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View Full Version : Coast Guard (Auxilary)... anyone done it ?



Lenny
03-22-2009, 09:28 PM
I am thinking about joining it. It is on a "call-out" basis here and what you get is a boat, free gas, a team-mate or two, and some of the snottiest weather imaginable , other than playing in Hurrricanes down South.

Basically, the phone rings, you have access to a boat, and you assist or be "first responders" to some ugly water thing out in the sea locally. This intrigues me and gives me a chance to be in a RIB with big power and gross weather :D I like that idea. :)

Anyone done it down there, 7+ miles South of me :D

We do not have guns here :rolleyes: for this... please don't go there, this is a rescue thing.

Curious as to your thoughts ...

eg: bringggg bringggg, (windier than snot outside) Hello ? :D :D :D bring it on.

Jraysray
03-22-2009, 09:41 PM
Loved it when I was an industrial firefighter but to join a local firehouse no way. I would not want to scrape a kid off the road or pull one up from the bottom.

I know this is not all they do but I really don't want to put myself in the position. If you can get past that Go for it! The adreniline rush when your running "Hot" is like no other.

Lenny
03-22-2009, 10:24 PM
Ya know, it is sump'in about big rough water that I like, and the fact that I can "help", that intrigues me. We ( Coast Guard) need all the help you can get here. I do not know your Countries current status.

I LOVED being with either Poodle or Buizilla at the Worlds Offshore in either turn one or two for three years running and ( yes ) morbidly wanting to "help". The Choppers overhead, radios, divers, KWFD, you name it.

I think I need a change or something in my life and I do not want a Corvette, Cialis or big "pipes" ... :D

Conquistador_del_mar
03-22-2009, 11:32 PM
I think I need a change or something in my life and I do not want a Corvette, Cialis or big "pipes" ... :D

Now that was funny! Sounds like you are fired up - a good thing. Bill

zelatore
03-22-2009, 11:41 PM
I totally get it - Often when I'm driving over a bridge in the wind I'll look down at the nastiness below and think 'yeah, I'd do that'.

Of course, you need the right boat for the job.

The Aux. down here works a little differently from what I know. Basically the few people I've talked to who did it used their own boats for simple patrols. They usually did it to get some free fuel. They may get called for S&R work, but I don't think they send them out in really snotty weather - a lot of the boats I've seen them using wouldn't be cut out for it.

Sounds really cool though.

BTW - I done the floater thing with the local PD. Not a problem for me since all I did was run the boat, but I can see where it wouldn't be quite so fun if you were guy doing the fishing.

Dr. Dan
03-23-2009, 05:46 AM
:biggrin.:Liz and I did this for a Season when we first got our Donzi...and it was more like Zelatore said...use your own boat and do a patrol thing with others on a rotation. Problem was it became your life..there was literally no time for recreational boating..... they took any free time we had.

Ultimately we had to bow out... so we could enjoy our own boat.... and no one in our area has a ton of respect for the Auxillary Group, most are retired folks looking for a more meaningful use of their time. Don't get me wrong it was educational...we did the floating suites in the pool and alot of drills, tons of meetings and alot of radio communication.

Liz can still run circles around most with knots and line handling... they adored her. I think the classes are a great thing...but to actually do the job is a serious time committment.

Good Luck

Danny :kingme:

Ghost
03-23-2009, 12:50 PM
Not sure if it will be all you want, but I think having people like you join is ideal for the rest of us.

Sample size of 1, but some local chapter here proved to be the most incredibly studpid batch of tinpot dictators I've ever seen on the water. (And I know, policing the anchorage on the 4th of July is a thankless job and I am sympathetic, but these clowns were ridiculous.)

I'll spare you the details, but rarely have I ever seen an "official" who was a bigger idiot, coming out of the gate barking angry instructions. They were clearly out of their league, nervous, and reacting very badly to their own discomfort. I was a little disappointed in the Marine Police, who were there in force, and totally laid back, but didn't reel in the CGA morons.

We could stand to get rid of such idiots in favor of decent, competent people like you. At the 4th of July, this was just annoying. In any situation that mattered on the water, panicky buffoons like these are dangerous.

fogducker III
03-23-2009, 01:01 PM
This is a good place to start Lenny, I did it for a few years, marine related, then ended up over in the UK doing similar, when I got back here did a short time with the Saanich Police marine division and some training with the RCMP.

To old to be of any use now.............:biggrin.::wink:


http://www.pep.bc.ca/index.html

smokediver
03-24-2009, 12:19 PM
The real hard part is having the ability to not make someones bad day your own ... And you have to live with that ...

mattyboy
03-24-2009, 12:58 PM
we had an older couple here on our lake the Turner's he was a retired USCG Capt. they gave all the classes and were out there on the lake all the time like a pair of Grandparents said hello to everyone, helped out, scolded people at times. they have since passed away and the new guys are stuffed shirts.

on our lake the really are just a tow boat the leo patrols do all the dirty work rescue , recovery


I would do it one maybe two weekends a summer