Lk Erie accident story reminds me of a stupid stunt my HS buddies and I
pulled back in the early 60’s.

We had been staying on one of the little islands that ring the outside
south end of Biscayne Bay (S of Key Biscayne) near Miami, FL. Right
about dusk one evening we decided we needed something from the marina
back on the mainland. Three of us piled into our boat and headed out
across the bay in the gathering dark. There wasn’t much moon that night
and it got pretty dark pretty fast. Cool thing I noticed was that the
water was fluorescing brightly as we cut through it.

Before we were half way across we saw lights of something bigger and
slower heading south down the bay and the boat owner said “Hey look a
shrimp boat heading out.” Somebody else said “Hey, let’s surprise them
and cut across their bow.” And we changed course to do just that.
(Sometimes you wonder how you managed to survive some of the stupid
things you did.)

The boat we were in was about an 18’ fiberglass something with a decent
size motor and we were closing pretty fast with the other craft, this
was going to be good. I don’t know if it was our running lights, or the
fluorescing water, but the other boat must have seen us approaching
because suddenly a bright spot light came on and illuminated the big
dark barge in front of us that the tugboat was pushing. Fortunately, we
were still back far enough to change course and give the pair a wide
berth. We didn’t talk much the rest of the trip in.

It still gives me shivers to think what might have been if that tugboat
captain hadn’t been on his toes.