Are you really ready to go boating?

So you've decided to go fishing with a few friends today. You've done all the planning, checked the weather forecasts, made sure the boat has fuel, stopped by the store for food and drinks, you're set to go! Right? The one thing you didn't check was your safety gear, however your confident that everything is there after all it was all there last year when you parked the boat for winter storage. You meet your friends at the ramp and hit the water. Your plan is to head out to the Gulfstream and find some Tuna, last you checked the Gulfstream was 35 miles from the inlet you are leaving from.

An hour and half later you arrive at a position you think will be a good place to put your lines in. You set the lines and now its time to sit back and relax and wait for the big one to bite.

Suddenly you notice your boat is listing a bit to port you tell one of your friends to move over to the other side, which seems to take care of the problem. But, after a few minutes the boat takes a port list again. You wonder what could be going on?  You have your friend take the helm while you investigate what the problem could be. You unscrew the bilge access cover and as soon as you do, water comes gushing out. Your mind has trouble grasping the gravity of the situation. You panic! Your first thought is we need to get in, NOW! Your buddy's start reeling in the lines and you switch on the bilge pump to thwart the flooding. You hit the throttle and turn towards shore, but your boat doesn't want to come to speed, you barely hit 5knts! And the list to port is getting alarmingly pronounced. In fact half the cowling of the motor is underwater, suddenly you lose power. Panic takes hold, your mind is reeling, what to do now! You quickly remember your VHF radio, you remember the salesman telling you that it had some type of emergency button if you're to find yourself in trouble, but hell you never thought you would be the one to get in trouble, its always the other guy. So you grab the handset and start hailing "MAYDAY, MAYDAY, MAYDAY, were going down 35miles from the inlet please someone HELP!" Just then your radio dies, you've lost all power, the water has covered the batteries. The boat takes another roll to port, but this time it does not return it keeps rolling. Your going over. This is it! Your going going in. You and your friends jump into the water just as the boat rolls to port and capsizes. The boats stern settles into the water and the bow pierces the water with each passing swell. You look around to make sure all your friends made it off the boat before it rolled, they did. Now what? Hopefully someone heard your call for help. But how are they going to find you, you never did give an exact position, you didn't tell your wife where you where going to fish all she knows is when you will be home and that's not for another 6 hours. You look around no one has a life jacket on. Everything happened so quick you never thought about the safety gear. All of it was in the bow, the life jackets, the whistle, oh man the FLARES, the FLARES! Everything was in the bow, now you and your friends are left to tread water until someone  hopefully spots you. But whats the chances of that? With no flares, whistles, or life jackets, or even a Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) your chances of survival are not good.

So, have you ever imagined a situation like this? I am here to tell you they happen more often then you may think. People go out for a day of fun on the water, and never give safety a second thought, and safety gear well that's just the stuff the Coast Guard checks. This last week at the station we were called out to deal with two situations very similar to the scenario I wrote about. Friday morning the station was called out to conduct a search offshore, due to a flare being reported. And just today we were called out to assist a boat that was taking on water. Both cases ended favorably for the persons involved. The flare sighting did not turn out to be a vessel in distress and the vessel taking on water was assisted by seatow. But both cases got me thinking about safety equipment, and how its used.

Most people never even think about safety equipment until they find themselves in a life or death situation. I know this because I have been inspecting boats for 17 years and it never surprises me to see that boaters don't know what they are required to have onboard, or they don't check the condition of it. I've even checked boats that are over 20 miles from shore that have NO SAFETY equipment onboard. I mean come on, really? Often times the day people buy the equipment is the day they forget about it.

Do you and your family a big favor, think about your safety equipment before you go out. Ensure life jackets are in a spot where they can be grabbed and donned in a hurry. And don't let the day you need to put on a life jacket for real the first time you ever put one on. In fact make sure everyone you take out on the boat knows not only where the life jackets are but how to put them on. Go out and get yourself a watertight bag one that you can find in most sporting goods stores. Use this bag to put your flares, whistles, and anything else you think you may need if you find it necessary to abandon your boat. If you have all your gear centrally located and ready to grab when your in a hurry your chances of survival and being found increase immensely. Also know your equipment, know how the Digital Selective Calling (DSC) works on your radio if equipped. If you have an EPIRB make sure you know how to test the battery. Bottom line take care of, and know your equipment.

Panic is your first enemy, if you are prepared for the worst you can quill the fear and panic that leads most people to make the wrong choices when decisions have to be made in split seconds and can have lasting and far to often deadly consequences.

The Senior Seaman of the Seventh

Story written by: PA1 Christopher Evanson

He has seen a lot. His keen mind and candid vocabulary reminisce about a simpler time when things from a modern perspective appear not so simple. He is Earl F. Wallace, 92, of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., a retired Coast Guardsmen to whom thousands of lives directly or indirectly owe a thank you.“I saw the Coast Guard guys always coming and going from the shore.” All of 17 years of age, Wallace saw a way out. “I put in an application...got it back and they said 1100 people were ahead of me,” he said. It was the Great Depression--there were no vacancies. Wallace sought his former boss for advice. He was a former Coast

Guardsman. “He told me to write a letter to congress,” said Wallace. Consequently, Wallace ventured to the

local post office to have the letter written

for him. “I only had an eight grade education, and I didn’t feel like writing a letter,” he said. However, what Wallace lacked in a formal education, he more than made up for it through his practical knowledge of the

sea. Ultimately, Congressman Schuyler Otis Bland responded to the letter. In a nutshell, remembers Wallace, “the letter said if I wanted in I was to go south.” Not long after the good news, Wallace completed his initial administrative paperwork and prepared to leave the Chesapeake Bay behind. “My uncle and my daddy got me on the bus,” he added. He departed the Eastern Shore with 25 dollars in his pocket. It was his first ever trip by himself.

Wallace reported aboard the Sullivan’s Island Lifeboat Station in South Carolina. He took his oath of enlistment April 1, 1935. He would be assigned there for a year and a half. “It was the only active lifeboat station in the region at the time.” Following the aftermath of the Great Depression, lifeboat stations were rising up like the tide, Wallace explains, but due to the Depression, there were no vacancies in the Coast Guard. “I remember the officer-in-charge wasn’t happy with my showing up,” said Wallace. “He had secured a spot at the station for a family member which somehow went to me.” The young recruit received an ultimatum from his new boss: “You have six months,” Wallace remembered. However, “I was bound and determined not to go back home,” he added. “We drilled everyday from 8-11, I studied the bluebook all day and all night and on watch,” he said. As a result, Wallace became very proficient, much to the surprise of his

demanding officer-in-charge. Wallace’s work ethic resulted in earning the title of surfman, one of the most coveted positions for a station member, both then and now. The station boasted nine surfmen in all, most of whom as Wallace so eloquently states, were “Carolina Boys.” “If it wasn’t for them Carolina Boys, we wouldn’t be here,” said Wallace. “They started it all.” Wallace was referring to the rich tradition of North Carolina life savers, known for their heroic lifesaving exploits in prehaps the most dangrous coastline in the country; an area referred to as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Wallace rose through the enlisted ranks and eventually earned a commission. The man with an eighth grade education who couldn’t draft a letter suitable for a congressman to read eventually commanded his own ship of men for 18 months in the South Pacific during the height of World War II. Wallace operated in an era where Guardians were expected to meet challenges head on or get out. It was that simple. Jensen believes the Coast Guardsmen of yesteryear offers a leadership example for Guardians of today to mirror.

“Mr. Wallace was in the Coast Guard but it was a different Coast Guard,” said Jensen. “It was one where I believe they had a lot more autonomy and had to rely on themselves.” “I think about that a lot; I mean they

didn’t even have phones at the station back then. Now we have a need for instant communication, we sometimes don’t allow our junior members to make mistakes and develop as leaders based on

those mistakes,” said Jensen. Wallace followed his first tour with a stint at the Lake Worth Inlet, Fla., Lifeboat Station, and then commissioned a lifeboat station in West Palm Beach, Fla. In 1939, Wallace and six of his shipmates arrived at the newly built Coast Guard Station Ponce de Leon Inlet as plankowners.

Over the next 20 years, Wallace would rise through the enlisted ranks and eventually earn a commission. The

man with an eighth grade education who couldn’t draft a letter suitable for a congressman to read eventually

commanded his own ship of men for 18 months in the South Pacific during the height of World War II.

Upon his retirement, Wallace found a quaint home on the beautiful banks of Ponce Inlet where he has resided ever since. There have been many sun sets since his career concluded. Wallace chats on occasion with Senior Chief Jensen. They share laughs, reminisce about life and reinforce a bond created long ago on the shipwrecked islands of the Chesapeake Bay. As modernization looks to innovate the Coast Guard’s operational vision from its past, there is much to be gained by tapping into it.

LTJG (Ret) Earl "Wally" Wallace has Crossed the Bar

Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar,
When I put out to sea,

But such a tide as moving seems asleep,
Too full for sound and foam,
When that which drew from out the boundless deep
Turns again home.

Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;

For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crossed the bar.

A friend, Earl "Wally" Wallace passed away this morning. Wally was the first Commanding Officer of Station Ponce Inlet. Wally was 93, and would have celebrated his 94th birthday on 29 June 2010.

I will post more about Wally and his career in the Coast Guard later.

He'll be missed.

Crew assists Daytona Fire in battling blaze

On the morning of May 22nd the station was called by central dispatch notifying us that the motor yacht Princess Lauren was on fire at the Daytona Beach Yacht Club. The station responded to the fire with the 23' UTL in order to assist the Daytona fire department battle the blaze. Once onscene the 23' crew took firefighters onboard and battled the blaze from the vessels starboard side, which could not be accessed from the dock. Complicating response efforts was 500 rounds of ammunition the owner of the yacht had onboard which presented a danger to all those involved. In all over 200 gallons of foam were used, ultimately the vessel sank in 6' of water but continued to burn for most of the day. The yachts value was estimated to be $3.5 million.

"Sampson" Its a love hate relationship.

Coast Guard Cutters, and Stations have a long history of adopting friends from the animal kingdom as their unit mascots. The most popular animal to do duty on both cutters and stations have been dogs. Many of these dogs have served with distinction, and some have even seen action in battle some being injured and even sometimes killed. One of the Coast Guards most famous mascots was a dog by the name of "Sinbad". Sinbad served a majority of his career onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Campbell, and was eventually transfered to Coast Guard Light Station Barnaget, New Jersey where he eventually was retired as a Chief Petty Officer. Sinbad is the only Coast Guard member to have a biography written about them, the book was called Sinbad of the Coast Guard, written by Chief Specialist George R. Foley, USCGR.
Station Ponce Inlet is no different when it comes to mascots, we have a dog by the name of Sampson. I really don't know the exact story of how Sampson ended up at the station, and I really don't know if anyone knows how old he is. I've heard that Sampson was adopted a few years ago by the last Officer in Charge, from where no one really knows? I don't believe any of the stories I hear on his adoption, my belief is one really dark and windy night Sampson was thrown over the fence of the Coast Guard station by someone we must have really wronged at sometime. Theres no other explanation I can come up with as to how Sampson arrived at the station. Ever since I reported aboard and assumed command Sampson and I have not seen eye-to-eye in fact I truly believe Sampson thinks he's in charge of the station. He eye's me every morning I drive on base to remind me of the very fact.

I have a yellow lab named Zane, Zane has been coming to work with me for the past 5 years. He started his career when I was on the Cutter Sawfish and as seen duty on the Great Lakes and is now with me at the station. The first day Zane reported aboard he was not given a warm welcome by Sampson in fact they went fist to cuffs and Zane I am ashamed to admit lost, in fact it was a pretty weak performance on Zanes part. But anyway Sampson's run in with Zane was not his first or only run in with other dogs, in fact I learned that many members of the station at one point or another brought their dogs in only to be greeted with the same warm invitation which Zane received. Sampson is an equally opportunity bully he doesn't just focus his frustrations on other dogs it can be anyone, from the pizza delivery man, to boy scouts visiting the station he's chased and cornered them all. So after Zane, and Sampson's little scuffle I decided I was going excert my authority as the Officer in Charge and transfer this devil dog to some unsuspecting family. However, as many families as I transferred Sampson to he always managed to came back. Some brought him back because they feared for their cats lives, or even sometimes I believe their own lives. So after a year Sampson is still onboard causing mayhem!

Though I have to admit I wouldn't lose any sleep if Sampson where to go A-wall, in fact I don't think I would even place him on report. But, since I have been onboard Sampson has worked his way in with me. I can't help but laugh at some of the things he does. As I said Sampson is a nondiscriminatory bully, it even goes for marine life that may be passing by the station. One particular day some manatees decided to come by the station which they often do, but on this day Sampson was having no part of the them. He decided to jump off the sea wall and go after the manatee's. What Sampson didn't take into account was the manatee out weighed Sampson by about 800 pounds. So after Sampson ever so gracefully entered the water the manatee decided he really didn't feel like playing with Sampson and quickly batted him with his tail. Upon being hit by the Manatees tail he flew out of the water about 5 feet. After his aeriel trip courtesy of air manatee he quickly realized that he was in over his head and quickly made for shore. This was not Sampson's last run in with the marine mammals though. Sampson often finds it resistible to watch the dolphins swimming near the station docks without going after them.

Sampson like any good sailor worth a salt often manages to find himself in a little trouble once in awhile, but knows when business needs to be taken care of. He has manged to live up to the all the other colorful Coast Guard mascots that have come before him and he certainly adds something unique to Station Ponce. And as fitting as it is Sampson has found some great friends at the station in MK2 K. Parkman, and BM3 A. Heald who take him home once in awhile to give both myself and Sampson a break from each other. I guess it's fitting Sampons a sailor and can only get along with other sailors just like himself.

And I have to admit I think I've lost my battle with Sampson and have to come to terms with the fact that Sampson probably really is in charge.

Weekend Duty

Weekend duty, I don't know that there are many people who likes standing duty over the weekend, however everyone at the station is on a rotation that requires them to stand 1 weekend out of every 3. Duty weekend starts Friday morning and ends Monday morning, so it can be really taxing on the duty section if they are busy. Here at Ponce it seems our busiest times are during the summer months, and of course during the weekends. Ponce Inlet attracts a wide array of boaters, you have recreational fisherman who are targeting both inshore, and offshore fish, as well as people who are just looking to cruise the waters. The weekend tends to be the busiest for two reasons, the first reason is a no brainier most people are off, so where do you go when you live in Florida and your off, well you hit the water. The second reason is many of the people that hit the water on the weekends are just that weekend boaters. Let me put a disclaimer out there before people get upset (many people who boat on the weekends are very knowledgeable and capable boaters), however there are many people who hit the water on the weekend only a few weekends out of the year and that sometimes creates some issues. Its really important that if you are only able to take the boat out a few weekends a year to take a safety boating class, there are many organizations that provide boating safety classes such as but not limited to the Coast Guard Auxiliary, or Power Squadron.
This weekend was fairly typical at Ponce we had a few calls for assistance and conducted about 15 vessel safety inspections. Sunday afternoon the duty section responded to a call for assistance from a Sailing vessel which had experienced an engine failure. The boat was located about 52 miles from the station, so the boat crew was looking at a long tow back to Ponce Inlet. The crew left the station around 1pm and didn't get back until 11 that evening. Once the crew returned to the station they were "bagged". When we bag a crew it means that they were underway for a extended amount of time and require a certain amount of hours in order to recuperate before they can be launched again. The Coxswain of the 47' MLB which responded to the case was BM3 F. Timmons, a.k.a. "Gil". Gil has been a qualified coxswain for about three months at the unit and has already run dozens of Search and Rescue cases.
All in all it was a good weekend at Ponce Inlet.

Station earns the Sumner I. Kimball award

Heavy rains Monday morning missed Coast Guard Station Ponce Inlet as its crew of 35 men and women assembled in the yard to receive a coveted award for exceptional readiness.
The outpost on the New Smyrna Beach side of the inlet stayed dry just long enough during stormy weather for presentation of the Summer I. Kimball Award, said Senior Chief Petty Officer Michael Jensen, who is in charge of the small military base.
The prize -- a plaque and pennant named for a historic Life-Saving Service general superintendent who served from 1878 to 1915 -- resulted from high achievement during a three-day inspection early this year. The station received a perfect score for survival gear and 47 out of 50 points in overall unit assessment.
"I have been in the Coast Guard for 17 years, with five different shore units and on multiple ships. This is the first time I have been in a unit that has received this award," Jenson said. "I attribute it to the crew. Everybody has to be a cohesive team or you cannot come together to get the required points needed for the award."
The inspection involved individual written crew testing, individual inspections, boat inspections and "under way drills," including towing and search and rescue procedures, Jenson said.
Capt. Andy Blomme, commander of Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville, made the presentation. He said the award is highly coveted and described the inspection standards.
"The slightest error could result in loss. If there's a safety violation, they lose all points for the drill. Or if one flare is missing, they could lose all their points for a personal inspection," said Blomme, who is stationed at Naval Station Mayport and oversees 600 active duty and Coast Guard reservists from Jacksonville to Malabar Beach. "I am extraordinarily proud of the teamwork the station showed and the responsiveness overall."
The pennant will fly for the next two years, he said, but the award is only a symbol of the everyday effort by the crew, which has many missions, including maritime security, national defense and protection of natural resources.
"Last October, we had a vessel drifting into the surf line where it almost certainly could've rolled over and caused loss of life. They were able to catch the boat and save three lives. Those types of heroic actions are easy to recognize," Blomme said. "But daily they are offshore with their eyes opened, looking for anything out of the ordinary, aware of the maritime environment."