Happy Birthday  (we really work with a great organization)

(A Vessel Examiner heard this story during a Vessel Safety Check.)
It was the skipper's 55th birthday, he was not in the best of moods, so he anchored his boat out in the Bay and gloomily considered things.  Alongside came a Coast Guard 25.  "Hi" said the fellow in the blue uniform, "we'd like to come on-board and do an inspection."  "Look," said the skipper, "it's my 55th birthday, I'm not in the best of moods, and I'm gloomily considering things.  How about you guys come back later."  "Well, we can't do that," said the guardsman, "but we'll try to be quick."

Anyway, the skipper is ex-Navy, his boat is Bristol, he easily passed the inspection, the Coast Guard boat left, and he went back to gloomily considering things.

A couple of hours later the Coast Guard boat came back alongside.  "Now what do you guys want?" said the skipper.  "We have something for you, Happy Birthday" said the guardsman as he leaned over the rail and handed the skipper a small birthday cake.

 Coast Guard Boarded!

Wait a  minute!  The Coast Guard boards boats.  Who would try to board a Coast Guard vessel?  Take a look at this video...link and see.

Perfect Timing (sometimes machines fail, and it can be at the worst time)

We're on patrol in the delta when Station broadcasts that a burning boat has drifted up against the fishing pier under the Antioch Bridge.  We call in and go on plane at full throttle.  There is another Auxiliary facility responding as well as the county sheriff.  The USCG station up river launches a 25 but he has a long ways to come.  We're closest.  We arrive in the area and spot the boat -- not too hard since he's the only one pouring smoke.

Two on board in life jackets; smoke but no fire; boat riding high and level; no wind or waves but a strong current smacking them against the concert fishing pier.  The coxswain makes a call to get them off the pier before they breach and sink.  We spin around; bow and stern lines ready; reverse and come in close to pass a line.  And our motor that is fairly new, the motor that is meticulously maintained, the motor that has performed perfectly on numerous patrols, that darn motor quits.  The boat hook is already out and we begin some determined fending but it is a very strong current and crash, we have an intimate encounter with the fishing pier.

Crank up the out drive and take a look; prop OK, outdrive OK, transom OK.  The rub rail on the swim platform has given it's all for the cause.  The engine restarts without a problem and we lower and test the outdrive - it's OK. We're back under way, but in the meantime the county sheriff has gotten the burning boat in a side tow and is calling for us to come up on the other side and take off the passengers.  We pull up, set the fenders, make our lines, and evacuate two people who will probably give up boating as a hobby.

The sheriff gets the fire under control and takes the boat into the local marina.  We follow and disembark the two folks from the boat.  Some wrenching on the motor and the problem is found and fixed.  The coxswain checks that everyone is OK, including the two boat crew trainees who may be wondering what they've signed up for, so off we go to check on some PATON's (private aids to navigation).

Fire under control, the sheriff uses a side tow to take the boat into a local marina. (photo M. Marseille)

Fleet Week

Fleet Week in San Francisco is a big event for the US Coast Guard and the USCG Auxiliary.  There is a lot to do and it is a great opportunity to meet the public and work on our missions in education, boating safety, and environmental protection.  It's an opportunity for new members to get involved in some activity.  If you can get on a boat for one day, it is also a great opportunity to have an amazing view of the Blue Angeles air show.

Blue Angeles flying over San Francisco Bay with the Golden Gate Bridge in the background. (photo Bernard Zee)

Before the air show, a large box in the middle of the bay has to be cleared of boats.  This is because (1) we don't want an airplane to fall on anyone's head, and (2) the Blue Angeles fly very fast and very close together and they make their turns based on visual landmarks.  They have to pick out these landmarks in the blink of an eye, and this would not be possible if the bay was cluttered with boats.  The bay has to be clear or there won't be an air show.

The box is bounded by the Golden Gate and Oakland Bay bridges, the San Francisco waterfront, and Angel Island.  It's a big area and there are thousands of boats looking for a good view of the show.  For many would mean being in the center of the box, and it's the Coast Guard's job to keep them clear.

The four sides of the box are designated Divisions A, B, C, and D, and each is commanded by a Division Captain in a USCG 87 foot cutter.  The picket line guarding the borders of the box is composed of boats from the Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, county sheriffs, and police and fire departments.  We all get into position and patrol back and forth showing the boating public where the line is and educating folks as needed.  Boating people are generally very nice and it's easy to work with them.

It's surprising how loud one of those jets can be.  The Coast Guard passes out ear plugs to everyone on the picket line, but some crew don't put them in at first.  But when the first Blue Angel goes howling overhead, you'll see everyone fetching those plugs and using them.

A USCG Auxiliary boat gets a close look at a Blue Angel.  Yes, those airplanes are loud.  Note the pressure wave on the water behind the jet. (photo Bernard Zee)

One footnote to the air show --  behind the scenes there is a contingent of FAA personnel and their equipment, and the FAA has a final say about what happens.  They work from the West side of the Bay at Aquatic Park, and they get to work from Alameda on the East side of the Bay by riding their own ferry service provided by an Auxiliary trawler.

This Auxiliary boat plays an important role behind the scenes by transporting the FAA folks.

Getting Towed

There are many ways the Auxiliary can help the US Coast Guard, and one of them is with training.  Coast Guard boats have to be prepared to work with all types of civilian craft, and Auxiliary facilities can help provide this diversity.

Both the USCG and USCG Auxiliary can take a boat in tow, but we are not a free towing service.  We can offer a boater advice, we can call a buddy to come out and help, and we can call "Vessel Assist," the boat version of a commercial tow truck.  But if there is a medical  emergency or there is an immediate danger to lives or property, we can respond and tow a vessel to safety.

The two types of tows encountered are stern and side tows.  The stern tow is most common and involves towing with a line from the stern of the towing vessel to the bow of the vessel being towed.  This is fairly simple in calm water, but when there are waves and wind it can become challenging to deal with the towed boat yawing and pitching and with the shock loads on the towing line.

A USCG 25 RIB boat takes an Auxiliary facility in stern tow.  (photo M. Marseille)

     A side tow is used when precise control is needed, such as when the towed boat is being positioned at a dock.  This tow requires four lines between the boats.  These lines control the lateral position of the boats and allows the tow boat to accelerate and decelerate without changing the position of the towed boat. 

A USCG 25 RIB boat makes up lines to take an Auxiliary facility in side tow.  (photo M. Marseille)

Many Other Stories

...to be completed!