Fished Whatcom for several hours in the afternoon with Clover. No fish caught but a wise lesson learned. Whatcom gets heavy boat traffic and a lot of the boats are big and fast hence the need for a boat cop. We had a safety inspection and they checked for lifejackets (for all on board), current boat tabs and registration, a signaling device (flashlight will do if you are under, I think, 17 feet), an air horn or whistles for each onboard and a fire extinguisher (if you have an internal combustion engine). I had a lifejacket for one but not two and therefore got a ticket ($71 dollars). We were told to quit fishing and to get off of the lake promptly. After the boat was loaded up, I went and got all of the stuff that I needed. Lesson learned: get all of your safety gear and have it with you when you go out. You don't need to wear the lifejacket, at all times, if you are, I think, over eighteen, but if you are eighteen and under then the PFD's need to be worn at all times.

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