Nice to know the CG is ready

[S/V Elusive]

Anyone that would like to see a great series of photos - about a little Coast Guard training exercise: Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat vs. big wave Photo Gallery by Gary Robertshaw at pbase.com

Just another ho-hum day of training.

I've sailed in and out of MB several times ... just a few miles up the coast from here.

[Kanani]

Thanks for sharing. Those are cool pics.

One would assume that most of the time, it goes better than that...

[David M]

Hoorah for the Coasties! Hey, no government agency is perfect, but I sure am glad they are out there!

[Morgan Paul]

Hoorah for the Coasties! Hey, no government agency is perfect, but I sure am glad they are out there!

I agree.
Paul

[Randyonr3]

The big problem is they're always not out there.. and its something to think about,
The Coast Guard was given a new title a few years back and is now call the Office of Homeland Security.. and the responsibilty of the CG has now gone by the way-side in many ways..
At one time, you could call the CG on the radio and ask questions concerning weather conditions, Bar conditions, or the entry to ports.. Not any more..
My last trip down the north west coast, around Brookings Oregon.. I hailed the CG on the radio, asking for a "BAR" report as I was comming in.. I was about 30 minutes out and the weather was good but the Brookings "BAR" has been known to shoal in with a very minimum depth..
I draw 10 feet and didnt want to run aground in the narrow entrance..
The reply from the CG was to read my chart and that "I" was responsible for my boat and crew..
And again I asked for the report, saying that I didnt want to run aground and Did they by chance do a sounding over the past couple days..
I recieved the same reply, to read my chart and I'm responsible for myself, my boat and crew........
The entrance to Brookings is a river and has a swell rolling in from the southwest so entering slow to check depth is really tricky..
Once in (and the depth was 12 feet-chart said 14) I was boarded by them because I was from out of the area.....No problem there,
BUT, I was told that their duty has changed and they are more interested in security than what we were normally used to......
Just beware... Things have changed out there, and our "friendly" CG has changed aloung with it.

[David M]

The Coast Guard does not do soundings. This is the responsibility of the Army Corps of Engineers for navigable channels. You need to check the Local Notice to Mariners, which is published by the Coast Guard, for this type of information.

You can switch and answer to 22A and the Coasties are more likely to engage in a more helpful conversation. You can also call their local station by cellphone for the same thing.

The Coast Guards name has not changed to the Department of Homeland Security. The Coast Guard was transfered from the Department of Transportation to the Department of Home Security a few years ago and is now under the auspices of that Department.

The Coast Guard has been assigned many new responsibilities and is short handed. In fact, they are considering hiring civilians to do marine inspections. (not boardings). I would not expect much more from the Coasties unless their budget increases. They are people too...be nice to them and they will be much more inclined to give you safety information. I doubt they intentionally withheld the information that you requested. They are not required to give you safety information on demand. It is more of a courtesy.

[GordMay]

The United States Coast Guard has been part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security since February of 2003.
USCG: United States Coast Guard

The Office of Coast Survey is a component of the National Ocean Service which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, (NOAA).
The statutory mandate of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) authorizes NOAA to provide nautical charts and related hydrographic information for the safe navigation of maritime commerce as well as provide basic data for engineering, scientific and other commercial and industrial activities. This mandate covers all U.S. territorial waters and the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a combined area of 3.4 million square nautical miles (SNM) which extends 200 nautical miles offshore from the nation’s coastline. The production of high-quality navigation charts to support the safety of marine transportation depends on the availability of up-to-date, reliable hydrographic survey data.

[knottybuoyz]

Cant' be everywhere all the time! In Canada SAR resources are constantly assessed for risk in all areas and assets are reassigned as necessary.

The Cdn Coast Guard is a Special Operating Agency within the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Besides SAR and Icebreaking they also maintain the aids to navigation and vessel traffic control systems. You can still reach a CCG radio station on 16 as well as *16 on your cell phone.

Cheers everybody. Have a safe and happy holiday season!

[Connemara]

Indeed. I ask them (Prescott Coast Guard) for a radio check every time I leave the dock. They always come back. I usually use 22, not 16, though.

Connemara

[conrad]

Do you know where the photo series was taken??? Looked like some good surf. Let me first say I definitely RESPECT and appreciate all USCG life saving and rescue services. I was lucky enough to stay in a house on a bluff overlooking Brookings Harbor actually it is the town of Harbor the Chetco River for several months and had a great view of the area and local activities. The Coast Guard is in and out of that harbor on a regular basis and should have been aware of the general depths and conditions of the area and so should have given the info requested. Sometimes your attitude sometimes theirs Sometime people all being different can be great and helpful or just ********. The way a situation is handled is often reflective of the individual and not the organization. Thanks for all the help and fine work and to those others WELL .......... You can bet they help out and have plenty of info when the LADY WASHINGTON enters their port..........

[knottybuoyz]

Originally Posted by conrad

Do you know where the photo series was taken???

Probably Cape Disappointment. Cape Disappointment

[Randyonr3]

David
your wrong, the CG does control the "BARS" of entry to ports. and soundings is part of that control.. In Many parts of the north west, the bars or entrys are closed during bad weather.. Bar reports are the norm and are given by the CG.
The entry is under the Army Corps but only for mantaince..
The area you are in is a good example.. San Francisco Bay.. At one time, the CG was there for just about anything when you called, I have heard many calls to the CG that have been transfered over to Vessel Assist.
In fact, while coming up the river a couple years back, I call them because I could not find the height of the Rail bridge in Martinez, the charts I had on board did not have the information on it... I was transfered to Vessel Assest and never did get the info..
After doing circles for an hour or so, I did get ahold of Union Pacific to find out the bridge was 70 feet at MHT.. And you can understand my concern as I'm 68 feet fromthe water..
Now understand, I'm not Bad mouthing the CG... Just the oppisit, I commend them for the work they are doing to keep our country safe..
All I was saying is that many of the things the CG did at one time, is no longer avalable to us.. and for that, we have to be more aware of our boating skills, the places we go, and the things we do.

[TaoJones]

Originally Posted by conrad

Do you know where the photo series was taken??? Looked like some good surf.

Morro Bay, California - December 4, 2007.

TaoJones

[David M]

Originally Posted by Randyonr3

David
your wrong, the CG does control the "BARS" of entry to ports. and soundings is part of that control.. In Many parts of the north west, the bars or entrys are closed during bad weather.. Bar reports are the norm and are given by the CG.
The entry is under the Army Corps but only for mantaince..
The area you are in is a good example.. San Francisco Bay.. At one time, the CG was there for just about anything when you called, I have heard many calls to the CG that have been transfered over to Vessel Assist.
In fact, while coming up the river a couple years back, I call them because I could not find the height of the Rail bridge in Martinez, the charts I had on board did not have the information on it... I was transfered to Vessel Assest and never did get the info..
After doing circles for an hour or so, I did get ahold of Union Pacific to find out the bridge was 70 feet at MHT.. And you can understand my concern as I'm 68 feet fromthe water..
Now understand, I'm not Bad mouthing the CG... Just the oppisit, I commend them for the work they are doing to keep our country safe..
All I was saying is that many of the things the CG did at one time, is no longer avalable to us.. and for that, we have to be more aware of our boating skills, the places we go, and the things we do.

You are confusing who takes the soundings (depth measurements) with who controls who entrance to a harbor. The Army Corps of Engineers is responsible under the US Constitution for keeping water commerce open. Therefore they do the soundings (depth surveys) and the dredging, or they contract out the work in many cases.

The Coast Guard Port Captain has the authority to close the entrance to a harbor if he or she believes it to be unsafe for passage. I never said the Coast Guard does not control who can enter or leave a port.

[David M]

Originally Posted by Connemara

Indeed. I ask them (Prescott Coast Guard) for a radio check every time I leave the dock. They always come back. I usually use 22, not 16, though.

Connemara

Just to clarify something I hear ALL the time. Radio checks on 16 are illegal. Channel 9 is probably the best channel for doing your radio check. The commercial boats are required to monitor Ch9. It's best not to bug the Coasties with a radio check on 22A...they are busy enough as it is.

Getting on my soapbox here...I think we need to go back to the licensing of radio stations and the licensing of operators. I hear way too much misuse and abuse of VHF radios. A simple exam you could take at your local DMV to let people know the VHF is not a CB radio for boats would go a long way.

Either that or give the yachts their own special channels and make it illegal for them to operate on the channels that the commercial boats use.