Be Seen

Here's a not-so-gentle reminder that just because you can see a boat coming towards you doesn't mean that the people on the boat can see you. Especially at night.
A boater in New Zealand was the last of nine boats in a row crossing a channel in the late evening. He told local media, “I was following another boat on the same heading, but a little out to his left so I could ride the smooth water in his wake about fifty metres off his stern. I felt the boat collide with an object and run up over something. I shut down the throttle and engaged neutral and turned hard to starboard pulling up fairly quickly.”
The boater turned his floodlight, and saw that he had indeed struck a kayaker, who was now floundering in the water. Fortunately, the kayaker bailed out of his kayak just before impact. But as he tried to ascertain the condition of the swimming kayaker, a second kayak and then a third paddled out of the darkness. Luckily, neither the kayaker nor his kayak were injured, but now the group faced a different problem. The boater continues, “It was clear he had no idea how to re-enter his kayak so I directed the other two kayakers to right his kayak and get him out of the water.” The boater, as it turned out, is an experienced kayaker and was able to instruct the group how to get their mate back in his kayak.
None of the three kayaks had any lights, and despite the fact there were three people on the boat facing forwards and keeping lookout, none of them saw the kayak until they collided.
So remember, be seen! Lights, reflective clothing and equipment. You don't want to end up being some boater's speedbump.