US Coast Guard Auxiliary, District 13, Division 7

Coast Guard responds to disabled vessel off Tongue Point

Brian Rollins — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 17:55:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Coast Guard is investigating the report of a disabled vessel that is anchored off of Tongue Point, Ore., Monday. Coast Guard Sector Portland, Ore., marine inspectors and investigators are en route to the scene to conduct an inspection and investigation of the vessel. The 732-foot motor vessel Golden Glow, a Greek flagged bulk carrier, was proceeding outbound in the Columbia River with approximately 55,000 tons of grain when one of two steering gear pumps failed. The vessel was able to safely navigate to the designated anchorage using its functioning steering motor. The Coast Guard Cutter Fir, a 225-foot buoy tender homported in Astoria, Ore., is currently moored at Tongue Point and its crew observed the anchored vessel and reported no adverse impact to the environment. Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment also launched a 47-foot motor lifeboat crew to verify no pollution was originating from the vessel. The Captain of the Port, Portland, is holding the vessel until repairs have been verified and are complete. International Convention requires that ships of this size maintain two functional steering systems in order to safely navigate in the event that one becomes disabled.

Columbia River, Tillamook Bay, Ore., Grays Harbor, Wash., River Bar Closures

Brian Rollins — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:34:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Portland, Ore., has closed the Columbia River, Tillamook Bay, Ore., and Grays Harbor river bars Sunday due to hazardous conditions.

The bar closures are for all vessels and any request to transit the bars prior to re-opening must be approved by the Captain of the Port, Portland. Mariners may contact the Coast Guard on VHF-FM Channel 16 for further information or to request crossing.

The Coast Guard will be re-evaluating the bar closures on an ongoing basis and expect to re-open these waterways as soon as the offshore weather improves.

The Coast Guard understands the effects these closures have on commerce and will make every effort to re-open these waterways as soon as they are considered safe for navigation.

Coast Guard spotlights crab fishing safety in Oregon

Brian Rollins — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:41:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. — Coast Guard personnel is conducting vessel safety spot checks and voluntary dockside exams in Harbor, Ore., starting Sunday, just prior to the opening of the Oregon Dungeness Crab fishery.

Coast Guard examiners will spot check for watertight integrity, primary lifesaving equipment and review pot loading practices on vessels while in port. These spot checks include looking over survival suits, Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs,) and liferafts to ensure that these critical safety items are ready for use should an emergency occur at sea.

Similar safety checks in previous years found that between one-quarter and one-third of EPIRBs and liferafts are installed improperly. Most of these deficiencies are easy to correct. Fishermen are advised that extremely serious discrepancies, such as overloading, lack of watertight integrity, missing primary lifesaving equipment, or non-functioning EPIRBs may result in a vessel being restricted from operating until the problems are corrected.

In addition to the checks, Coast Guard fishing vessel safety personnel will be available to conduct basic safety training, as well as voluntary dockside safety examinations for interested vessels.

This outreach effort is part of Operation Safe Crab, the Coast Guard’s continuing initiative to reduce the number of fisherman’s lives lost at sea. Commercial Dungeness crabbing vessels operate in some of the winter’s worst weather, in hazardous waters, and have the highest fatality rate of any West Coast fishery. According to a study conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) in Anchorage from 2000-2007, 766 fishermen per 100,000 were fatally injured in the Dungeness crab fishery off of the Oregon coast.

For information regarding Operation Safe Crab or availability of voluntary dockside exams please call Curt Farrell, Commercial Fishing Vessel Coordinator, Coast Guard Sector Portland, at (503) 240-9373 or e-mail curtis.j.farrell@uscg.mil.

Coast Guard Responds To Pollution On The Willamette River

Brian Rollins — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:15:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Coast Guard is responding to pollution at Riverplace Marina in Portland, Sunday.

Coast Guard Sector Portland responded to and boomed off a combination of gasoline and engine oil discharged into the water after a 24′ fiberglass pleasure craft sank at approximately 7 a.m. The booms deployed will assist with absorbing the spilled engine oil and allow for the gasoline to quickly evaporate.

Coast Guard Sector Portland pollution investigators are on scene and have hired the NRC Environmental Services to remove the remaining gasoline and oil from both the water and the vessel.

“Pollution cases are extremely time sensitive, immediate notification increases the chance for maximum pollutants removed from our local ports and waterways,” said Lt.j.g. Jared Pomajzl, Sector Portland’s Incident Management Division duty officer.

Under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act and the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, the Coast Guard has the authority to conduct all pollution investigations and direct pollution cleanup efforts.

The cause of the sinking is under investigation.

Coast Guard Established A Safety Zone On The Columbia River

Brian Rollins — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 11:58:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Coast Guard established a safety zone Sunday on the Columbia River during a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers channel improvement project between Warrior Point and Bachelor Point near St. Helens, Ore.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port, Portland, Ore., established the safety zone from Duck Club Light 6, east across to Bachelor Island, downstream following the shoreline to Austin Point and across the river to Warrior Point, due to blasting of the river bed with explosives.

All mariners are advised that the channel will be narrowed down to one lane in the safety zone and no passing or overtaking will be allowed.

The on-scene safety boat must be contacted prior to transiting the waterway and can be reached for passing information and other requests at (503) 396-9893 or VHF-FM channel 16. Access to the Columbia River from Lake River and Lewis River will be allowed with the permission of the Captain of the Port, Portland, via the safety boat.

This project is scheduled to continue through Feb. 28, 2010. For additional information contact the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Portland District, at (503) 808-5150 or e-mail DLL-CENWPQuestions@nwp01.usace.army.mil.

Detailed information and blasting schedule is available at www.crci-project.info/.

Operation Dry Water

Brian Rollins — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:17:00 GMT

For Immediate Release Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Marine Enforcement of Boating Under the Influence Stepped Up this Weekend "Operation Dry Water" Part of a Nationwide Effort

Salem, OR -- Recreational boaters may want to think twice before reaching for that cold beer this weekend. Marine law enforcement officers, as part of a national coordinated effort of stepped-up enforcement known as Operation Dry Water, will be out in force looking for boat operators who are drinking and boating. Operation Dry Water will include increased patrols and educating boaters about the importance of boating sober.

"We want people to be safe and have fun while recreational boating,"

says Dale Flowers, Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Marine Board.

"But alcohol use has become the leading contributing factor in fatal recreational boating accidents. We recommend that boaters avoid drinking alcoholic beverages at all times, or at least have a designated driver. In Oregon, .08% is the legal threshold, but boaters can still be impaired at lower blood alcohol levels and arrested for blowing below .08%. It’s all about impairment and keeping the waterways safe for everyone to enjoy,” Flowers adds.

Alcohol impairs a boater’s judgment, balance, vision, and reaction time. It also increases fatigue and susceptibility to the effects of cold-water immersion. Sun, wind, noise, vibration, and motion - “stressors” common to the boating environment - intensify the effects of alcohol, drugs, and some prescription medications. United States Coast Guard statistics reveal in 2007 that nearly 21% of all boating fatalities were a result of alcohol use.

Impaired boaters caught this weekend can expect penalties to be severe.

In Oregon, boaters arrested for boating under the influence of intoxicants (BUII) can face up to 1 year in jail, $6,250 in fines, and loss of boating privileges. A conviction of BUII also works in concert with DUII, and three convictions of either offense become a felony crime.

"There will be arrests this weekend, and some boaters will face the consequences of BUII," added Flowers. "But we'd much rather arrest someone than to have to tell their friends and family they're never coming back."

Operation Dry Water is a joint program of the Oregon State Marine Board, the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA), the U.S. Coast Guard, and local county marine patrols. More information is available at www.operationdrywater.org. and www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/BoatLaws/OperationDryWater.shtml.

Coast Guard Rescues Man Near Coos Bay, Oregon

Brian Rollins — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 19:16:00 GMT

February 23rd, 2009
SEATTLE — The Coast Guard rescued a 73-year-old man near Coos Bay, Ore., Sunday. _A Coast Guard watchstander at the Coos Bay lookout tower spotted a vessel overturned and a man in the water around 2:15 p.m. Station Coos Bay immediately launched a motor lifeboat crew to the scene. The man was rescued and transferred to an awaiting ambulance at Station Coos Bay. Station Coos Bay is in the mouth of Coos Bay and is the seventh largest port on the West Coast.

Tillamook Fire Department and Coast Guard Rescues 7 People from Floods

Brian Rollins — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 22:08:00 GMT

November 13th, 2008
SEATTLE — The Coast Guard assisted the Tillamook County, Ore., Fire Department in saving seven people who were stranded after their cars were swept off the road by flooding near Fawcett Creek, Ore., Wednesday night.

Coast Guard Group Astoria, Ore., received a request for assistance at 9 p.m. from the Tillamook County Fire Department to help rescue a mother and her two infants who were stranded in their car after being swept off of the road by strong flooding.

Coast Guard Station Tillamook Bay launched a swift water rescue crew and Coast Guard Air Station Astoria launched an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew.

The Tillamook County Fire Department was able to successfully rescue the mother and two infants from their car. Members from the swift water rescue crew were able to successfully rescue four people from a second car that was also swept off the road.

All of the rescued people were taken to a local hospital as a precaution. No injuries were reported.

Coast Guard crews across Washington and Oregon continue to stand-by in case they are needed to assist local agencies as heavy weather continues to batter the region.

“The Coast Guard routinely works with other agencies to provide services and conduct missions for inland search and rescue,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Ronnie Mason, an operations specialist at Group Astoria. “The knowledge and fast response of both Station Tillamook Bay’s swift water rescue team and the Tillamook Fire and Rescue team contributed to the 7 lives saved here this evening.”

New Rule Adopted for the Lower Willamette River

Brian Rollins — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 19:49:00 GMT

Rule Adopted for the Lower Willamette River
On October 14, 2008 the Marine Board adopted the staff recommendation which proposed the following:

"Based on the large body of public comment as well as direction from the Governor's office and the Department of State Lands, staff recommended that the Board adopt the following amendments to OAR 250-020-0032 and 250-020-0385 to be in effect on January 1, 2009":

On the Willamette River from the Hwy 219 Bridge at RM 48.5 to the upper end of Willow Island at RM 31.5, the following rules apply:
(a) No person shall operate a motorboat at a speed in excess of a "Slow-No-Wake" maximum 5 mph speed within 100 feet of private docks, boathouses or moorages legally permitted by the Oregon Department of State Lands.
(b) No person shall use wake-enhancing devices, including ballast tanks, wedges or hydrofoils or other mechanical devices, or un-even loading of persons or gear, to artificially operate bow-high.

After allowing brief comments from meeting attendees, the Board discussed the proposed rules and the staff recommendation. Board Member Trey Carskadon recommended an amendment to the staff recommendation timeline for item (b), to take effect January 1, 2010. The Board voted with three members in support of the revised staff recommendation and one member opposed.

SUMMARY: Beginning January 1, 2009 (a) No person shall operate a motorboat at a speed in excess of a "Slow-No-Wake" maximum 5 mph speed within 100 feet of private docks, boathouses or moorages legally permitted by the Oregon Department of State Lands.
Beginning January 1, 2010 (b) No person shall use wake-enhancing devices, including ballast tanks, wedges or hydrofoils or other mechanical devices, or un-even loading of persons or gear, to artificially operate bow-high.

Lower Willamette River -Background, Notices, Proposed Rules

The Marine board is proposing a “congestion zone” designation on the Willamette River from river mile 31.5 at the upper end of Willow Island (near Canby) to the Highway 219 Bridge at river mile 48.5. Within the congestion zone, boats pulling recreational devices such as wakeboards, water skis and inflatable toys, would be prohibited from operating within 200 feet behind other boats pulling recreational devices, must operate at least 200 feet away from docks and private moorages, and must avoid power-on “u-turns” or figure eights. Additionally, wake enhancing devices, including ballast tanks, wedges or hydrofoils or other mechanical devices, uneven loading of persons or gear to artifically operate bow high are prohibited within the defined congestion zone.

The Board approved a slow-no-wake zone from I-5 Boones Ferry Bridge at RM 38 and the Railroad Bridge immediately upriver at their July 8 meeting in Salem.

Click here to view the proposed rule language.
Public Notice Poster
River Widths (arial view and proximity) of proposed regulation.
Wake Setback Diagrams
OSMB's Wake Page

Coast Guard begins clean-up of former Navy LST on the Columbia River

Brian Rollins — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:38:00 GMT

PORTLAND - The Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and the Washington Department of Ecology are beginning the process of removing hazardous materials aboard a derelict vessel on the Oregon side of the Columbia River near Longview, Wash., and Rainier, Ore.

Contractors working under the direction of the Coast Guard are removing oil and other hazardous substances from the ex-USS Washtenaw County (LST-1166), a former 374-foot Navy landing ship. The vessel was decommissioned in 1973 following its service during the Vietnam War and has been privately owned by various entities since. The vessel poses an environmental threat due to deterioration and the presence of hazardous materials and oily waste on board. The threat has been greatly increased by the actions of metal thieves, who stripped piping and fittings from the ship, triggering the release of hazardous substances onto most of the decks aboard the vessel.

The Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Portland issued an order in June 2008 requiring the owner of the vessel to submit a plan for oil and hazardous material cleanup. The owner, a small local non-profit organization, was unable to meet the requirements of the order which resulted in the Coast Guard overseeing the removal of these products.

After an assessment, the Coast Guard, EPA and other state and local agencies have begun the long process of removing hazardous materials on the vessel. Pollution investigators from the combined agencies will continue to oversee cleanup efforts aboard the vessel, which are expected to be completed by the end of October.

Coast Guard assists vessel taking on water

Brian Rollins — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:25:00 GMT

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard and Washington Department of Ecology (DOE) are responding to the report of a 58-foot fishing vessel taking on water near Grays Harbor, Wash., Monday.

At 6:45 a.m., Coast Guard Group/Air Astoria received a call from the fishing vessel Miss Michelle on VHF channel 16 reporting that the vessel was sinking and that the five people aboard abandoned ship to the vessel’s 22-foot work skiff. The five people were recovered by a Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor small boat and brought safely to shore.

The vessel has been reported to have the capacity to hold 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel.

The vessel is currently awash but afloat in vicinity of Buoy 9 near the south side of the entrance channel. The Captain of the Port, Portland has established a 100-yeard safety zone around the vessel.

Two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Grays harbor and an HH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Group/Air Station Astoria were deployed and are on scene along with the DOE.

A marine investigator and three incident responders are enroute from Sector Portland, to determine the cause of the incident and to stabilize the vessel. The Coast Guard has contracted with a pollution response organization and a salvage specialist, in the event they are needed.

Although no pollution has been reported, Coast and Ecology responders are preparing for any potential fuel spill.

Representatives from the US Department of Interior and the Washington Department of Ecology are also responding to the incident, and will form a unified command on scene.

The cause of the incident is under investigation.

Coast Guard Station Grays Harbor is located in Westport, Wash., near the mouth of Grays Harbor. Members of the unit perform search and rescue, ports, waterways and coastal security, law enforcement, aids to navigation support, and environmental protection.

Boat Touches Down in Columbia River

Brian Rollins — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:23:00 GMT

October 9th, 2008
Portland - The Panamanian flagged motor vessel Ultra Ace scraped the bottom of the Columbia River Wednesday evening near CR mile 30. There was no apparent damage to the vessel and no water pollution was reported.

The vessel returned to anchorage in Astoria safetly. The Captain of the Port of Portland has ordered that the vessel complete an underwater hull survey prior to departing the anchorage.

The Ultra Ace was was traveling upriver at the time of the incident. It left the channel in order to pass another vessel and when returning to the channel scraped the starboard quarter.

The vessel is empty and scheduled to pick up a bulk load of wheat.

ANT Kennewick installs experimental LED system on Columbia River

Brian Rollins — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:16:00 GMT

October 15th, 2008

USCG Pacific Northwest blog reports that:
The waters of the Columbia River were glassy and calm Wednesday as members of Aids to Navigation Team Kennewick, Wash., installed an experimental, new, self-contained LED light into an ATON platform.

The new lights are being tested by the Coast Guard throughout various regions of the U.S. and require no external battery or wiring. Testing of the lights will take three to four years while the Coast Guard measures the durability and reliability of the device.

“The system is all based on LED, Light Emitting Diodes,” said Chief Gary Hurdle, Commanding Officer of ANT Kennewick. “They’re supposedly more efficient, and more reliable. That’s what the testing hopes to prove, anyway.”

Northwest Recreational Boating Fatalities Increase Over First Half Of 2008

Brian Rollins — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:23:00 GMT

SEATTLE - The 2008 boating season is still new but recreational boating fatalities have risen to nearly 18 percent higher than this time last year.

As of today, there have been 28 reported recreational boating fatalities in the four Pacific Northwest states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana compared to 23 fatalities by this time last year. What is even more alarming is that 22 of the 28 fatalities could have been prevented if only the persons involved would have been wearing a lifejacket.

Washington State leads with 12 fatalities, up from 11 this time last year. Of those 12, 11 persons were not wearing lifejackets. Though there are laws requiring children 12 years of age and under to wear lifejackets while on a boat two of the 12 fatalities were children.

Of the other three states, Oregon comes in second with eight fatalities, up two from this time last year, Montana with four, up two, and Idaho with four, even with the number of fatalities the previous year.

Alcohol has also played a key roll in recreational boating fatalities. Of the 28 fatalities, alcohol played a significant roll or was a primary cause in six of those deaths. Alcohol use effects those on the water greater that those who are not. Noise, irregular movement, glare and exposure to heat all cause fatigue and an increase in the effect of alcohol. This significantly reduces judgment and reaction time, proving that alcohol and boating do not mix. Nationally 21 percent of all fatal accidents involve alcohol.

The U.S. Coast Guard, Oregon State Marine Board, Washington State Parks, Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation and Montana Department of Fish Wildlife and Parks strongly urge all boaters to make risk prevention a part of their boating lifestyle. Wearing a lifejacket gives everyone the best chance of surviving a boating accident. Nationally less than nine percent of all adult boaters wear a lifejacket and in 90 percent of all recreational boating fatalities lifejackets were not worn.

Wearing lifejackets saves lives.

Coast Guard Responded to the Grounding of the Sternwheeler Portland

Brian Rollins — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 15:21:00 GMT

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard responded to the grounding of the sternwheeler Portland 1 1/2 miles east of the Bonneville Dam on the Columbia River near Portland, Ore., today. Coast Guard Sector Portland was notified around 5:30 p.m. that the 186-foot steel vessel lost its propulsion after running aground with 97 people aboard. A response boat crew from Station Portland, a rescue helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria, Ore., and two Coast Guard Auxiliary boat crews were launched to the scene. Hood River County and Skamania County Sheriff's Department, as well as Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission assets also assisted the vessel. The crew of the tugboat Invader responded to the Coast Guard's Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and took the vessel into tow. The Invader crew safely moored the Portland at the Columbia Gorge stern wheeler dock in Cascade Locks, Ore. No injuries have been reported. Initial reports show no hull or structural damage to the vessel. The rescue helicopter crew arrived on scene and verified no pollution was released. Sector Portland personnel are en route to the scene to investigate.

Former D13 Admiral Passes Away

Brian Rollins — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:14:00 GMT

Former D13 Admiral Passes Away
March 21, 2008

J. David Spade of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, passed away on Tuesday, February 26, 2008, at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa. Dave lost his 10-year battle with cancer after successfully and courageously surviving three stem-cell transplants. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Linda Parks Spade; his son, Michael David Spade and his wife and two sons of Lakeland, FL; his daughter, Kristy Spade Hajimihalis and her husband of Charlotte, NC; his mother, Ruth Spade Weaner of Pleasant Hill, CA; his mother-in-law, Mabel Parks Horan of Groton, CT; his sister, brother- and sisters-in-law. He is predeceased by his four-year-old son, Karl Robert Spade.

Dave was born in Austin, Texas, on December 16, 1943, and is a graduate of: Alhambra Union High School in Martinez, CA, 1961; the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, Class of 1965; earned his Masters degree in management at the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School in 1971; and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. He was a proud Eagle Scout and devoted several years as an adult leader with the Boy Scouts of America. He, also, was a member of the Masonic Lodge in Herndon, VA; was honored to serve on the executive board of Florida of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls; the Navy League of the U.S.; and a mentor for The Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation. Above all, Dave was devoted to his family and friends.

Admiral Spade retired from the Coast Guard in 1999 after serving as Commander, 13th Coast Guard District in Seattle with operations in the states of Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. He served as commanding officer of three cutters, enjoyed several

Auxiliary Leadership Award

Brian Rollins — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 13:12:00 GMT

Auxiliary Leadership Award
March 21, 2008

Recently, The Commandant of the Coast Guard, Admiral Thad Allen, released a memo to all Coast Guard members naming the recipient of the "Commodore Charles S. Greanoff Inspirational Leadership Award". This award serves to recognize the most distinguished Auxiliary Flotilla Commander and Parallels the Coast Guard’s existing Inspirational Leadership Awards for Officers, Chief Petty Officers (E7) and civilians. Volume 08, Issue 03 4 March 2008

Consistent with the excellence in performance that has become standard for Flotilla 73, our own Immediate Past Flotilla Commander, Ken Babick received Honorable Mention as one of two finalists in consideration for this award. While it would have been nice for this award to find it’s home at Flotilla 73, being considered as Finalist for such a prestigious award is quite a remarkable accomplishment and something to be proud of.

This year’s winner is Mr. Alfred Verdi, Flotilla Commander of D11, Flotilla 12-4, Los Angeles, CA.

Congratulations to Mr. Verdi, for this monumental accomplishment. He will be recognized at the inspirational leadership awards presentation ceremony to be held at CG Headquarters in the near future

Congratulations to Ken Babick, whose hard work and dedication to the Auxiliary has earned him national recognition and the appreciation of the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard, as well as those who serve with him and those he serves. The members of Flotilla 73 and the entire Division 7 are fortunate to have the leadership and guidance of individuals such as Ken.

Additional information on the Inspirational Leadership Award Program are available on the CG-133 website, www.uscg.mil/leadership (under inspirational leadership awards).

Coast Guard Auxiliary reminds Boaters about New Rules for EMERGENCY BEACONS

Brian Rollins — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 17:45:00 GMT

Boaters Must Not Operate 121.5/243 MHZ Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) after December 31, 2006

WASHINGTON - The Coast Guard Auxiliary is joining with the United States Coast Guard to remind all boaters that beginning January 1, 2007, both 121.5 and 243 MHz Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRBs) are prohibited from use in both commercial and recreational watercraft. Boaters wishing to have an emergency rescue beacon aboard their vessel must have a digital 406 MHz model.

The January 1, 2007 date to stop using 121.5 MHz EPIRBs is in preparation for February 1, 2009, when satellite processing of distress signals from all 121.5/243 MHz beacons will terminate. Following this termination date, only the 406 MHz beacons will be detected by the International Cospas-Sarsat Satellite System which provides distress alert and location data for search and rescue operations around the world.

The regulation applies to all Class A, B, and S 121.5/243 MHz EPIRBs. It does not affect 121.5/243 MHz man overboard devices which are designed to work directly with a base alerting unit only and not with the satellite system.

This change, in large part, was brought about by the unreliability of the 121.5/243 MHz beacons in an emergency situation. Data reveals that with a 121.5 MHz beacon, only one alert out of every 50 is a genuine distress situation. This has a significant effect on expending the limited resources of search and rescue personnel and platforms. With 406 MHz beacons, false alerts have been reduced significantly, and, when properly registered, can usually be resolved with a telephone call to the beacon owner.

Consequently, real alerts can receive the attention they deserve. When a 406 MHz beacon signal is received, search and rescue personnel can retrieve information from a registration database. This includes the beacon owner's contact information, emergency contact information, and vessel/aircraft identifying characteristics. Having this information allows the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary, or other rescue personnel, to respond appropriately.

In the U.S., users are required by law to directly register their beacon in the U.S. 406 MHz Beacon Registration Database at: http://www.beaconregistration.noaa.gov/ or by calling 1-888-212-SAVE. Other users can register their beacon in their country's national beacon registration database or, if no national database is available, in the International Beacon Registration Database at https://www.406registration.com/.

The United States Coast Guard is the lead agency for coordinating national maritime search and rescue policy and is responsible for providing search and rescue services on, under and over assigned international waters and waters subject to United States jurisdiction.

RECREATIONAL BOATERS REMINDED TO MAKE WAY ON LOCAL RIVERS

Brian Rollins — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 16:27:00 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. - Coast Guard Sector Portland, local law enforcement from Washington and Oregon, and various industry representatives are joining forces as part of the Operation Make Way campaign for the fifth consecutive year.

Operation Make Way is a joint recreational boater education and enforcement campaign designed to help boaters understand the need to give way and stay clear of commercial deep draft vessels. Commercial vessels are often restricted in their ability to maneuver on the Columbia and Willamette rivers.

Commercial vessels, such as tug and tows, deep draft vessels and passenger cruise vessels, transiting the river can safely navigate within a narrow channel. To maintain steerage on the rivers' powerful currents they must travel at a moderate speed. At these speeds, it can take more than a mile for these heavy vessels to stop making way.

Rule 9 in the Navigational Rules of the Road requires recreational boaters to give way to vessels restricted in their ability to maneuver. Boaters who violate this rule are subject to citation by the Coast Guard or local law enforcement authorities. Fines can range from several hundred dollars to $5000.

Phase one of this year's campaign will focus on the upper Willamette River, upriver of Milwaukee, Ore., during the busy Chad fishing season in early June. In this area, several passenger cruise vessels conduct round trip voyages from Portland to the Oregon City Falls. Passenger cruise vessels often encounter large amounts of recreational vessels that impede their safe passage through the river.

Coast Guard Station Portland, Coast Guard Auxiliary and Clackamas County Marine Patrol officers will team up in early June to conduct education and enforcement operations in this area. Operations will coincide with transits of commercial passenger vessels.