HONOLULU- Coast Guard Captain of the Port is closing the ports of Hilo and Kawaihae on the Big Island and Kahului, Maui, to all traffic starting midnight Sunday. All cargo operations in these ports will be secured by 6 a.m. Monday.

Captain Shannon Gilreath, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port, has set Heavy Weather Condition II for these ports and is urging local mariners to review their heavy weather plans and to remain vigilant to forecasts for Tropical Storm Flossie.

“While we have not set conditions for the other ports, you should still exercise caution and prudence in conducting your operations,” said Gilreath. “Know your capabilities and your constraints and adhere to them so that we can all continue to operate safely.”

The Coast Guard urges mariners and residents to begin planning and preparing for Tropical Storm Flossie.  As the storm approaches, remember these guidelines:

Stay informed: Mariners should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through newspapers, the internet and local television and radio stations. Boaters can monitor the storm’s progress on VHF channel 16. Small craft advisories and warnings are also broadcast on VHF channel 16.

- Evacuate as necessary: Mariners are urged to heed evacuation orders. Coast Guard personnel and other emergency responders may not be able to assist mariners in danger during a storm. If you cannot evacuate, ensure that your vessel has proper communication equipment, an electronic position indicating radio beacon, flares and lifesaving equipment that is in good working order and navigate your vessel to a harbor of safe refuge.

- Secure your boats and boating equipment: Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to protected marinas where they will be less likely to break free of their moorings or to be otherwise damaged. Trailerable boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those mariners who leave their boats in the water are reminded to secure life rings, life jackets and tenders.

 - Be cautious of hazardous materials: If you have hazardous materials on or near the water, you are responsible for any spills that may occur. Take the necessary precautions to secure these materials prior to any foul weather.

 - Stay clear of beaches: Even the best swimmers can fall victim to the strong waves and rip currents caused by storms. Swimmers are urged to stay clear of beaches until local officials say the water is safe.

For more information on hurricane preparedness, please visit the National Hurricane Center's Web page at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/ or obtain a copy of the “Hawaii Boater’s Hurricane and Tsunami Safety Manual” from the Department of Land and Natural Resources.

Editor's note: Click on images for high resolution

A crew member with Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla., prepares to board a recreational vessel to inspect lobster during lobster mini season July 25, 2013. Law enforcement inspects the lobster to ensure specific guidelines were followed. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.

A cluster of fished lobster runs through an inspection during lobster mini season July 25, 2013. Twelve lobster was the daily limit per person during the season. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.

A crew member with Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla., inspects a spiny lobster during lobster mini season July 25, 2013. The lobster mini season is a two day season for fishing the spiny lobster in the state of Florida. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Mark Barney.

The chef turns the gas on to begin a steady boil in the large stew pot. Diced and sliced vegetables sit on the chopping block awaiting their moment to take a dip. He meticulously arranges plates on the dining room table as his friends wait with anticipation in another room.

The chef glides across the kitchen floor gracefully as he begins to assemble the mouth-watering masterpiece. He eases the vegetables in the boiling water to begin their soak and adds a pinch of salt. As the vegetables toss and turn inside the water, the chef reaches inside the refrigerator for the key ingredient. The whole focus of his masterpiece revolves around the flavor that sits inside the tail of the spiny lobster.

As the chef reaches inside the refrigerator he suddenly awakens from his dream. In disappointment, he wipes the cold sweat from his head and remembers that there will be no feast for him. His lobsters were confiscated because he didn't play by the rules during lobster mini season.

Coast Guardsmen patrol Florida’s waters to ensure that people safely and fairly adhere to the guidelines for the lobster mini season.

The two-day lobster mini season began early morning of July 24 and ended at midnight of July 25, 2013. It isn’t a long fishing season; however, for some it’s enough time to catch up to 12 lobsters allowed per person.

When recreational or professional boaters are out at sea, Coast Guardsmen are not far behind to keep a watchful eye. Maritime laws and safety are a top priority for Coast Guardsmen as they get underway to make sure things run smoothly or to respond when they don’t.

“First thing I look for is unsafe boating,” said Petty Officer 2^nd Class Ricardo L. Regalado, a boatswains mate with Coast Guard Station Miami Beach, Fla.

Taking the proper steps to ensure the trip out to sea is safe; one should never overlook the importance of including the right equipment for your adventure.

Taking the proper boating safety equipment is important said Regalado. Life jackets, flares, whistles, strobe lights and Electronic Positioning Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB) are vital tools that often lead to saving the lives of distressed boaters.

A one-time purchase of this equipment can make the difference in life and death.

On July 8, 2013, the crew aboard an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter, stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater, Fla., rescued three fishermen from their disabled vessel 16 miles east of Crooked Islands, Bahamas, after an EPIRB onboard activated alerting Coast Guard watchstanders of their distress.

“Because they had an EPIRB, their general position was transmitted directly to the district command center and then passed to us,” said Lt. Michael Feltovic, a pilot at Air Station Clearwater.

With safety in the bag, the second morsel on the menu to land on the plate is following the rules and regulations relating to lobster mini season.

Specific regulations for the season not only protect the lobsters from being overfished, they also provide all who pursue them a fair chance for the spiny crustacean.  

Although people are allowed up to 12 spiny lobsters each in Florida, other areas that reside within the state have restrictions.

Harvesting lobster in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Everglades National Park, Dry Tortugas National Park and in John Pennekamp Coral Reef State park is prohibited.  In Monroe County and in the Biscayne National park, fishermen are allowed up to six of the spiny lobsters a piece.

These areas are patrolled by Coast Guardsmen and other law enforcement agencies including the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. The cooperation between federal and local law enforcement ensures that all laws and regulations are enforced.

The size of the catch is another contributing factor that will determine whether a fisherman gets to keep his catch. Anything smaller than three inches is illegal, said Regalado.  

These regulations are not geared towards crippling fishermen. Instead, they are more aligned with protecting life that enriches the marine environment.

Coast Guardsmen encourage boaters, recreational or professional, to partake in the short fishing season. It’s not every day you can obtain your fair share of lobster fresh out of the water. Succulent lobster tails can be the centerpiece of any great meal. However, the flavor of this sea creature will be missed if the catch is in bad taste.

NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard rescued a family of four people from a disabled 17-foot Bayliner in the vicinity of Morgan Pass, Monday.

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector New Orleans received report of an overdue 17-foot Bayliner with a father and three children. The vessel left at 4:30 a.m., Sunday, to fish near Comfort Island and was expected to return at 2:30 p.m. When the boat did not return, the husband’s wife called the Coast Guard after finding the husband’s truck at the Breton Sound Marina in Hopedale.

Sector New Orleans issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast and launched a 20-foot small boat crew from Coast Guard Station New Orleans and an MH-65 Dolphin helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans.

On the second leg of its search the helicopter crew spotted a flare from the overdue vessel in the vicinity of Morgan Pass.  The vessel was disabled and had been anchored since 8:30 a.m.

At approximately 1:30 a.m. Air Station New Orleans hoisted and transported the father and three children to their mother at the air station.

The Coast Guard recommends all boaters carry signaling devices such as flares, lights and emergency position indicating radio beacons, in addition to carrying a reliable means of communication such as a VHF-FM radio and a fully charged cell phone. The Coast Guard also reminds boaters to always wear their lifejackets, since they enhance a boater's visibility to first responders and increase the chances of survival. 

Chief Petty Officer Kevin Bentle, officer in charge of Aids to Navigation Team Astoria, installs a light-emitting diode atop the new Cathlamet South Channel aid to navigation, just off Tongue Point in Astoria, June 19, 2013. The placement of the light completed the new navigational aid after months of planning, preparation and construction. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn

Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Astoria, Ore., crew members prepare the foundation for a navigational structure on a rock at the entrance to Cathlamet South Channel just off Tongue Point in Astoria, April 11, 2013. Construction of the navigational structure required careful planning and low tides as the rock is usually submerged beneath the waters of the Columbia River. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Kevin Bentle

A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Sector Columbia River's Air Station Astoria, Ore., delivers a load of concrete to awaiting members of Aids to Navigation Team Astoria on the Columbia River near Tongue Point in Astoria, April 27, 2013. The crews worked together to place a navigational structure on top of a rock that is submerged and not visible during most tides. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Cmdr. Nevada Smith

Marking hidden danger

by Cmdr. Nevada Smith, Chief Petty Officer Kevin Bentle and Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn

ASTORIA, Ore. — Coast Guard helicopters in the skies above and Coast Guard cutters in the Columbia River below provide a highly visible Coast Guard presence. Just ten miles upriver from the mouth of the Columbia River and the famous Coast Guard Station Cape Disappointment in Ilwaco, Wash., a lesser-known but critical unit to the area, Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Astoria, sits at Base Tongue Point, Ore. Ensuring the safety of traffic on the river and the ocean beyond, ANT crewmembers keep aids to navigation in the ‘Graveyard of Pacific’ and Columbia River functioning properly. ANT Astoria crewmembers are essential in preventing maritime casualties.

Ten active-duty Coast Guardsmen serve at ANT Astoria, and are responsible for maintaining five lighthouses and 328 aids to navigation in an area stretching from Grays Harbor, Wash., to Tillamook Bay, Ore., on the coast and from the entrance of the Columbia River all the way to Portland, Ore. ANT Astoria’s base at Tongue Point also serves as a support unit where members load and unload buoys and other equipment for the 13^th Coast Guard District’s buoy quality assurance expert, Coast Guard Cutter Fir, and other visiting Coast Guard cutters.

ANT Astoria recently led a local project that warns thousands of recreational fishermen and professional mariners of a hidden danger lurking in the river, just off Tongue Point in Astoria.

“It all started when James Vanwormer, a Tongue Point Job Corps vessel captain, walked into our office to report an aid to navigation discrepancy, Oct. 29, 2012,” explained Chief Petty Officer Kevin Bentle, officer-in-charge at ANT Astoria. “His report was simple; Cathlamet South Channel Light #2 was missing.”

The Job Corps teachers and students had been underway for their weekly training on the Columbia River, when they realized a navigational aid in Cathlamet South Channel that had been there in the morning was gone. Cathlamet South Channel is a side channel of the Columbia River running behind Tongue Point. Branching off the main channel, the waterway supports commercial and recreational vessels and the Tongue Point Job Corps Seamanship Program fleet.

It is believed an inattentive mariner ran into the structure, severing it from the foundation and sending it to a watery grave, though nobody ever took responsibility for the casualty. The previous structure consisted of a three-foot block concrete foundation with a steel tower, lighting equipment and daymarks that marked a hazardous rock formation encroaching the channel at the tip of Tongue Point. Depths in that part of the channel average 50 feet but quickly rise to zero at the rock.

Commercial, Coast Guard, Tongue Point Job Corps vessels and thousands of recreational boaters transit the waters near the rock on a routine basis. Without a marker on the rock, mariners not familiar with the area could have been in serious danger.

ANT crewmembers and Doug Cameron, the 13^th Coast Guard District’s Aids to Navigation hardware specialist, quickly verified the reported discrepancy and plans were put in place to mark the hazardous rock until a permanent correction could be made.

Seven days later, using their Trailerable Aids to Navigation Boat, ANT crewmembers set a temporary lighted buoy to assist mariners in navigating the channel. Strong current and tides at Tongue Point meant a bigger, heavier mooring and buoy would be required. ANT crewmembers requested assistance from the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell, homeported in Portland, Ore., to set a bigger buoy that could withstand the extreme currents in the area. A six-foot by 20-foot buoy was set Dec. 15, 2012. This temporary fix provided quality assistance to mariners but would not be the permanent solution ANT Astoria was looking for.

A sufficient replacement structure needed to be placed directly on the rock to prevent large commercial vessels and smaller, more susceptible recreational vessels from running aground. One of the biggest challenges for placement of such a structure would be finding a sufficient window of ‘minus’ or lower than normally low tides, that would provide enough exposure of the rock and enough time to complete construction.

Plans came from Lt. John Adams, an engineer from Coast Guard Civil Engineering Unit Oakland, Calif., who specializes in aid to navigation construction. The plans called for a large steel pipe to be flown in using an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Coast Guard Air Station Astoria. The pipe would be filled with nine yards of concrete, then capped with a 14-foot galvanized tower and fitted with two daymarks and a self-contained light-emitting diode for use at night.

ANT crewmembers, 13^th District hardware personnel and students from the Tongue Point Job Corps worked together to construct the proposed aid in accordance with the civil engineering plans. Supervised by Cameron, Coast Guardsmen and students spent countless hours welding, grinding and preparing metal to serve as the next tower.

“Tongue Point Job Corps Center highly values its long and mutually beneficial relationship with the Coast Guard," commented Kim Shillinger, Tongue Point Job Corps Center director. “As our partner in training Job Corps students through our work based learning program, 13^th Coast Guard District’s Doug Cameron has mentored and taught many welding students as they earn their certifications. Welding graduates long remember the structures they build with Doug and ANT members as well as where those structures are placed.”

To complete the build, ANT crewmembers needed seven days of at least four hours of exposure of the rock per day to prepare for the setting of the pipe and concrete. Springtime provided a series of minus tides during daylight hours. The first stage of the prep work required three site visits to ensure no marine mammals used the rock for habitat. Once that was verified, ANT crewmembers closely examined the rock to ensure the measurements of the new structure would work in the small area of exposed rock.

ANT crewmembers began leveling the rock on April 7, 2013, using jack-hammers powered by small generators.

Two weeks later came five days of minus tides during the early morning hours of April 23 – 28. ANT crewmembers completed the complex drilling and bolting work required to prepare the structure’s foundation for the concrete pour on April 25.

Coast Guardsmen from multiple units came together on April 27 to complete the new structure’s foundation. ANT crewmembers staged themselves on the rock to hook up and receive the pipe and concrete buckets. CGC Bluebell crewmembers kept the area clear and provided backup should anyone end up in the river. Air Station Astoria provided an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew to fly the pipe and concrete for the foundation.

With four large bolts already drilled deep into the rock, the Jayhawk aircrew worked with the ANT crewmembers on the rock to gently guide the steel base of the pipe onto the bolts – each only having a quarter of an inch to spare. The helicopter pummeled the ground crew with 100-knot winds and spray as the steel structure finally fell into position. A loud metallic bang echoed over the Columbia River, inspiring hoots and hollers from the friends and family members watching the show from shore.

“We only had six hours of low tide to work with, and we needed every minute,” said Cameron. “This required everyone work together as efficiently as possible.”

The tide rose, eventually covering the workers’ feet as they poured 12 buckets, totaling nine yards, of concrete into the steel structure. Despite a few snags, the crews got the job done.

ANT crewmembers returned May 8 to prepare for the final stage of the build. They erected scaffolding used to set the tower onto the now solid foundation.

A Jayhawk aircrew flew the 14-foot tower in on May 9. ANT crewmembers once again positioned themselves on the rock to set it on the bolts that were anchored into the foundation. Setting it into place in less than 20 minutes and bolting it down, ANT crewmembers used concrete to fill in and taper around the newly-affixed tower.

Finally, after months of work and preparation, the lantern was removed from the temporary buoy and placed on the new structure June 19. CGC Bluebell crewmembers removed the temporary buoy and the mission was complete.

"The project was a true testament to cooperation among Coast Guard units along with the Tongue Point Job Corps,” said Bentle. “It was a massive undertaking. The final result is an important aid to navigation back in place to serve the area for years to come."

A Coast Guard Sector Columbia River, Ore., MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew lowers a 14-foot navigational tower to Aids to Navigation Team Astoria, Ore., for placement on a large rock at the entrance to Cathlamet South Channel, just yards from Tongue Point in Astoria, on the Columbia River. The tower is a major component of the aid to navigation that now marks the channel and steers mariners clear of the rock. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn

Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Astoria,Ore., members complete construction of Cathlamet South Channel Light #2, just off Tongue Point in Astoria, June 19, 2013. The aid to navigation marks the Columbia River's Cathlamet South Channel, and warns mariners to avoid the dangerous rock it was built upon, only visible during low tides. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Nate Littlejohn

* Mariners can listen to VHF Ch. 16 to get updated information and Broadcast Notice to Mariners.

* For more information on hurricane preparedness, please visit the National Hurricane Center's Web page at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.

HONOLULU – The Coast Guard is urging Hawaiian Island mariners and residents to heed safety warnings during Tropical Storm Flossie.

Coast Guard Captain of the Port closed the port of Kahului, Maui, to all traffic at midnight, Sunday and have re-opened the ports of Hilo and Kawaihae on the Big Island at 1 p.m., Monday.

Captain Shannon Gilreath, the Coast Guard Captain of the Port, has set Heavy Weather Condition II for these ports and is urging local mariners to review their heavy weather plans and to remain vigilant to forecasts for Tropical Storm Flossie.

"While we have not set conditions for the other ports, you should still exercise caution and prudence in conducting your operations," said Gilreath. "Know your capabilities and your constraints and adhere to them so that we can all continue to operation safely."

Tropical systems acquire a name when they reach tropical storm strength with sustained winds reaching 39 mph. They become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph and become major hurricanes when winds increase to 111 mph. According to the National Weather Service, Tropical Storm Flossie could have sustained 60 mph winds.

As storms approach, the Coast Guard urges mariners to remember these guidelines:

- Stay informed: Mariners should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through newspapers, the internet and local television and radio stations. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF channel 16. Small craft advisories and warnings are also broadcast on VHF channel 16.

- Evacuate as necessary: Mariners are urged to heed evacuation orders. Coast Guard personnel and other emergency responders may not be able to assist mariners in danger during a storm. 

- Secure your boats and boating equipment: Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to protected marinas where they will be less likely to break free of their moorings or to be otherwise damaged. Trailerable boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those mariners who leave their boats in the water are reminded to secure life rings, life jackets and tenders.

 - Be cautious of hazardous materials: If you have hazardous materials on or near the water, you are responsible for any spills that may occur. Take the necessary precautions to secure these materials prior to any foul weather.

 - Stay clear of beaches: Even the best swimmers can fall victim to the strong waves and rip currents caused by storms. Swimmers are urged to stay clear of beaches until local officials say the water is safe.

PHILIDELPHIA ― The Coast Guard rescued two people from a personal watercraft that was sinking in the Delaware River near the Commodore Barry Bridge Monday.

A tugboat operator alerted watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay at about 6 p.m., via VHF-FM marine radio channel 16, that a male and female were in the water and hanging onto the partially submerged watercraft.

A nearby 25-foot Response Boat―Small crew from Coast Guard Station Philadelphia responded to the distress call. Once on scene, Petty Officer 2nd Class Albertico Vargas pulled both people from the water and onto the Coast Guard boat. The two people were taken about one mile south to Chester Boat Ramp where the survivor's vehicle was parked.

“The people rescued tonight were both wearing their life jackets,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Charles Law, a Station Philadelphia crewmember. “Life jackets are crucial to wear during any kind of water activity. If that watercraft completely submerged before we got on scene, the life jackets would have been definite life savers.  Even experienced swimmers get fatigued.”

JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard petty officer accused of rape and sexual contact will face a court-martial Wednesday at 8 a.m., in room 285 of the Hurff Ackerman Sanders Federal Building in Juneau.

Petty Officer 3rd Class William Bisel, 26, an aviation maintenance technician assigned to the public works department at Coast Guard Air Station Sitka is charged with two violations of Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which involves sexual assault.

The decision by Rear Adm. Thomas P. Ostebo, Commander, Coast Guard 17th District, is based on the recommendation of an Article 32 hearing completed Feb. 4, 2013, that reasonable grounds exist to try Bisel, for two counts of violating Article 120 of the UCMJ.  The Article 32 hearing is similar to a grand jury hearing in the civilian court system.

Charges are accusations against the individual and the accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The Coast Guard is committed to a fair proceeding in compliance with the UCMJ.

The UCMJ is a complete set of criminal laws that covers most crimes contained in civilian law in addition to other military-specific offenses such as failure to obey an order, desertion, etc.  Additional information about the UCMJ and the military justice system can be found at: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/mj/MJ_Doc/UCMJ12.pdf.

An aircrew aboard an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter, from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, raises the basket from a Customs and Border Patrol Office of Air and Marine boatcrew aboard a 38-foot Secure Around Flotation Equipped boat in Lake Huron, July 30, 2013. Air Station Detroit practices hoist training with other Coast Guard units regularly, but this was the first time this operation has been done with a CBP small boat. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Randy Beauchamp

An aircrew aboard an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter, from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, practices hoists with a Customs and Border Patrol Office of Air and Marine boatcrew aboard a 38-foot Secure Around Flotation Equipped boat in Lake Huron, July 30, 2013. Air Station Detroit practices hoist training with other Coast Guard units regularly,but this was the first time this operation has been done with a CBP small boat. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Randy Beauchamp

An aircrew aboard an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter, from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, practices hoists with a Customs and Border Patrol Office of Air and Marine boatcrew aboard a 38-foot Secure Around Flotation Equipped boat in Lake Huron, July 30, 2013. Air Station Detroit practices hoist training with other Coast Guard units regularly, but this was the first time this operation has been done with a CBP small boat. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Randy Beauchamp

An aircrew aboard an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter, from Coast Guard Air Station Detroit, lowers the basket to a Customs and Border Patrol Office of Air and Marine boatcrew aboard a 38-foot Secure Around Flotation Equipped boat in Lake Huron, July 30, 2013. Air Station Detroit practices hoist training with other Coast Guard units regularly, but this was the first time this operation has been done with a CBP small boat. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Randy BeauchampA

For more information contact Lt j.g. Ryan Hammond, Coast Guard Air Station Detroit public affairs officer at 586-239-6748, ryan.d.hammond@uscg.mil.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Coast Guard rescue swimmer performed his first rescue Monday, medevacing a crewmember in critical condition from a tanker in the Gulf of Mexico approximately 30 miles off the Matagorda Jetties.

“Because he was unconscious at the time, we had to use our rescue litter, which is a specially designed stretcher we are able to hoist with using the helicopter,” said Petty Officer 3rd Class Joseph Winters, the rescue swimmer aboard the helicopter. “Although this was my first actual rescue, it seemed like any day in training. We train as a crew for situations like this regularly, which helped make everything go smoothly.”

The crew of the tanker Trans Iberia contacted Sector Corpus Christi watchstanders Monday at 4:16 p.m. to request assistance for a 57-year-old man with medical concerns. A Coast Guard flight surgeon spoke with the ship’s captain and determined the man had a possible heart attack and required immediate medical transport.

The watchstanders launched a crew aboard an MH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter at 5:05 p.m. and they arrived on scene at 5:40 p.m. They hoisted the ailing crewman and delivered him to the Citizens Medical Center in Victoria.

“Our Coast Guard teams train to always be ready to respond, and we are thankful we could assist the Trans Iberia with getting their crewmember to medical care.” said Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Matson, the acting air response officer at Sector Corpus Christi. “This could not have been done without the coordinated teamwork and rapid response between the captain of the Trans Iberia, our command center watch standers, our flight surgeon, and our aircrew.” 

JUNEAU, Alaska — A Coast Guard court-martial scheduled for a petty officer accused of rape and sexual assault has been postponed due a procedural delay, Tuesday.

The court-martial of Petty Officer 3rd Class William Bisel, 26, an aviation maintenance technician, assigned to the public works department at Coast Guard Air Station Sitka will be rescheduled within the next few weeks. Bisel is charged with two violations of Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, which involves sexual assault.

The decision by Rear Adm. Thomas P. Ostebo, Commander, Coast Guard 17th District, is based on the recommendation of an Article 32 hearing completed Feb. 4, 2013, that reasonable grounds exist to try Bisel, for two counts of violating Article 120 of the UCMJ.  The Article 32 hearing is similar to a grand jury hearing in the civilian court system.

Charges are accusations against the individual and the accused is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The Coast Guard is committed to a fair proceeding in compliance with the UCMJ.

The UCMJ is a complete set of criminal laws that covers most crimes contained in civilian law in addition to other military-specific offenses such as failure to obey an order, desertion, etc. Additional information about the UCMJ and the military justice system can be found at: http://www.uscg.mil/legal/mj/MJ_Doc/UCMJ12.pdf.

GROTON, Conn. – Cmdr. Gabrielle McGrath is scheduled to relieve Cmdr. Lisa Mack as commanding officer of the U.S. Coast Guard International Ice Patrol in a change-of-command ceremony at the University of Connecticut Avery Point Campus, Thursday, at 2 p.m.

Rear Adm. Daniel Abel, Coast Guard First District commander, Boston, will preside over the change-of-command ceremony.

The change-of-command ceremony is a time-honored tradition which signifies a transfer of responsibility and formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained for the International Ice Patrol.

WHO: Commander of the International Ice Patrol.

WHAT: Change-of-Command ceremony where Cmdr. Gabrielle McGrath will assume command from Cmdr. Lisa Mack.

WHEN: Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013, at 2 p.m. Media wishing to attend should be at the Avery Point Campus no later than 1:45 p.m.

WHERE: University of Connecticut Avery Point Campus, Academic Building Theatre

1084 Shennecossett Rd., Groton, Conn., 06340

Media representatives interested in attending the change-of-command ceremony must contact the First Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office at 917-703-0983

PERTH AMBOY, N.J. - U.S. Coast Guard members from Station New York and Station Sandy Hook educated young sailors during the Junior Safety at Sea Seminar (Jr. SAS), an annual event hosted by The Storm Trysail at the Raritan Yacht Club in Perth Amboy, N.J., July 25, 2013.

Since 1996, The Storm Trysail has trained more than 3,000 teenagers in essential safety boating skills in eight cities along the east coast. Through partnership with U.S. Sailing and inspiration by safety at sea programs for ocean racers, the Jr. SAS was specifically aimed at teen audiences.

“Its a fantastic program and it’s grown each year,” said Ann Myer, the former commodore and a Storm Trysail member at the Raritan Yacht Club. “The kids get some life lessons through this program.”

During the day-long session, young sailors and their family members participated in classroom learning along with hands-on activities on the water. The program emphasized fun, real-life practice, communication, teamwork and preparing for accidents before they happen.    

Lt. Alfred E. Betts, a Command Duty Officer at Sector New York, Lt. j.g. Jon B. Duffett, a Marine Inspector at Sector New York and a rescue boat crew from Station Sandy Hook, N.J., discussed radio communication and flare use with the sailors and demonstrated man overboard preventions and recovery.   

“It’s always great when the Coast Guard gets a chance to spend time with the people we’re about to serve,” said Betts. “This allows us to educate our youth on safety at sea and proper sea-faring techniques.”

The seminar included other topics such as fire suppression, medical emergencies and illness avoidance, life raft deployment, righting and boarding, weather attentiveness and storm preparation, big boat crew roles and basic maneuvers, shortening sail and storm sails, and big boat safety equipment.

“For sailors with little or no big boat experience, Jr. SAS allows kids to build confidence and understand the ins and outs of sailing, while practicing important safety techniques and life-saving skills they might require out at sea,” said Myer.

To learn more about the Jr. SAS, visit:
http://www.stormtrysailfoundation.org/safety-at-sea.htm

File photo courtesy of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

ALAMEDA, Calif. – In the wake of numerous deaths and injuries, the Coast Guard reminds recreational divers to play it safe when diving along the California coast. 

In the past year, there were at least seven reported cases of recreational diving deaths off the Northern California coast primarily during abalone season, and more than 25 recreational SCUBA diving deaths and injuries all along the coast from Monterey to San Diego.

“The Coast Guard doesn’t regulate recreational diving but is generally called in to assist during diving emergencies,” said Rear Admiral Karl Schultz, commander of the 11th Coast Guard District. “In many of these dive emergencies, injuries and death are preventable.  We want everyone who enjoys the water, including divers whose sport leaves little room for error, to make safety their top priority.  We want you to survive your dive.”

All the normal hazards of water sports and recreation are more dangerous for those spending time below the surface.  Strong ocean and rip currents can occur at any time of year.  Frigid water temperatures, limited air supply, reliance on equipment for survival, and the lack of underwater rescue capabilities all make it essential that divers are fully aware of their own limits and prepared for all possible problems.  

Diving safety experts report that many accidents stem from people underestimating the hazards associated with diving, and overestimating their own physical fitness and skill levels.  They stress the importance of the buddy system, planning, fitness and medical issues, and awareness of weather and sea conditions. 

FIVE TOP DIVE SAFETY TIPS

1. Have a medical assessment by a doctor before diving.

2. Always dive with a buddy, and leave details of your dive trip with someone ashore who will report you overdue if you run into trouble.

3. Plan your dive, follow your plan, and provide your emergency plan to someone on shore.

4. Choose dives that match your training, experience and fitness level.

5. Practice emergency procedures, like dropping your weight belt and inflating your buoyancy compensator, in a controlled environment.

Divers should not let schedules, peer pressure or costs push them beyond their capabilities. People who have invested time and money to plan a dive trip, or sport fishers anxious to harvest fish during a set season, may be tempted to dive in unsafe conditions or overexert themselves.  It’s a good idea to have an alternate activity planned in case a dive trip has to be cancelled for weather, equipment, or health problems.

"Nobody understands the allure of the sea more than the U.S. Coast Guard, but we also see the tragic results when people underestimate the hazards," said Schultz.  "The adventure and thrill of diving are especially appealing to many -- but the ocean is an unforgiving environment, and even less forgiving to those who recreate beneath the surface.” 

For more information on diving safety :

https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/

http://www.sandiego.gov/lifeguards/safety/scuba.shtml

**(Original release July 25, additional distribution July 31.)

For audio, click here

ASTORIA, Ore. — Coast Guard Sector Columbia River crews responded to three suspected hoax distress calls near Clatskanie, Ore., and Portland, Ore., Sunday.

Sector Columbia River launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria and a 25-foot response boat crew from Station Portland in response to the calls, searching for more than four hours and costing taxpayers an estimated $8,000.

Sector Columbia River received a call stating “Need help,” on VHF Channel 16, at approximately 4 p.m., but received no replies to subsequent callouts. The call was traced to an area between Puget Island, Wash., and Wallace Island, Ore., on the Columbia River, approximately five miles west of Clatskanie. Sector Columbia River issued an Urgent Marine Information Broadcast to notify mariners in the area and launched an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Air Station Astoria. The aircrew searched the area for approximately two hours without finding any sign of distress.

Sector Columbia River received a VHF Channel 16 call “Help, Mayday,” at approximately 6:30 p.m., and another “My boat is sinking,” at approximately 6:50 p.m. Both calls were traced to the vicinity of Hayden Island near Portland. In both cases, Sector Columbia River received no reply to callouts and issued UMIBs. A 25-foot response boat crew from Station Portland and a Coast Guard Auxiliary boat searched the area for approximately two hours with no sign of distress.

Sector Columbia River responded to five similar calls earlier this summer. Click here for details surrounding those calls.

When the Coast Guard dispatches vessels and aircraft in cases of false distress, it not only drains limited resources, but needlessly puts our personnel at risk. Making a false distress call is a federal felony with a maximum penalty of five to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, $8,000 civil penalty and the possible reimbursement to the Coast Guard for the cost of performing the search.

Boaters are reminded that they are responsible for the safety and actions of their passengers and are encouraged to educate them about the proper use of emergency equipment including a marine VHF radio. Oftentimes passengers, especially children, may not understand the consequences of playing on the radio and reporting false distress.

In response to the high number of calls, the Coast Guard offers a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of anyone responsible for making a false distress or hoax call to the U.S. Coast Guard.

Anyone with information regarding false distress calls is encouraged to contact the U.S. Coast Guard at 206-220-7308.

Click here for audio from one of Sunday’s suspected hoax distress calls.

For additional information, please contact Petty Officer 3^rd Class Nate Littlejohn at 503-861-6132.

SEATTLE — A rescue boatcrew from Coast Guard Station Seattle assisted five adults and three children when their boat began taking on water near Blake Island, Wash., July 31, 2013. 

There were no injuries or pollution reported, and it is unknown why the vessel was taking on water. 

Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, in Seattle, were notified of a 45-foot pleasure craft taking on water in Puget Sound by Kitsap County 911 dispatchers at about 2:30 p.m. The Seattle-based crew launched aboard a 45-foot Response Boat-Medium and arrived on scene about one mile north of Blake Island.

All eight people were safely transferred to the RBM, and commercial vessel assistance was contracted to tow the vessel safely to Port Orchard, Wash. None of the individuals aboard required medical attention.

For more information contact the 13^th District Public Affairs Office at 206-220-7237.

SEATTLE -- Coast Guard personnel, members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the Community Boating Center of Bellingham are scheduled to host an open house in honor of Coast Guard Day at the homeport of Coast Guard Cutters Terrapin and Sea Lion in Bellingham, Wash., Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Coast Guard Day is a celebration of the Coast Guard's birthday, August 4, 1790.

WHO: Crewmembers of CGCs Terrapin and Sea Lion, 87-foot patrol boats homeported in Bellingham, Wash.; crewmembers from Coast Guard Station Bellingham; Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla Eleven; and the Community Boating Center of Bellingham

WHAT: Open house for the public to include: Cutter tours; life jacket fittings and information on federal boating safety requirements; the units' missions locally and internationally; the Coast Guard's role as one of the nation's five Armed Services; and information booths hosted by the Coast Guard Auxiliary and Community Boating Center of Bellingham

WHEN: Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: 365 Harris Ave., Fairhaven, Bellingham, Wash. (behind the Amtrak station)

WHY: Coast Guard Day is an opportunity for Coast Guard units to engage with their local communities and celebrate another year of serving the public.

Media interested in attending should contact the 13th Coast Guard District Public Affairs Office at (206) 220-7237 no later than 3 p.m., Friday.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Coast Guard crews are searching for a 53-year-old male resident of Maderia Beach, Fla., last seen aboard the 42-foot fishing boat, No Bull, 78 miles northwest of Egmont Key, Wednesday.

Missing is Gary Ketlehut.

Sector St. Petersburg watchstanders received a relayed distress call from 7^th Coast Guard District watchstanders at 7:15 a.m., Wednesday, reporting Ketlehut wasn’t aboard the No Bull when the crew awoke at 6 a.m. The crew of the No Bull stopped fishing at midnight Wednesday, and Ketlehut was last seen sleeping at the bow.  

Sector watchstanders launched  an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew and an HC-130 Hercules aircraft crew from Air Station Clearwater. Coast Guard Cutter Hawk, an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat homeported in St. Petersburg, was diverted to assist in the search as well.

“At this time, the search area is approximately 100 square miles, starting at the point Ketlehut was last seen,” said Lt.  Michael Persun, a search and rescue coordinator at the sector.

Ketlehut was last seen wearing tan shorts with no lifejacket. Anyone with information leading to the whereabouts of Ketlehut is asked to contact Coast Guard watchstanders at 727-824-7506.