UNITED STATES COAST GUARD AUXILIARY UNOFFICIAL NEWSLETTER
15 JUL 07
Coast Guard Auxiliary Volunteers Recover Drifting Boat From Busy Hudson River Shipping Channel
By Bill Smith - FSO/CM-67 and Robert Daraio BC-AI
OSSINING, N.Y.
On Sunday morning July 15, 2007 a combination of diligent radio
monitoring, general preparedness and sound risk management enabled three "off
duty" volunteers from Flotilla 67, D1SR, United States Coast Guard Auxiliary to
take the action necessary to resolve a serious hazard to navigation and recover
an expensive vessel unmanned and adrift on the
Hudson River.
WCPD Det. Guy Repicky and Jim Picciano Launch 5
A quiet summer evening with friends and family, that's what Greg Porteus, Jim Picciano, and Bill Smith had in mind when they took their wives on a short cruise on the Hudson River that Saturday night. The three couples motored down to The Tarrytown Boat Club for the annual "Christmas In July" celebration. After enjoying the parade of boats festooned with festive colored Christmas lights, they headed back to Shattemuc Yacht Club in Ossining. The wives headed home, leaving the men to relax aboard Launch 5, a Philip Rhodes designed, 52 ft; steel hulled, twin diesel, former NYPD Harbor Unit patrol boat.
Launch 5
As is their practice, all four radios were kept powered on in the wheelhouse of Launch 5, monitoring VHF Channels 9, 16, 21 22,13, as well as our AUXNET and local police, fire, and EMS frequencies. At approximately 0100 on Sunday morning July 15, 2007 they heard a commercial tugboat hailing a recreational vessel on VHF Channel 13. There was no answer from the 25ft Grady White apparently adrift in the channel.
The Hudson River is always full of commercial barge traffic, even at night, and after the second or third warning being passed between tugboat captains, it became clear that this situation represented a serious hazard to navigation
Picciano, Porteus, and Smith, all experienced USCG Auxiliary Coxswains, discussed weather conditions, crew experience, fatigue level, and evaluated risk vs. gain using the U.S. Coast Guard GAR model, then agreed to go underway and investigate the situation.
Greg notified Sector NY of their intentions and with equipment checked, engine warm, and lines cast off, Auxiliary Operational Facility 523356, aka Launch 5, headed out to the last known position of the drifting vessel: Buoy 22.
While heading to the scene, the Launch 5 Crew made radio contact with more commercial vessels reporting the sighting and reconfirmed the drifting vessel's location. Radio traffic also confirmed that the use of spotlights and horn blasts by approaching tugboat captains did not result in the appearance of anyone on the deck of the drifting 25ft Grady White.
Bill Smith
Launch
5 arrived on scene at approximately 0130, approaching carefully in
case there were persons in the water. While Bill Smith
and Jim Picciano looked over the apparently abandoned vessel from a
safe distance, checking for signs of life on board while keeping an
eye on approaching barges, Greg Porteus contacted Sector NY to relay
the Registration Number of the vessel nudged up tight against Buoy
22.
Jim Picciano
Sector NY responded promptly with the news of a Westchester County Police report of a man having fallen off this boat earlier in the day. The stiff current and strong wind quickly moved the Grady White out of reach. Unable to re-board, the unfortunate man was forced to swim to shore. In his report to Westchester County Police he confirmed that he'd been alone on the boat at the time of the incident.
With this new information and another commercial tug with a barge in tow bearing down on them, the priority became to safely remove themselves and the Grady White from the busy channel. The boat was boarded to verify that no people were aboard and prepare lines for a towing evolution.
Launch 5 and Saved Grady White at SYC
The 25 ft. Grady White was safely removed from the channel, taken back to the nearest safe harbor, Shattemuc Yacht Club, and secured to the dock for follow up by Westchester County Police the next day.
At an awards ceremony on Tuesday, August 14, 2007 Captain Michael S. Gardiner USCG, Deputy Captain of the Port of New York, presented a Coast Guard Commendation Letter to Gregory Porteus, James Picciano, and William Smith for their efforts in recovering the abandoned pleasure boat that posed a serious navigational hazard to traffic on the Hudson River.
Greg Porteus And Captain Gardiner USCG
The
letter goes on to say "In addition to recovering a vessel and removing a hazard
to navigation, you demonstrated exceptional devotion to duty and a commitment
to port safety."
According to the letter of commendation their "actions and initiative significantly contributed to the overall safety of the Port of New York."
Captain Gardiner wrote " Your performance of duty on July 15, 2007 is an
example of why
the combined efforts of the Coast Guard Auxiliary are so critical in the Coast
Guard's ability to provide exceptional service to the boating public and
contribute to the Maritime Domain Awareness of the Port of New York/New
Jersey."
For more information about Launch 5, a Philip Rhodes designed, 52 ft, 26 ton, steel hulled, former NYPD Harbor Unit Patrol Boat, visit www.launch5.com.
This experience reinforces several important points:
1) There is a great deal of benefit in monitoring radio traffic - you never know when a situation might arise that you might be uniquely equipped to handle. If you don't know about it, you can't help.
2) Be prepared to respond - although all three volunteers were not initially under orders, they were mentally prepared to go underway if necessary, the boat was properly equipped, and they had their appropriate personal protective equipment with them - which is especially important at night.
3) Be versed in assessing mission risk - while it may seem like overkill for routine safety patrols, performing a risk assessment in this case was crucial. Unless you practice using GAR on the routine patrols, it won't be second nature when a situation like this one comes along.
Enjoy recreational boating, but keep your radios and PFDs on and your eyes peeled, you never know when you'll be needed to step up and reaffirm our motto:
Semper Paratus
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