Happy Birthday fellow Coasties!!

233 years

Happy Birthday!

It was about fifty years ago that a girlfriend and I, along with another couple, were rescued by the Coast Guard.

I had bare-chartered a GulfStar 36 (pretty much like the one in the photo below) for a week of cruising. We were in the Florida Keys, headed for an inlet to anchor for the night, when the overheat alarm for the engine sounded off and I shut it down. No problem, said I, we'll hoist sail, get to the anchorage, and deal with the engine problem tomorrow.

Up with the main, unfurled the roller furling jib, and off we went. Until the first time I needed to tack. Jib sheet snapped. No engine, and only the main sail useable, no way I was going to be able to maneuver where we needed to go. Drop anchor, call Coast Guard for help.

The dudes who showed up were casual, good-humored, and incredible boat handlers. It was some sort of twin screw work boat. The coxswain handled his throttles with fingertips and laid up alongside us gentle as a feather. Lashed the two vessels together and he powered us into a marina with repair facilities, and again, gently working his throttles, put is alongside the dock as if he was handling a carton of eggs. My one and only interaction ever with the Coast Guard, and they were great.

One of my biggest regrets was not joining the CG. Was something I had thought about doing as a boy. I am sure it would of been an awesome career. Have always loved the water.

Thanks to all who serve and protect and rescue those in need among other duties. You are appreciated greatly.

V-tail, with that timeline it might have been one of the old 40’ utility boats-the last one was decommissioned in 83-having been replaced by the 41’ UTB with an all aluminum hull





My first unit was Station Yankeetown Fla, and we had a 41footer, a 19’ RHIB and a 19’ Carolina Skiff for close in work.

Semper Paratus!

Happy Coast Guard Day to all of my fellow Coasties

Happy Birthday, USCG! It was an honor to work with you on a few occasions during my career.

Growing on USCG bases these were (and still are) my heroes.

Semper Paratus.

IMO anyone who thinks of the Coast Guard as a second class Service, has no idea of what they really do. Thank you USCG for all you do and have done!
Rod

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:

V-tail, with that timeline it might have been one of the old 40’ utility boats

Looked sort of like that, but not sure about 40' -- I do not remember it being longer than the GulfStar 36 that we were sailing. Fifty years ago, so details fade.

I took this pic near Shackleford Banks North Carolina the week before last. I was shocked when I walked around the point of an island and saw such a large USCG vessel in water I assumed would be way too shallow for a ship like that.





Can anyone identify this USCG vessel? It was quite loud as it passed by front street of Beaufort NC. I wonder if it has jet drive? Whatever it is it sure sounded like it had a bit of power based off that engine noise.

Swab summer, U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The date is incorrect, it was 1978.

My vessels and my license governed by the USCG. I have a lot of respect.

First solo in T-34 during Navy flight school in 1984. Selfie with a Vivitar SLR camera.

Falcon flight line at USCG Aviation Training Center Mobile, AL. circa 1985.

CG aviators train there for the CG helicopters and fixed wing other than C-130s.

My brother and I at Air Station Sitka AK in May 1989. He was teaching school there, I was up there flying on the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Two of our Falcons from Air Station Cape Cod were deployed up there for several months tracking the spill with the SLAR (side looking airborne radar) pod (seen behind us) and an IR/UV pod that was not visible in this photo.

A pic of the Exxon Valdez about a month after the spill.

We had 2 jets up there for about 3 months, I didn't get up there until a few weeks after the spill. We tracked the oil way down the Aluetian Islands almost all the way to Attu.

Since it's Coast Guard day, here's this sweet video of Coasties running down a 40mph runaway boat after it's captain went overboard.

Happy birthday to all the coasties!