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A Chat with the U.S.C.G.

6K views 42 replies 19 participants last post by  CapnBilll 
#1 ·
My favorite people in the whole wide World
Besides the US Navy
and the USMC

And yes, I'm from TX.

Would love it if there were some
people from the USCG,
or veterans of any of the above ,
that would like to chat
a bit
just for the heck of it..
you can im me on yahoo..

all you have to do is click on the
little red "Y"

Am I the only one
with a myspace page???

:cool:


 
#2 ·
The only thing I can say: Is that when the USCG boards your vessel for an inspection. They will be pointing out the weaknesses of your safety equipment and operationing procedures.
This is a good thing, for you can strengthen those areas.
Also when someone is really in trouble out there they do go out in the worst of weather to help... Not one of them will say: Hey! Its too windy, cold and wet out there, so I'm staying in by the warm fireplace. They don their gear and go out to help/rescue those who are in need.

Me? Navy first.... Why? Retired USN. That says it all.
 
#3 ·
The old saying among rescuers in the Coast Guard is:

"You have to go out--You don't have to come back".

So please be prepared and careful out there. One less rescue attempt means one less chance of "not coming back"

I'm an ex-Coastie, but was more of a desk-driver. The loss of a rescuer, however, would hit all of us very hard.
 
#4 ·
Thank you Boasun,
Thank you nolatom,
I can't help but to remember the movie Perfect Storm!!!

I for one, am going to show some respectful gratitude!
I love you guys!
 
#6 ·
The Elissa is a historical ship that is moored in Galveston. She still goes out, I've seen her in full sail, BEAUTIFUL!!!
She is the one that escorted the newest nuclear sub into the hou ship channel....

Brenda
 
#40 ·
Volunteer on the Elissa

The Elissa is a historical ship that is moored in Galveston. She still goes out, I've seen her in full sail, BEAUTIFUL!!!
She is the one that escorted the newest nuclear sub into the hou ship channel....

Brenda
You can volunteer on the Elissa and earn a spot on her during one of her two annual sail trips, you would need a minimum of 60 hours time to be eligible for a guest spot, or you can go into sail trainning and learn to sail her.
 
#9 ·
We have a very active Coast Guard here. They do a great job. We go to surf rescues and capsizes, distress calls, people that fall off piers, all kinds of thing, with them. We are pretty well trained, but, I have to laugh and say that our(fire dept) level of expertise is so far below theirs that it is laughable.:D
 
#10 ·
A very good movie, that really brings what the USCG does home, is "The Guardian", which is about a USCG rescue swimmer, played by Kevin Costner.
 
#11 ·
#12 · (Edited)
bestfriend,
you are a firefighter too?? Wow you just moved into my hero catagory!!

sailingdog,
I Adore that movie too.. very educational!! And, I appreciate you more than you know!!

sailortjk1,
Thanks for the links, very thoughtful.. I'm checking them out right now..

Have the most fabulous weekend!!
 
#13 ·
I've been with the Coast Guard (active duty and civilian) for nearly 17 years and I appreciate the words of appreciation. I'm also a life long boater and a licensed Captain and although I've never had an emergency that required me to call the Coast Guard, I like knowing that they are there.
One last thing, 406 EPIRBS work! If you go offshore, please take an EPIRB with you.
 
#14 ·
See what I mean about my guys?? Always looking out for us.

Hello SeanConnett,
I like knowing you are there too. Thanks, for all you, and all the USCG, do for us constantly, and for your most excellent advice;)

Brenda
 
#15 ·
"when the USCG boards your vessel for an inspection. "
So, don't waste their time and yours. Call the USCG Infoline 1-800-5647 or your local USCG Auxiliary and get a free voluntary inspection done, while you are still in the yard or at the dock.
They'll come give you a full inspection--and there are no penalties, no reports, no tickets. If you pass, you get a decal to put on your hull, and when USCG units see the decal--they often will just go elsewhere, knowing that you've already taken the step of getting a voluntary inspection.
If you "fail" you'll get a list of what you need to be in full compliance, and you've lost nothing.
 
#16 ·
well i guess i am gonna be the only guy that points out that i am not wholly appreciative of the coast guard....came from having some boot puddle pirate train a turret mounted M-60 on me and my boat while I am being interrogated 3 nights in a row...what respect i had for them left over from my navy days has been diminished.

i was with the corps when we invaded LA during the rodney king riots and never saw that kind of bravado directed towards a peaceful civilian. i was complaining about it at a bar and later found out from a coastie friend stationed at galveston that one of the coast guard boats got too close to the sub during its commisioning and the navy vessel trained its guns on the coast guard boat warning them to keep their distance. what comes around goes around.

mike
 
#17 ·
Mike, it sounds like you met the Gung Ho Post Toasties that were hired in the Zero Tolerance rage days. I remember looking at one who was manning a machine gun while they were zooming up the East River and thinking, does that idiot have ANY idea what will happen when he fires 600 rounds per minute into the east side of Manhattan?

I thought they'd gotten rid of those guys by now, they were an outright embarassment to the rest.
 
#18 ·
I don't have a problem with the coasties, but the environmental police can be a pain in the @$$. They consistently sit outside our harbor at dusk and do random inspections/searches. It's one thing if it was a high risk area but it's not. Their not big on just handing out warnings either, usually it's a small fine depending on the infraction. It happens so frequently that it feels like harassment. The locals call them the "blue meanies". Fortunately they usually focus on the power boaters.:)
 
#19 ·
Hey...hey ....hey........what about me??????

I want some too!!!!

I'm not a Coast Guard...we don't even have one per se, the Navy does that........but I know a guy in the Portuguese Navy...

and our Flagship????

Simply the most beautifull ship in the whole world

N.R.P. Sagres is her name...



 
#21 ·
The Coast Guard will never make everybody happy. It's a fact that I accepted a long time ago. I have tried to avoid getting into arguements about what the Coast Guard does or does not do with my fellow boaters and for the most part have been successful in doing so. The Coast Guard has it's "Rambos" and it's "Blue Meenies" but the majorityof them just want to be of maximum service to mainers.
It's a beautiful day down here in Miami. A great day to be on the water.
 
#22 · (Edited)
Sc...I don't have any disrespect fot the coasties!The environmental police,however, are reminiscent of the old DMV days where guys with Napoleon complexes felt the need to flex their muscles.Here in Massachusetts we've done away with the registry police and IMHO we should do away with or limit inspsetions from environmental police, at least for recreational boaters.
 
#23 ·
When we were driven ashore in Grenada after Ivan and violence was all around us...2 Coasties came in under cover (univited by the Grenada gov't) in a dinghy and made sure we and others were OK and let us know how to contact them if conditions deteriorated as well as bringing water.
This when the loacal American consulate would not even let us in their gates!
I will always be grateful for their service and dedication to helping mariners.
 
#24 ·
hellosailor,
It's always good to know 'bout that number 1-800-5647...dunno.. guess I'm so blonde I can't make it work-haha:) Very good to know 'bout the free voluntary inspection...Just another way my guys go above and beyond.
(hugs)

dotcom,
I'm sorry 'bout that, I know first hand how things happen, that's why we have forgiveness.
All my experiences with the Coast Guard have been good! But I have had some experiences in "life" that I would not want anyone else to go through. I've had to walk in forgiveness in life and death situations.
(hugs)

Guilietta,
Yes, she is completely amazing!! Thank you for the photo's and sharing.
(hugs)

Sean Connett
I know exactly how you feel, and yes the majority do excel at doing their maximum to serve the mariners, for this I am eternally grateful.
(hugs)

Saber,
guys flexing muscles?? send pics:)
(hugs)

Camaraderie,
I'm with you on that grateful for their service and dedication to helping mariners!!
(hugs)
 
#25 ·
Keeping my CG's in my prayers....
fervantly.. and the people on the water in the storm due to the low pressure system off the SE Coast.
 
#26 · (Edited)
nolatom said:
The old saying among rescuers in the Coast Guard is:

"You have to go out--You don't have to come back".

So please be prepared and careful out there. One less rescue attempt means one less chance of "not coming back"

I'm an ex-Coastie, but was more of a desk-driver. The loss of a rescuer, however, would hit all of us very hard.
New Saying...for my CG's

"Let all who go out... come back!"
 
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