Our last two blogs dealt with pets on board for both day trips and extended range cruising. But, what about those unwanted furry or scaled visitors that board your boat with no invitation? It happens. Many a skipper has come on deck, and to their surprise, a sea lion, raccoons, or even a black bear is suddenly part of your crew.
In 2018, in the North Channel of Lake Huron, just over the southern border of Canada, a 250-pound black bear boarded four boats over three days. How did he get onto the boat? Why up the swim platform, of course!
Skipper Brian Laux, down below on his cruiser, Serenity, was cooking a bass he had caught earlier. Hearing scratching noises on deck, he went up top and spotted a black bear in the water, attempting to climb up the side of his boat. The bear swam away but came back a second time. Laux poked the bear in the nose with a boat hook, and the bear retreated.
The Serenity wasn't the only floating destination for the black bear. The bear had already made himself at home and ransacked a boat named Carandy. The swim ladder was down, and the owners were out kayaking. When they returned, the bear was inside ripping up the cabin. The owner banged on the hull, and the bear left and swam to the island. Later, the bear returned and tried to climb on the boat from the bow. The owners whacked it on the nose with a boat hook, and it left.
Skipper Dennis Kirkwood, moored in the same area as the previous skippers, around midnight heard a thumping and scratching noise under the stern of his catamaran. He suspected that the source was the bear. The skipper ran out, grabbed a whisker pole, and started clanking it around. The bear stayed under the swim platform, between the two hulls. The bear had knocked out the floor plate, and its paw was coming up through the opening.
Kirkwood switched to his wooden oar to hit the bear's paw. The bear pulled its paw back but remained under the platform. Kirkwood said that the extreme darkness of night added to the severity of the chaos. Despite Kirkwood's efforts, the bear stayed in place.
Kirkwood then tried blowing his air horn and continued to poke through the opening to encourage the bear to leave, but it stayed put. That was a surprise, as Mr. Kirkwood understood bears usually scatter upon hearing loud noises. Kirkwood continued to poke at the bear with his oar, with the result that the bear left.
A fourth sailor in the same area was confronted with a bear on his boat, even though the boat's swim ladder was up. The bear climbed the stern and appeared in the cockpit. The skipper and the bear came within 18 inches of each other. Even though the skipper began screaming and making noise at the bear, the bear seemed to ignore the disturbance. The skipper shone his spotlight into its eyes and sounded his foghorn, but the bear stayed put. It wasn't until another sailor, moored nearby, heard the commotion and came over in his dinghy. The bear left once he heard the approaching dinghy.
Although these bear events happened two years ago, they bear repeating!
The same bear rule applies whether on land or sea. Don't position yourself between a bear mama and her cubs. You will not win.
Bears, sea lions, and whales are animals of strength and great weight. If it comes to hand to hand combat in a dangerous situation, the human will most likely lose. A bear on a boat is a threat to person and property. 911 must be called.
Non-emergencies
Call the Bear Wise reporting line at 1-866-514-2327 ( TTY 705-945-7641 )
Be prepared. Bear spray, flare guns, and your boat hook can be your part of your defense arsenal. If you are planning to have firearms on your boat, be very familiar with gun law regulations. You must also follow the specific laws and regulations of the countries you are in. Most countries will not allow you to transport a firearm from one country to another.
Sea Lions
There are a lot of cute videos on YouTube of sea lions loading themselves onto swim ladders while powerboats are operating. In some, the passengers on the boats are feeding the lions. Think about this. A sea lion can weigh anywhere from 580 to 1,200 lbs. You wouldn't want a human passenger weighing this kind of weight on your 25' Sea Ray. Why invite or entice an animal- that could be injured in the process, and that could possibly sink your boat – to be part of your voyage? Don't be an idiot on the water. If you see sea lions or manatees near your boat, steer clear of them in the best and safest possible way.
Raccoons
Boats moored at harbor docks can be an attractive nesting place for raccoons. They get into the vessel's cabins through open or unlocked windows, open companionways, and unlocked deck hatches. Consider that once inside, if the raccoon has entered through a window, they fall into the cabin and can't get out.
When a raccoon is in a boat's cabin, food isn't their only form of entertainment. They chew up and tear cushions, pillows, and cabinets. They also leave urine and feces throughout the cabin. Not a welcome sight when you return to your boat.
Most raccoons are rabid, so don't go near them. Call your local animal/game commission to remove them. When cleaning up after raccoons, wear gloves, masks and long sleeved clothing. Wash all surfaces and floors with strong antiseptic cleaner.
In any unwanted animal situation on your boat, do your best not to approach the animal. If it is a life or death situation, then use the best force possible to getaway. You want your boating experience to be as safe and as fun as possible.
Fair winds. Smooth sailing.
To obtain more information about the products and services mentioned in this article, please contact CLR Marine https://www.clrmarine.com/.
______________________________________________________________________________
Award-winning author Cheryl Kuba has been at the helm for more than 30 years sailing the Great Lakes, with side trips to the British Virgin Islands and St. Maarten. She has served as past- Commodore of Great Lakes Fleet 21 -Chicago region. 3happycampers.com
©Copyright Cheryl Kuba, 3happycampers.com
