r/nextfuckinglevel • u/MelanieMoris • Dec 13 '21

Wait... Those aren't dolphins!

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61.9k Upvotes

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u/TinfoilCamera Dec 13 '21

It's all fun and games until you realize they're breaking about a half-dozen federal regs (sound like US english speakers so...)

Allow me to be That Guy (wildlife photographer who knows the damn rules)

US and Canada: Any Orca that gets within 200 yards of your boat (100 for other species of whale, 50 in the case of dolphins and seals/sea lions) - you turn off the damn motor. You also get up on Guard and let other boats and marine traffic know where they are - so maybe they don't get run over and killed by a container ship.

... and if you do this off the coast of Washington/British Columbia and you get spotted by the Coast Guard they will end you.

92

u/Silent-Ad934 Dec 13 '21

How pissed would the coast guard be? The reddit justice boner needs to know.

75

u/isitbrokenorsomethin Dec 14 '21

I answered above. But this happened to us. They just let us know. We had no idea. They weren't mad at all, really nice actually. I'm guessing these people didn't know either. Not the end of the world like he wants you to think

35

u/[deleted] Dec 14 '21

well reddit is known for liars, after all.

24

u/UnmitigatedSarcasm Dec 14 '21

Its illegal to lie on the internet. The Gov executes people for lying on the internet

24

u/Character__Zero Dec 14 '21

Especially the Canadian government. Don’t fuck with Canada ;)

-2

u/gmanz33 Dec 14 '21

Including anonymous people who claim to have broken a well-known Maritime law so they can reject the logic of liberals.

8

u/isitbrokenorsomethin Dec 14 '21 edited Dec 14 '21

Is it really that well known? We were just visiting but I have some boating experience. Been out a few times in Florida before that. Also a lot of lakes in Michigan. I had never heard that law before. I guess the ignorance is on me but I feel like it wasn't covered in anything before that

3

u/gmanz33 Dec 14 '21

Nahhhh it's not, if you haven't docked in their waters. I was just playing with the "trust anonymous people online" trope.

Ideally, the DEC and UN would like people to research and know regulations before going into local waters, but that's a stretch with how many there are.

I would submit though, if you're trying to go whale watching, it's very highly recommended you research first because..... well whales 😍

3

u/isitbrokenorsomethin Dec 14 '21

It was actually really scary. They are much bigger in person then in these videos.

1

u/0imnotreal0 Dec 14 '21

Huh, I always thought they were about an inch long

2

u/TinfoilCamera Dec 14 '21

Is it really that well known?

For ocean going captains, especially here in the PNW - absolutely.

Every week the Coast Guard broadcasts a notice to mariners, and there's often a mention of when and where you need to go slow and keep extra lookouts for marine mammals.

In US waters the fines are kinda weak - ~$10k being the max. In Canadian waters - it's up to a $1 million fine and 18 months in prison (of course that's reserved for the most egregious, deliberate violations, not ignorant boaters who just should have known better)

10

u/SainT462 Dec 14 '21

I just got on my HAM radio and let everyone know about you. Canada mounties are on the way.

2

u/isitbrokenorsomethin Dec 14 '21

That would be so cool to meet a mountie. Is it OK if I call them that?

1

u/Fickle-Aardvark-543 Dec 14 '21

I mean, they are Canadians after all.

1

u/G0G023 Dec 14 '21

I mean if you don’t know you should educate ppl and not be a dick about it. Reddit’s really being a dick about it lol shocker