I was not "pulled over" once this year. Last year, it was strange. I am usually the first boat in the water in the spring. I was out, just drifting in the cool but dead calm morning, and mending a sail cover when the water-cops dropped by for a chat. Would I mind them doing a safety check? Sure; go ahead. (Everything was as it should be: papers, fire extinguishers, drugs hidden properly, guns disassembled, illegal aliens given fake ID's, etc.) Ahem... yeah, well...

They left to go chase sharks and dolphins. I went about mending the sail cover.

That afternoon, again, I was out on the water just drifting. (The sail cover was repaired and looking good on the mainsail.) A different water-cop boat shows up wondering if they could do a safety check. Sure; go ahead. But You guys already did one this morning. Don't you keep records of it?

No, we don't keep records. We just do checks... okay, then. Can we see your life preservers? (Without boarding.)

I showed them a couple. They left to go examine seagull poop somewhere.

So... yeah, I know all about falling down a diabolically slippery slope. Unfortunately, I did go down to the boat this afternoon. Fortunately, Miss Heart-attack was not there so I took a nap and fantasized about sea-sick water cops.