discipline is emphasized. Sort of difference between adults and basically kids.

[Group9]

Originally Posted by Delancey

Note: chem lights attached to bales.

Yep. These were dropped right at dusk. The chem lights were to help locate them in the dark.

[topmast]

Bet a large waterproofed bundle of "?" could be neutral or slightly negative and only needs a highly visual marker on a short line for recovery .Wouldn't be the first time bales of mary jane drifted down the St Lawrence when timing screwed up. Your operation is only as good as the hired help.

[varkpilot]

Originally Posted by SV DestinyAscen

Rough generalisation but in general the higher operational readiness and specialization the less "formal" discipline is emphasized. Sort of difference between adults and basically kids.

Well said and dead on point.

[RafaCavi]

Contrabando tobbaco, drug, weapon smugling from Africa?

[Group9]

Originally Posted by SV DestinyAscen

Rough generalisation but in general the higher operational readiness and specialization the less "formal" discipline is emphasized. Sort of difference between adults and basically kids.

Yep. A lot of SOF spend more time out of uniform than in, while working. And, even in uniform, hands in pockets.

I spent a lot of my career around special ops and drug smugglers. And those guys and that boat look a lot more like special ops than drug smugglers.

Drug boats are almost always throw away boats. They aren't maintained and they are rarely very nice. Usually, a stripped out boat that is barely floating with brand new outboards hung off the back. They get abandoned and/or sunk at the drop of a hat. If you ever see a nice one, it means they just stole it looking like that. And, they don't take care of them so they don't look like that long.

The days of Miami Vice and brand new Cigarette boats, are long past.

[NV US]

thats some amount of horsepower hanging of the back of that rib ! ...... maybe setting up zig zag course to practise water skiing skills for the next olympics ?... ...was going to print "sin~cron~👁sed" but......

[a64pilot]

Get down in South Fl. I was near Miami and had a 1200 HP Sheriff's RIB come so close to me I thought he was going to hit, no smile, no wave, just a scowl and he hit the throttles and took off.
Ever since 911 there has been stupid amounts of money thrown around in the name of Homeland Security, Little Airports would get perimeter fences and Humvees to prowl the fence line. CBP got more toys than they could possibly use, I have seen them display armored vehicles, Cigarette boats, and even Reaper drones.

I hope that some of that has eased off, does the local water cop really need a RIB with four 300 HP engines?
Sheriff's boat in Panama City has twin 175's I believe. Why would it need more?

[ur2slo]

Ya'll missed the obvious, right in front of your nose........jeez whats wrong with you guys?

Space aliens , of course. That's why the picture is fuzzy, they use fuzzy logic in the future.

The orange donut shaped thing is a tele porter.

Jeez, all ya got to do is google it, that's all tru right? the stuff on the internet?

[masonc]

It's probably drug interdiction training event. I doubt the drug guys fit radar to their go fast boats.

[ur2slo]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Get down in South Fl. I was near Miami and had a 1200 HP Sheriff's RIB come so close to me I thought he was going to hit, no smile, no wave, just a scowl and he hit the throttles and took off.
Ever since 911 there has been stupid amounts of money thrown around in the name of Homeland Security, Little Airports would get perimeter fences and Humvees to prowl the fence line. CBP got more toys than they could possibly use, I have seen them display armored vehicles, Cigarette boats, and even Reaper drones.

I hope that some of that has eased off, does the local water cop really need a RIB with four 300 HP engines?
Sheriff's boat in Panama City has twin 175's I believe. Why would it need more?

We have 20 something Coasties running the big Sub Escorts up here and I've yelled at them a few times to stop docking them monstrous jet powered armed to the teeth, wood boat ruiners with a ham handed fist, they rock the whole marina if they get showing off!

And yes, the SOG military types trains up here as well. Ever seen a battleship grey armed, with retractable armor plating on the gunwales 30' cigarette type go fast boat driven by young buff guys in civvies, they are kool baots..........sit real low on the water.