‘Old Ironsides’ During Turnaround Voyage iI Boston Harbor Gallery

A Coast Guard Station Boston law enforcement team provides security for the USS Constitution, Friday, Oct. 20, 2017 as it sails in Boston Harbor. The USS Constitution originally launched in 1797 and is the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Barresi)

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Rhode Island’s Tall Ship Loses Power, Hits Multiple Boats Before Grounding In Newport Harbor

BOSTON — Coast Guard Station Castle Hill is providing a safety zone in Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, Sunday night after a tall ship lost power and hit multiple other boats before grounding near Perrotti Park.
The SSV Oliver Hazard Perry, an educational tall ship homeported in Newport, was leaving Bowen's Wharf Seafood Festival with 12 crewmembers aboard when it lost power and began to drift.
A 911 dispatcher alerted Coast Guard watchstanders to the incident at about 6:15 p.m.
Two response boat crews from Station Castle Hill immediately deployed to the scene, where personnel from the Narragansett Bay Task Force are also helping with the response.
There are no reported injuries or pollution. The incident is under investigation.

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COAST GUARD SUSPEND SEARCH FOR EL FARO CREW AFTER 7-DAY SEARCH

MIAMI — The Coast Guard has suspended the search for possible survivors from the cargo ship El Faro at sunset Wednesday, which is believed to have sunk during Hurricane Joaquin.

Coast Guard, Navy, Air Force, Air National Guard and tugboat crews searched more than 183,000 square nautical miles off the Bahamian coast in a joint effort to locate the El Faro crew.

"I have come to a very difficult decision to suspend the search for the crew of the El Faro at sunset tonight. My deepest condolences go to the families, loved ones, and friends of the El Faro crew," said Rear Adm. Scott Buschman, commander, Coast Guard 7th District. "U.S. Coast Guard, U.S Navy, U.S. Air Force, and the Tote Maritime tug crews searched day and night, sometimes in perilous conditions with the hope of finding survivors in this tragic loss"

The El Faro, a 790-foot roll on, roll off cargo ship, was en route to San Juan, Puerto Rico, from Jacksonville, Florida. At approximately 7:30 a.m. Thursday, Coast Guard watchstanders were notified the El Faro was disabled in the path of Hurricane Joaquin, had lost propulsion and had a 15-degree list. The crew reported the ship had previously taken on water, but that all flooding had been contained.

The Coast Guard located a deceased person in a survival suit in the water Sunday night. A heavily damaged life boat with markings consistent with those on board the El Faro were also located Sunday. Additional items located by search crews since Thursday include a partially submerged life raft, a survival suit, life jackets, life rings, cargo containers, Styrofoam, packaged food and an oil sheen.

Crew of the SS El Faro as provided by Tote Maritime:

Louis Champa	Palm Coast, Florida
Roosevelt Clark	Jacksonville, Florida
Sylvester Crawford Jr.	Lawrenceville, Georgia
Michael Davidson	Windham, Maine
Brookie Davis	Jacksonville, Florida
Keith Griffin	Fort Myers, Florida
Frank Hamm	Jacksonville, Florida
Joe Hargrove	Orange Park, Florida
Carey Hatch	Jacksonville, Florida
Michael Holland	North Wilton, Maine
Jack Jackson	Jacksonville, Florida
Jackie Jones, Jr.	Jacksonville, Florida
Lonnie Jordan	Jacksonville, Florida
Piotr Krause	Poland
Mitchell Kuflik	Brooklyn, New York
Roan Lightfoot	Jacksonville Beach, Florida
Jeffrey Mathias	Kingston, Massachusetts
Dylan Meklin	Rockland, Maine
Marcin Nita	Poland
Jan Podgorski	Poland
James Porter	Jacksonville, Florida
Richard Pusatere	Virginia Beach, Virginia
Theodore Quammie	Jacksonville, Florida
Danielle Randolph	Rockland, Massachusetts
Jeremie Riehm	Camden, Delaware
Lashawn Rivera	Jacksonville, Florida
Howard Schoenly	Cape Coral, Florida
Steven Shultz	Roan Mountain, Tennessee
German Solar-Cortes	Orlando, Florida
Anthony Thomas	Jacksonville, Florida
Andrzej Truszkowski	Poland
Mariette Wright	St. Augustine, Florida
Rafal Zdobych	Poland

The following search-and-rescue units and crews assisted with the search:

• Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida HC-130 Hercules airplane crews
• Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Florida MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crews
• Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina HC-130 Hercules airplane crews
• Coast Guard Cutter Northland, a 270-foot medium endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth, Virginia
• Coast Guard Cutter Resolute a 210-foot medium endurance cutter, homeported in St. Petersburg, Florida
• Coast Guard Cutter Charles Sexton, homeported in Key West, Florida
• Air Force Rescue Coordination Center
• Air National Guard HC-130 airplane crews from the 106th Rescue Wing, Westhampton Beach, New York
• Air Force WC-130 Super Hercules crews from the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, 403rd Wing, Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi
• Navy P-8 Poseidon airplane crews from Naval Air Station Jacksonville
• Air Force E-8C Joint Stars crews from the 116th Air Control Wing, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia
• Three commercial tugboats

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Nine Crew Members Rescued From the Canadian Tall Ship Liana's Ransom

BOSTON — Coast Guard search and rescue crews from Station Gloucester, Air Station Cape Cod and the Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke rescued nine crewmembers from the Canadian tall ship Liana's Ransom 58 miles east of Gloucester, Monday.
Watchstanders at the Sector Boston Command Center received notification at 12:35 a.m. that the vessel's engines were disabled and its sails were wrapped around the mast.
As the weather deteriorated, and seas reached nearly 10 feet, Sector Boston launched two 47-foot motor lifeboat crews from Station Gloucester to tow the vessel back to Gloucester. Once on scene, the boat crews connected the tow, but the rough sea conditions caused the tow line to break.
The motor lifeboats crews directed the crew of Liana's Ransom to don immersion suits and to prepare to abandon ship about 30 miles east of Gloucester and a Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk Helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod was diverted to assist.
The nine passengers were transferred from Liana's Ransom to the Coast Guard motor lifeboats. One man suffered a head injury when leaping from Liana's Ransom and was airlifted to Massachusetts General Hospital by the Jayhawk helicopter crew.
The Station Gloucester crews returned to the station with the eight remaining crewmembers. A locator beacon was left on Liana's Ransom for tracking and the Coast Guard Cutter Ocracoke is en-route to evaluate towing the vessel to port.
"It was fortunate for the crew of the vessel that the owner reached out to us," said Jay Woodhead, the command duty officer at Sector Boston's Command Center. He said with winds gusting to 30 knots, it was unsafe for them to stay aboard.

"USCGC Eagle" The Maine Windjammer Project

"USCGC Eagle" by Doug Mills

The USCGC Eagle makes her first visit to Rockland, Maine. [07-24-2009]

www.mainewindjammerproject.com

Unabridged Tall Ship Bounty Sinking Conclusions

INVESTIGATION INTO THE CIRCUMSTANCES

SURROUNDING THE SINKING OF THE TALL SHIP BOUNTY

123 MILES OFF THE COAST OF CAPE HATTERAS, NORTH CAROLINA ON OCTOBER 29, 2012 WITH LOSS OF ONE LIFE AND

ANOTHER MISSING AND PRESUMED DEAD

Conclusions

1. In accordance with reference (d) the Initiating Event (or first unwanted outcome) for this casualty was flooding. BOUNTY began to flood uncontrollably the moment the rate of water ingress exceeded the rate the bilge pumps could dewater. It has been concluded that this occurred on October 27th, when Capt. went to engage the hydraulic bilge pumps, which were seen as “emergency pumps.”

2. The causal factors that led to this casualty are as follows:

a) Environment:
 There were four primary environmental causal factors.

1) The weather was clearly a factor from the beginning of the voyage. Although the
conditions related to Hurricane Sandy didn’t directly affect the vessel until Saturday, October 27th, the crew was stowing gear and preparing the vessel for heavy weather from the time they departed New London, CT. Once the conditions began to worsen, increasing seas accelerated the rate that BOUNTY was making water. The increasing winds blew out multiple sails and caused the spanker gaff to break.

2) The impact of the environmental conditions was also detrimental to the crew. The increasing sea state caused many of the crew members to become seasick. The
conditions also made it difficult to get adequate sleep, not only because of the rough seas, but because the crew sleeping quarters became saturated with water that leaked through the deck. As the voyage progressed and conditions worsened, moving about the vessel became increasingly difficult and 3 crew members were injured as a result of falls, including Capt. .

3) As the vessel foundered and the decision was made to abandon ship, the
environmental conditions impacted the crew’s ability to communicate with the US
Coast Guard, any other nearby vessels, as well as each other on deck. Environmental conditions also made preparations to abandon ship, including donning survival suits as well as lifejackets and climbing harnesses, extremely difficult.

4) Once the crew had abandoned ship, the heavy weather conditions made it exceedingly difficult to get into the inflatable life rafts. Crew members testified that entering the life raft took at least one hour once they reached the raft. Wind and seas caused one of the life rafts to flip during the rescue.
b) Personnel: There are eight primary causal factors that involve human error on the part of the company owner and vessel master.

1) The inability and failure of HMS BOUNTY Organization to provide effective
oversight and operating restrictions for their vessel and personnel. Both
and were responsible for and made critical decisions regarding
the maintenance and operation of BOUNTY. They were ill equipped to make such
decisions due to their lack of experience with vessel operations, especially with
respect to an aged wooden vessel. They each had full knowledge that Capt.
intended to take BOUNTY into close proximity to Hurricane Sandy, and
took no action to stop or question his decision making. This constitutes negligence.

2) The failure of HMS BOUNTY Organization and Capt. to effectively
evaluate and determine if prevailing and forecasted weather conditions were
favorable for sailing. This constitutes negligence.

3) The failure of HMS BOUNTY Organization and Capt. to appropriately
evaluate the vessels material condition and suitability for sailing in the forecasted
weather conditions (given what they both knew about the condition of the vessel’s
structure and the lack of testing to ensure all bilge systems were fully functional and up to the task of performing to designed parameters). This constitutes negligence.

Coast Guard medevacs man from Carnival cruise ship Fascination

 Carnival Fascination docked in Key West. Morning disembarkation of passengers. photo by Jonathan Schilling

ATLANTIC BEACH, Fla. – A Coast Guard boatcrew from Station Mayport in Atlantic Beach medically evacuated an injured Carnival Fascination cruise ship passenger near Atlantic Beach Saturday evening.

The 56-year old man was reportedly experiencing stroke symptoms, prompting a request by the on-board doctor for a medevac.

After discussion with a Coast Guard flight surgeon, a decision was made to transport the man to shore via Coast Guard small boat.

A boatcrew launched from Station Mayport and arrived on scene minutes later. The man, two family members and a nurse were transferred to the 45-foot Response Boat – Medium and taken to Station Mayport for further transport by ambulance to a local hospital.

The man was in stable condition upon transfer. His current condition is unknown.

Texas City Collision

TEXAS CITY, Texas — Response efforts continue overnight in response to a vessel incident, which occurred in the Houston Ship Channel Saturday afternoon.

Four skimming vessels remain on-scene to continue recovering spilled bunker fuel oil.  Officials with the unified command, who are overseeing the spill containment and recovery efforts, anticipate the ability to fully reactivate their efforts beginning at first light Sunday.

An additional 20 response vessels are staged and are prepared to resume operations early on Sunday.  Approximately 90,000 feet of boom have been staged along the Texas City dike for deployment in containment efforts.

The primary concern remains the safety of responders and the protection of the environment. To ensure the safety of response workers in the area, and to prevent the spread of oil into other areas of the channel and Galveston Bay, a safety zone has been established, which restricts vessel traffic in impacted waters. The Bolivar ferry remains closed with the exception of EMS transit.

Air monitoring continues to ensure the safety of workers and others in the area.

The incident response is being coordinated by a unified command, which consists of a wide variety of federal, state and local government agencies, non-profit organizations and the owners of the damaged barge, Kirby Inland Marine.  Coordinating agencies include the United States Coast Guard, Texas General Land Office, and Galveston County Office of Emergency Management.  Other agencies participating in the response include U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Galveston City Office of Emergency Management, Texas City Office of Emergency Management, and the Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health.

Photo Gallery: Coast Guard Sector Detroit Begins Ice Breaking Operation Early

Canadian coast guard icebreaker Griffon and U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay work to flush an ice jam in the St. Clair River, March 21, as part of Operation Coal Shovel during the 2009-2010 Great Lakes ice breaking season.

DETROIT RIVER - Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay cuts ice in the Detroit River in this photo taken during an ice patrol mission by an Air Station Detroit rescue helicopter crew, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2011. Ice patrol missions provide valuable information for those on the Great Lakes taking part in Operations Taconite and Coal Shovel, the largest domestic ice breaking missions in the nation. U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer 3rd Class Paul Jaquish, Air Station Detroit.

In this photo released by the U.S. Coast Guard, the cutter Neah Bay breaks Great lakes ice approximately 50 miles east of Grosse Isle, Mich., on Jan. 21. Neah Bay, homeported in Cleveland, is participating in the Ninth Coast Guard District's Operation Coal Shovel. Under tactical command of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit personnel, Operation Coal Shovel covers ice breaking operations in all of lake Erie, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and amajority of lake hron. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Air Station Detroit).

In this photo released by the U.S. Coast Guard, the cutter Neah Bay breaks Great lakes ice approximately 50 miles east of Grosse Isle, Mich., on Jan. 21. Neah Bay, homeported in Cleveland, is participating in the Ninth Coast Guard District's Operation Coal Shovel. Under tactical command of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit personnel, Operation Coal Shovel covers ice breaking operations in all of lake Erie, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and amajority of lake hron. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Air Station Detroit).

In this photo released by the U.S. Coast Guard, the cutter Neah Bay breaks Great lakes ice approximately 50 miles east of Grosse Isle, Mich., on Jan. 21. Neah Bay, homeported in Cleveland, is participating in the Ninth Coast Guard District's Operation Coal Shovel. Under tactical command of U.S. Coast Guard Sector Detroit personnel, Operation Coal Shovel covers ice breaking operations in all of lake Erie, the Detroit River, Lake St. Clair, the St. Clair River and amajority of lake hron. (U.S. Coast Guard photo/Air Station Detroit).

Coast Guard Helicopter Forced To Make Emergency Landing On Washington Island

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A Coast Guard Dolphin helicopter that was on Washington Island after the crew made an emergency landing on Sunday was recovered Monday and is being transported back to Air Station Traverse City, Mich., to undergo necessary repairs.

A six-member recovery team from the air station arrived on Washington Island on Monday morning to begin the process of recovering the helicopter.

At about 5 p.m. CST, the crew loaded the trailered aircraft onto the Washington Island Ferry, Arni Richter, for a 30-minute transit back to Northport Pier in Door County, Wis. The aircraft is now being transported back to the air station on a commercially-contracted trailer for in-depth maintenance.

On Sunday morning, approximately 30 minutes after takeoff from Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, the air crew declared an in-flight emergency with air traffic control before landing safely on the beach on Washington Island. There were no injuries.

A Dolphin helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City, Mich., arrives at Northport Pier in Door County, Wis., on a flatbed trailer March 3, 2014 following a brief ferry transit from Washington Island.

Coast Guard Cutter Crew Rescues Dog Stranded On Ice

Crew members assigned to Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay assist a dog they found stranded on the ice of Lake St. Clair, March 4, 2014. The crew transported the dog to the ship and hoisted it aboard, where it was provided food and first aid before being transferred to an area animal shelter for further care. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy Cutter Bristol Bay)

Crew members assigned to Coast Guard Cutter Bristol Bay hoist aboard the ship a dog they found stranded on the ice of Lake St. Clair, March 4, 2014. The dog was taken inside the ship, where it was provided food and first aid before being transferred to an area animal shelter for further care. (U.S. Coast Guard photo courtesy Cutter Bristol Bay)

Mariner Safe and Continuing Journey After Surviving Pacific Storm

HONOLULU — A mariner aboard a 24-foot sailboat 944 miles from the main Hawaiian Islands is safe and continuing his voyage to San Francisco after surviving a gale-force storm in the Pacific.

The Coast Guard suspended the search Thursday for the sailing vessel Pier Pressure after communication was established with the owner, Rimas Meleshyus.

At 5:15 p.m., Meleshyus updated his coordinates and sent a text message via satellite device stating he was ok and did not need any assistance.

Watchstanders at the Joint Rescue Coordination Center received notification Thursday morning from a concerned friend that Meleshyus transmitted a text via satellite stating, “I lost my life raft, in danger now.”

Meleshyus departed Hilo, Hawaii, Feb. 9 on a solo voyage to San Francisco aboard his sailboat.

After unsuccessful attempts were made to establish communications with Meleshyus via cell phone, computer and satellite device, the Coast Guard launched a rescue mission in search of the distressed mariner.

An HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew from Coast Guard Air Station Barbers Point, the Coast Guard Cutter Kukui, homeported in Honolulu, and two Good Samaritan vessels were enroute to the sailboat’s last known position when Meleshyus established communication.

The Coast Guard advises all mariners to ensure they have all necessary safety equipment aboard and that it is in working condition before heading out on the water. This includes having appropriate safety and communications equipment such as lifejackets and a working VHF radio, checking local weather conditions and ensuring the vessel is seaworthy.

Mariners who want to ensure their vessel is safe and compliant with current regulations can request a free safety check by visiting www.vesselsafetycheck.org. For more information on boating safety, visit www.uscgboating.org.

Man and boy located adrift after being swept out to sea in South Pacific

APRA HARBOR, Guam — A man and a young boy are safe after their 14-foot skiff was swept out to sea near an atoll in the South Pacific Sunday.

At 9:41 a.m. Monday, watchstanders at the Coast Guard Sector Guam Command Center received a report from Pan-Pacific Education and Communication Experiments by Satellite of a skiff that had been swept out to sea due to high tide and poor weather near Namoluk Atoll, Chuuk. They reportedly had paddles, no motor and minimal food aboard the vessel.

Sector Guam made notifications to Federated States of Micronesia Maritime Surveillance Advisor, FSM National Search and Rescue Coordinator, Chuuk Search and Rescue Liaison, U.S. Embassy in Pohnpei and the 14th Coast Guard District Joint Rescue Coordination Center in Honolulu.

Sector Guam identified and diverted two Automated-Mutual Assistance Vessel Rescue System vessels in the area.

A Coast Guard HC-130 Hercules airplane crew from Air Station Barbers Point on Oahu and a Navy P-8A Poseidon fixed-wing aircraft from Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, were also launched to assist in the search.

The Ocean Pegasus, a 656-foot freight ship, and the 575-foot freight ship Verdant Island responded to the call for help and diverted at the request of the Coast Guard to assist in the search.

Tuesday morning the Ocean Pegasus located and safely rescued the 44-year-old man and nine-year-old boy. They remain aboard the Ocean Pagasus.

AMVER, sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, is a unique, computer-based, and voluntary global ship reporting system used worldwide by search and rescue authorities to arrange for assistance to persons in distress at sea.

The 14th Coast Guard District encompasses an area of 12.2 million square miles of the Central and South Pacific. Coast Guard aircraft based in Hawaii frequently travel thousands of miles in response to search and rescue and other calls for assistance.The Hercules is scheduled to be replaced by the HC-130J, which will bring increased capabilities to Coast Guard response across the Pacific.

BEST OF 2013: HMS Bounty Hearings “Angels On The Wings Of The Storm”

HMS Bounty relaunched at Boothbay Harbor Shipyard in Maine just 10 days before she went down.

 HMS Bounty Hearings “Angels On The Wings Of The Storm”
Doug Mills
Maritime Editor
RCN America Network
Feb.21, 2013

The first witness of the day was Drew Salapatek  Bounty Deckhand

HMS Bounty

The morning was spent with the same routine with Mr Salapatek giving a running description of the last four days.  Nothing new was brought out in this session.

Chief Mate John Svendsen who has been with the bounty since 2008.

Mr Svendsen testified that he had voiced his concerns about sailing south to Captain Walbridge.  He had suggested alternate ports that were available to then rather than risk lives and the boat in the teeth of a hurricane.  Captain Walbridge was not open to any other options, stating that the boat was in the best shape it had been in and the storm was only a cat 1.  He was not open to any other plans.
Immediately after this conversation he held the meeting with the full crew where he stated there was a storm to the south but they were going to sail anyway.  He gave anyone who wanted to leave if they wished, however, there was no time to think it through as immediately after the meeting they started preparing to get under way.  They were at sea within ½ hour.

HMS Bounty at Boothbay Harbor, Maine

There was one other fact that came to light today.  In 1997 the Bounty sailed from the Boothbay Shipyard in Maine, headed south, into the teeth of “The Perfect Storm”!  They had to heave too for three days and lost one of the masts in the storm.

The next witness was Commander Mitchell USCG Sector North Carolina, Response Department Head.  Commander Mitchell was in charge if the rescue effort that saved 14 members of the Bounty crew.
It was Sunday Oct. 28 at 8:45 they received the first call from the Bounty, stating that they were taking on water.  This message had come in via satellite email.  It was assessed to be a medium risk to the Bounty.  The Coast Guard immediately tried to locate any other resources in the area military or civilian, none were close.
Due to a lack of ability to establish reliable communications and the severity of the storm the Coast Guard made the decision to launch a C130 to the area to establish reliable communications.  Conditions were at the high end of the aircraft's operating abilities due the high winds.  Once communications were established with the Bounty’s crew it was determined that delivering pumps in those conditions would not be possible.  By this time the ship was taking on water at a rate of two feet per hour!  The crew stated that they should be able to hold out till first light.  Plans were made to attempt a rescue at first light when conditions were predicted to be much better and daylight would aid in the search and rescue.

Captain Robin Walbridge Master of the HMS Bounty

At 4:26 AM the C130 reported that the Bounty had capsized and the crew was in the water.  A second C130 and two helicopters were launched in spite of the fact that the conditions were nearly above their safe operation levels.  In spite of the risk these brave crews launched into the night into the teeth of a hurricane.  When the first helicopter arrived 45 minutes later the seas were 20 feet and the wind was gusting over 90 mph!
The rest is history, they were able to save 14 crew members.  They found Ms Christian some 8.2 miles from the Bounty. She was unresponsive.  Captain Robin Walbridge was never found.

The hearings concluded around 3:30.  The conclusions will be published at a later date.