gCaptain’s photo of the week is a helicopter shot of LNG Tanker Lokoja (IMO# 9269960). Built by the Korean shipyard Daewoo in 2006 she is owned by BW Gas and chartered to Suez LNG.
What makes this the photo of the week is both the amazing perspective and the photographer himself. gCaptain believes every mariner has a specialty, hobby or interest that makes him unique and we love to showcase their work. This is a great example because, like our friend OneEighteen’s best work, Carlos Ferreira, the photographer, took this shot while performing his everyday duties at sea. Carlos also happens to have a day job that every mariner deeply appreciates, Rescue Captain aboard Spain’s Rescue Helicopter “Pesca 2″.
For more of Carlos’ amazing photos CLICK HERE.
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, helicopter, LNG, lng tanker, Photo, rescue-swimmer
On the heels of gCaptain’s interview with Commandant Thad Allen, the Unofficial Coast Guard blog sits down with the Coast Guard’s Atlantic Area Commander, Vice Admiral Papp. They tell us:
It was a little less than a month ago that I mentioned the newly found blog of Vice Admiral Papp, the Atlantic Area Commander, where it was noted that he was on a trip visiting our folks on the other side of the pond who are pulling duty as part of Patrol Forces Southwest Asia (PATFORSWA). Well it just so happens that two days before he left I’d requested an interview with him, however, that had to wait until his return. Though it would have been nice to be blogging from afar…
Anyway, from what I’ve figured out the official party went to the Azores, Naples, Kuwait, Bahrain, back to Kuwait, Northern Arabian Gulf, Umm Qsar (Iraq), Valletta (Malta), and back home… wow. From the photos alone I’d say they made it to every single one of our Coasties out there showing the support of LANTAREA. I’ll be posting more of the photos as part of our Coast Guard Image series in the near future.
Click HERE for the full interview.
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, interview, USCG
Google, the search engine and advertising powerhouse that is just about set to take over the world, is catching some real grief over their original Veterans Day logo (shown above).
In celebration of a special event or holiday, Google often creates special designs (they call it a “doodle”) of the Google logo. Yesterday, they followed suit with a Veterans Day doodle depicting the Google logo with four military style hats draped over some of the letters. However due to complaints, Google changed the logo to add a fifth hat.
What did they leave out? The Coast Guard! Google’s blog explains:
Today is Veterans Day in the U.S., a day to honor all veterans of military service. As we often do, we created a special design of the Google logo (which we call a “doodle”) in honor of the event. The design for the doodle featured a few military-style hats. We weren’t trying to represent all of the branches or all of the symbols of military service and, as a result of space and design limitations, we inadvertently left the U.S. Coast Guard out of our depiction.
Understandably, we have heard from many veterans and Coast Guard members, and have now posted an updated version of our Veterans Day doodle, including all five branches of the military. [Continue Reading →]
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, google, holiday, USCG
INTERVIEW WITH USCG RESCUE HELICOPTER CREW
This past July, in a gCaptain and Robin Storm exclusive, we brought you the Lessons Learned by North Atlantic freak wave survivor Jean Pierre de Lutz. Just two months prior to that article Jean was aboard the sailboat Sean Seamor II when he found trouble in the north Atlantic. In the final logbook entry he writes:
On or around 7 May 2007 the s/v Sean Seamour II was struck by a what is believed to be a “freak wave”, during Subtropical Storm Andrea. The sailboat was broadsided by a wave that did an great deal of damage to the boat and sent the crew flying about the cabin doing 360’s and causing its Master to break his ribs. The wave caused the sailboat to immediately list starboard.
After a harrowing time riding the waves a EPIRB signal was received by the USCG and a C-130 over fight located the wave riding crew. A J-Hawk Helicopter was dispatched to the area and launched a rescue swimmer, who injured his back during the insertion into the water, when a wave dropped from beneath him and he dropped some 50 to 70 feet. All of this done in 50 to 70 foot seas, with winds estimated at 80 knots.
Today we bring you an MAIS Podcast interview with the entire crew of the J-Hawk Helicopter that came to their rescue. It’s a story of survival in nature’s harshest conditions so be sure to listen.
THE HEROS
Aviation Survival Technician Second Class Drew D. Dazzo, H-60 Rescue Swimmer
Lieutenant Commander Nevada A. Smith, H-60 Aircraft Commander
Lieutenant Junior Grade Aaron G. Nelson, H-60 Copilot
Aviation Maintenance Technician Second Class Scott D. Higgins, H-60 Flight Mechanic
Read the Award Ceremony Minutes HERE.
THE VIDEO
Background Reading
MAIS Special Report – Rescue on The High Seas;
Messing About In Ships Podcast #12 - Special Interview of US Coast Guard Rescue of Sailors Aboard the Yacht Sean Seymour II:
Play Now |
Play in Popup |
Download
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, rescue at sea, rescue-swimmer, sailing, sean seymour II, severe weather, Subtropical Storm Andrea, survival, USCG
Launched last week the Bertholf is the United States Coast Guard’s newest cutter. Click HERE to visit the ship’s homepage and HERE for shipyard photos.
Related Posts:
Tags: · bertholf, coast-guard, interesting_ship, USCG
Photo By Jay Q
The first documented lighthouse was in Alexandria Egypt, circa 290 BC. And today, lighthouses are an endangered species.
Pharos Lighthouse stood on the eastern point of Pharos Island some distance from the city center of Alexandria. Indeed this lighthouse is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.
For sailors, it ensured a safe return to the Great Harbor. It was the tallest building on Earth. And for scientists, it was the mysterious mirror that fascinated them most… The mirror which reflection could be seen more than 50 km (35 miles) off-shore.
Today’s lighthouses are slowly be phased out due to the advent of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and other electronic navigational aids (I could rant here, but won’t;) just as lighthouse keepers gave way to automated lights. In the words of the US Coast Guard some lighthouses are, “No longer critical for safe navigation.” I’m waiting for the day the Coast Guard issues all mariners a chart plotter, because they are less expensive than maintaining aids to navigation.
___________________________
This post was written by Richard Rodriguez, Rescue Tug Captain, and US Coast Guard approved instructor for License Training. You can read more of his articles at the BitterEnd of the net.
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, gps, lighthouses, marine navigation, Navigation, USCG
As a member of the first “class” of mariners to fall under the new USCG training requirements for Chief Mate / Master I have enough Coast Guard licensing related stories of frustration to launch a separate blog. During these years of battling various REC’s one name surfaced repeatedly as source for sound advice; Andy Hammond. During his tenure as Coast Guard Regional Exam Center Chief he led the Boston REC to a position of the most respected in the country and made every mariner living outside his district envious of their New England counterparts.
I am therefore very excited to announce his latest en-devour; Maritime Licensing LLC, a national license consulting firm that aims to help mariners with the USCG’s credentialing process. In addition to his service, West Coast based mariners looking for guidance have the option of asking the equally respected licensing expert Norleen Schumer of MaritimeLicensing.com to help.
I wish no mariner the extent of problems I had advancing my license but with the emergence of these two companies I am confident you can breeze through any difficulty. -John
Links:
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, maritime licensing, USCG
This Week Admiral Thad Allen gave his annual State Of The Coast Guard speech at the National Press Club in Washington DC. The Unofficial Coast Guard blog has posted a copy of the internal All Hands email HERE and you can watch video of the speech HERE.
Related Posts:
Tags: · Admiral Thad Allen, coast-guard, State Of The Coast Guard
USCG Press Release 7 Feb 2008:
Last April the Coast Guard asked for public comment on the need to continue broadcasting high frequency (HF) high seas weather forecasts for single sideband voice, facsimile charts and text messages over radiotelex (e.g. HF NAVTEX). The Coast Guard required public comment because the infrastructure necessary to provide these services had exceeded its life expectancy and significant costs were involved to continue these services.
After reviewing and analyzing the substantial public response that overwhelmingly urged the continuation of these services, the Coast Guard’s “business case study” concluded that it was necessary to continue HF weather broadcasts. The business case study, “An Impact Assessment of Discontinuing USCG High-Frequency Radio Broadcasts of NWS Marine Weather Forecasts” is posted at: http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/marcomms/high_frequency/HF-WX_notice.htm
The study concluded:
“The responding public collectively perceives that the USCG HF broadcasts are essential to their safety. There is no viable alternative to the USCG HF broadcasts because present alternatives are perceived by the public to be out of financial reach. Also, marine weather forecasts available through these alternative sources may not guarantee the same level of accuracy, timeliness, and/or sufficiency as provided by the USCG HF broadcasts.”
While the Coast Guard does not have funds necessary to replace all of its HF transmitters, funds are available to replace the 20 transmitters used for weather broadcasts.
gCaptain appreciates the letters sent after highlighting this issue in May.
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, GMDSS, hf radio, USCG, weather fax
The BBC Tells us;
A cargo ship captain who was seriously injured in a force 10 gale off the Isles of Scilly is in hospital after being rescued by helicopter.
The aircraft lifted six other people from the ship 70 miles off Land’s End. Two of them had less serious injuries.
The three are believed to have been hurt when a giant wave hit the vessel and the cargo shifted.
Rescue attempts had to be abandoned overnight because of the extreme weather conditions and darkness.
After Saturday’s successful mission, Chief Petty Officer Dave Rigg said: “We pitched up on scene. I got lowered down on to the deck, went in, assessed the three casualties first.
“They were all fairly stable so whilst I was doing that I called for my colleague from the Ambulance Service.
“He then assisted me getting them into the stretcher – we then got the casualties into the aircraft and made our way back.” Continue Reading…
Related Links: In Pictures – M/V Riverdance
Related Posts:
Tags: · coast-guard, rescue, riverdance, UK
gCaptain On Twitter
gCaptain On Facebook
gCaptain On LinkedIn