NYCkayaker USCG

[Richard Clifford]

NYCKayaker,
    Last one from me. ........ Let me see if I understand. Jeremy 
indicates to one writer that the "USCG thread" has reached a saturation 
point and that it should end. He asks back-channel. The first (apparent) 
response is for Mike to respond on the list (to the back-channel 
request) and continue doing precisely what he was asked to end  ... more 
about the USCG. Am I misunderstanding any of that?

    Some folks next added some comments about list "censorship" and 
their interest in reading and/or writing further because they disagree 
with Jeremy, as the list administrator, that there has been enough on 
the point.

    Next, Mike comes back (below) suggesting that "local kayak clubs," 
and/or the swim event organizers are engaged in a "conspiracy of 
silence" to hide the USCG incompetence or their own as race organizers, 
or the strings being pulled by "local powerbrokers" (??). Well, that all 
comes as a bit of a surprise to me. While I know many, many kayakers who 
very specifically do not like one swim race organizer, I have kayaked in 
events that he has organized for maybe 15 years now. The swimmers I have 
accompanied have broken records swimming around Manhattan in the middle 
of the night or going from the Battery to Sandy Hook, NJ. They have won 
the 28.5 mile swim race or gotten 2nd place so many times that a 4th 
place finish is a disappointment (for me).

    During all of my participation in those swim events I have yet to 
experience USCG "interference" or that they changed the winning finish 
of any race or event. Rarely have we had much direct USCG involvement 
with the Manhattan swims. Those are more NYC Marine Police units. For 
the Sandy Hook swim last August the USCG was professional, specific and 
involved, but never an obstacle to our "permitted" event.  They told us 
where to be or not to be, and specifically when we were to cross both 
the Ambrose Channel and the Sandy Hook Channel. My swimmer broke a 
record that day also. So much for USCG "interference" or changing results.

    Maybe it is the 50 caliber weapons on the fore deck that are bugging 
you. [I'd like to try assure you that the weapons are not poised there 
to take-out kayakers. Haven't heard any suggestion of that one, not 
yet!] Maybe its something else. Here is the USCG mission statement. Read 
it if you truly wish to continue your remarks.     
http://www.uscg.mil/top/missions/ 

    I say chit-chat all you like about this or any other topic, but it 
not adding value to anything I see, read, understand or experience. I 
adopt Jim W's comments as you continue.  We have read enough. We 
understand what we need to understand. Lighten up and move-on to 
something else.

    I also encourage Mike or any other paddlers to get out on the water 
and take a look around for many of the migrating creatures. Those 
butterflies (headed back to Mexico for a Winter of R&R.) Blue fish are 
running strong (if you dare fish for them). We have osprey on the Long 
Island Sound right there in Rye diving for a meal within yards of your 
boat. There were 1,000 lb. sunfish in the Long Island Sound off of 
Larchmont last year in October. Right now, water temps were about 72-73 
deg. F. So, maybe go for a swim. I would say that by now we all have 
gotten everyone's "point" about the USCG, swim organizers or kayak 
clubs, etc.. - Richard





PS Once again my 2 cents about what the USCG is doing for you today. 
Take a look:

*    Coast Guard Searches for Three Missing Kayakers*

*HONOLULU --* Rescue personnel from the U.S. Coast Guard and the 
Honolulu County Fire Department today continue to search for three 
kayakers. At 2 p.m., today a Good Samaritan reported to the Coast Guard 
Sector Honolulu Command Center that he found an orange, 12-foot, 3 
person 'Ocean Kayak' two miles south of Diamond Head. The kayak had 
enough gear on board for two or three people.

A 47-foot rescue boat from Coast Guard Station Honolulu and rescue 
helicopter crews from Air Station Barbers Point are searching four miles 
off shore and along the shoreline from Waikiki to Hawaii-Kai. Rescue 
personnel are looking for any signs of the missing kayakers or any other 
signs of distress.

Neither the Coast Guard nor the Honolulu County Fire Department have 
received any additional reports of overdue persons from an excursion.

*

Anyone with further information that could help aid in the search, 
immediately call the Coast Guard Sector Honolulu at (808) 842-2600.

*http://www.uscghawaii.com/go/doc/800/173177/




mike wrote:

> *One of the problems* I have seen with a lot of clubs and 
> organizations that receive any support from the *local government and 
> authorities* is their *inability to confront and take on controversial 
> issues*. Many bicycle clubs will not push too hard for correcting of 
> inadequacies since they need permission and local govt support to host 
> their annual fundraising events.  Local kayak clubs may be wary of 
> their membership expressing their opinion *for fear of losing the 
> support and possible repercussions of the local powerbrokers.*
>
> *Race organizers cannot say what they really think of the coast guard 
> f*#@ Ups since they want to continue to hold the race next year. The 
> coast guard has interfered and in all probability changed the winning 
> finish of  races held here in NYC*..
>
> I remember in scuba diving /wreck diving days when the coast guard 
> would go to local wreck site in international waters and try to stop 
> the dive boats from diving on it. *They overstep their bounds, 
> authority, and need to be reigned in and called on it when they do 
> this*.  They no nothing about scuba diving either, their divers never 
> recover the tragics, they don't have the experience.
>
> The nighttime 4^th of July powerboat harbor lock is a much bigger 
> hazard than any group kayak event and that is always allowed to take 
> place without permits.
>
>  
>
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