[tevake]

I've probably acclumulated over three years of time spent in the waters of other countries in the South Pacific on various trips, And rarely been approached by their law enforcement vessels.
Most have a small navy of a few small cutter type vessels used for patrolling their national waters. And no Coast Guard to be seen.

Arriving yachts are required to check in with Port Captain, Health and Imigration inspectors at a major port, before stopping in elsewhere. Once cleared in you are free to wander at will, with some few exceptions.

In some cases their police and Imigration officers will come out in small boats to check out visiting yachts in anchorages to see if they have done the required check in formalities. Rarely armed or aggressive, just checking your papers, possibly come aboard when invited, for a cold drink and maybe share some local points of interest.
Quite friendly and casual.

Quite the contrast to the armed forced boardings now experienced here with the cutter standing by with the 50 cal mounted and manned on the bow.

Yes Jeff, being a boater and especially a live aboard in the US is quite the loss of citizens rights afforded to citizens ashore.
Plus the right to anchor freely is being increasingly limited in most coastal states. Now with designated anchoring areas shrinking and pressure to mainly stay in harbors or marinas becoming the norm.

It is what it is in this land of the free.
Don't get me wrong, I love America and am happy to be a citizen. It's just that there seems to be some very tense law enforcement procedures in place these days.
And I'm an old white guy, can't imagine the experience of being a "suspicious minority type guy."

Sorry, rant over.

Cheers Richard

Ps. I can see that my last couple of "safety check boardings". Have left a really bad taste in my mouth. In contrast to how I've been treated overseas. Sorry to have vented it all out here.