A Nasty Collision

[zeehag]

THEY ARE RABID ABOUT FALSE POOP AND OIL CALLS ALSO-DESPITE THE CLARITY OF WATER AND EVIDUNCE TO THE CONTRARY, 5 MOORED SAILBOATS WERE JACKED UP BECAUSE OF A FALSE CALL TO USCG FROM AN AUX MEMBER WHO HAS A GRUDGE AGAINST SOME OF THE RESIDENTS HERE.. GO FIGGER....BUT IS KALIFORNIA--
THERE IS AA NO TEXTING WHILE COWBOYING RULING FOR THEM NOW , AS OF THE DECEMBER FIASCO WHEN THEY RAN OVER A BOAT AND KILLED A KID. WHILE TEXTING...IN A CROWDED WATERWAY, DURING A BOAT PARADE.

[Captain Bill]

Since when is a GPS a required piece of onboard equipment? So if we are hit while at anchor and the GPS is off or we don't have one, we cannot expect help from the Coast Guard until we go out and buy one or wait for the system to boot up and acquire enough satellites? I would like to hear what the local commandant would have to say about that.

[RiverRat]

Originally Posted by Hillbillyfunk

The owner of the speed boat has no insurance on the thing and claims that it was his son operating the vessel without his permission...

Is the owner of that boat 70+ years old? The driver in this pictures looks to be 50+ years old.

Originally Posted by Microship

I wish people could win their Darwin Awards without hurting others in the process.

...and without reproducing...

[Arch Stanton]

Sometimes I think the CG is too attached to scripts and procedures to use their brains. Maybe the volunteer staff are just covering their butts?

I overheard this conversation last month. The fisherman was NOT following procedure, but the CG didn't help AT ALL, just followed a script. The only player that appeared to have a brain was the Port of Olympia.

Calling Port of Olympia. Calling Port of Olympia.

Port of Olympia here, over.

Port of Olympia, I am a fisherman taking on water, headed to Swantown Marina (the port's marina and shipyard) and need an emergency haul-out in about an hour.

Acknoweldged, we will staff the haul-out and be ready in an hour (it was a sunday)

FISHING VESSEL TAKING ON WATER THIS IS COAST GAURD SECTOR PUGET SOUND, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION, OVER

I am 1/4 mile S/E of Hope Island, heading to Swantown marina

FISHING VESSEL TAKING ON WATER THIS IS SECTOR PUGET SOUND, MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION WE ARE SENDING ASSISTANCE

I don't need assistance, my pumps are running and I will make it to Swantown with no problems, just need a haulout when I arrive. No assistance is required.

FISHING VESSEL TAKING ON WATER, SECTOR PUGET SOUND, WHAT IS YOUR POSITION OVER

I'm 1/4 SE of Hope Island

FISHING VESSEL TAKING ON WATER, SECTOR PUGET SOUND, WHAT IS YOUR GPS LOCATION OVER

No GPS aboard, I'm OK and do not need assistance, heading to Swantown for haul-out

FISHING VESSEL TAKING ON WATER MAINTAIN YOUR POSITION, WE ARE SENDING ASSISTANCE


It went back and forth like this for half an hour. The CG were receiving him fine and wouldn't listen to his words, only follow a procedure.

[denverd0n]

Originally Posted by Arch Stanton

It went back and forth like this for half an hour. The CG were receiving him fine and wouldn't listen to his words, only follow a procedure.

Unfortunately this is in the nature of bureaucracies. There are always going to be those who see their job as one of filling out forms, following rules, and adhering to the script. Those who will toss the script, respond to the situation, and make a real effort to help, put themselves at risk if anything goes wrong in the least little way. This is because, as we all know, in the aftermath of any problem there will be blaming and finger-pointing. Those who do NOT follow the script and fill out all the proper forms are easy to point fingers at and to blame.

Like it or not, this is an inescapable aspect of any and all government bureaucracies. The good news is that there are so many within these bureaucracies who are willing to put the script aside when it is obvious that the situation calls for it. The bad news, of course, is that there will always be many who will simply adhere to the script and follow the rules.

[hellosailor]

"Unfortunately this is in the nature of bureaucracies. ...and adhering to the script."

Which means that sometimes, you actually can compel the impossible to happen, if you choose your words very carefully and lead the other party down a path that will have only one end.

[svHyLyte]

FWIW, in the area where this event occured, the Manatee County Sheriff has a very active Marine Patrol that frequently responds much more quickly than can the USCG even for SAR requests. The Tampa bay area is very large and the Coast Guard are frequently heavily burdened with demands. This is not to suggest that the incident did not warrent a quick response but sometimes hailing the Marine Patrol (in Florida) will get a much faster response than will hailing the CG.