Seven rescued from the water near Galiano

[hambone]

These people are very lucky! Amazing job by the coast guard, it's nice to know they are there for us!
Also I know we all like to rip on BC ferries, but they are actually very well trained to deal with all types of marine emergencies and hardly get mentioned for how often they assist.

On a side note, be safe in the fog we've been having this time of year. Sounded like a compete gong show off Nanaimo last weekend with a very close encounter between the ferry and someone.


----

Seven rescued from water near Galiano; ferries diverted to help

- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/l...verted-to-help-1.1398563#sthash.rWB6dQpq.dpuf

Seven people were rescued from the sea off northern Galiano Island Monday night after their boat started to sink.

They were in the water when rescuers on a Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft arrived, said a spokesman for the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Victoria. Their boat was still floating but quickly sinking, and they were clinging to the hull.

Two adults and five children were reported to be on board.

Acting Sub. Lt. Ron MacDougall said a call came in at about 8 p.m. that a 30-foot gillnet fishing vessel was sinking.

MacDougall said the adults and children did not suffer any major injuries. ”The patients exhibited mild to moderate hypothermia,” he said. ”They were in very cold water for almost a half-hour.”

He could not say if the seven people were wearing life-jackets.

B.C. Ferries was asked by the Coast Guard to divert two vessels to assist in the rescue of a boat that was in trouble, said spokesman Darin Guenette.

The Spirit of Vancouver Island, which was in the area of Active Pass, was dispatched first, at around 8:10 p.m.

About 10 minutes later, the Coast Guard requested additional help and the Queen of Cowichan, which was travelling to Horseshoe Bay from Departure Bay, also began steaming towards the direction of the distressed vessel.

A Coast Guard hovercraft reached the site first, and managed to rescue everyone on board, said Guenette.

The marine emergency caused both ferries to run about an hour behind schedule.

- See more at: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/l...verted-to-help-1.1398563#sthash.rWB6dQpq.dpuf

 

[jeffywestcoast]

wow just watched this on the news, another win for the sea island hovercraft crew, we sure are lucky to have them.

 

[MrX]

I'm glad everyone was safe - it can get rough around Porleir Pass especially when the south easterlies conflict with a flooding tide. Not sure about the comment that we all 'rip' the ferries? I have a lot of respect for their presence, patience, emergency assistance and control of the vessels.

We have a boat-only-access place near the north end of Galiano and I am impressed with the joint Canadian Coast Guard, Us Coast Guard and BC Ferry response - it makes me feel better should something ever happen to my family and our boat out there (we cross from Vancouver to the Gulf Islands year round about twice a month).

It boggles me why there isn't a better cordination system to deal with emergencies. What I am trying to say is that I am more than willing to assist a distressed vessel but I have no way to monitor the frequencies except to stay on my boat and monitor channel 16 - rather unpractical as (I beleive if I remember correctly) that the VHF course states that it is illegal to operate a VHF on land. It would be nice if there was an emergency system that allowed the Coast Guard to send text alerts for vessels in distress in various regions. I monitor my phone constantly and would be more than willing to jump in my boat (which is in front of my dock at the cabin) and assist in emergency situations. For example with this posting, I could have been there in 10 or less minutes should I have received the text and been at my cabin.

 

[ziggy]

I can't see how monitoring a VHF radio could be illegal or detected? Maybe if you are transmitting, but if you are listening how would they know and why would they care?
I wouldn't think RCC would ever want to be responsible for dispatching boats they know nothing about, or skippers they know nothing about. I think its different if you are already out there and in the area than it is to dispatch someone out into weather! Have you considered the CG auxiliary?

 

[finaddict]

I think it is rather disgraceful that our coast guard system continuously needs to depend on the ferries to do their job for them. No disrespect to the CG, just the moron bureaucrats in Ottawa who play with the lives of people caught in these situations.

 

[MrX]

I can't see how monitoring a VHF radio could be illegal or detected? Maybe if you are transmitting, but if you are listening how would they know and why would they care?
I wouldn't think RCC would ever want to be responsible for dispatching boats they know nothing about, or skippers they know nothing about. I think its different if you are already out there and in the area than it is to dispatch someone out into weather! Have you considered the CG auxiliary?

Think of a scenario in which a boat with 5 young children are on and it is sinking (sounds familiar). Would you rather the children tread water/cling to a boat in 14 celcius rough water (and dark)for 10 minutes or 30 minutes? It's not just the hypothermia but the tramatic experience that the children would go through. I'm just saying it worth exploring a system that can assist more than it can hinder. I'm no CG auxiliary but I would want someone to asist my family in such situation. Further, when under power it is hard to hear channel 16 calls - a text is much more convientent. Subscribe or not to such service but a simple gesture to help goes a long way...

 

[Charter Tofino]

Having untrained people ripping out to calls in the middle of the night or in rough weather will often cause more harm than good. CG is trained for these scenarios, Joe Blow running a 17 foot double eagle isn't. Of course assist when possible and needed but a fleet of arm chair CG responding to every call they hear would be a nightmare for professionals. I can just picture guys trying to save someone and end up being the ones needing saving.

 

[MrX]

Having untrained people ripping out to calls in the middle of the night or in rough weather will often cause more harm than good. CG is trained for these scenarios, Joe Blow running a 17 foot double eagle isn't. Of course assist when possible and needed but a fleet of arm chair CG responding to every call they hear would be a nightmare for professionals. I can just picture guys trying to save someone and end up being the ones needing saving.

Point taken - but don't forget that the CG already calls out for assistance on Channel 16 (which I commented on isn't monitored if you are not on your boat (with few exceptions)). Thus a text based assistance may be beneficial. As for you 17ft comment - I would hope that one wouldn't risk their own life to save others by taking out a boat that clearly shouldn't be out in severe conditions. A lot of boats sink in calm waters and a 17 ft double eagle could be a life saviour in those conditions.

 

[Pippen]

Apparently rescue footage to be on CBC at 5 and I assume likely 6 as well.

 

[tincan]

I like the idea of a text based system to alert local boaters. Could be tied into GPS so that it only goes out when you're within a certain area. Given the cuts to coast guard I think boaters could use all the help we can get out there.

 

[Hookin'up]

I can't see how monitoring a VHF radio could be illegal or detected? Maybe if you are transmitting, but if you are listening how would they know and why would they care?

The Act states it is illegal to operate a VHF marine radio without a ROC-M licence, and operating is defined as simple as "Turning on the radio"
but with that being said if a person is on a boat and an emergency rises Grab that mic and make your call,
all boat owners/captains should be required to take the ROC-M course as part of the PCOC, its a short course and could be a life saver

 

[ziggy]

Having untrained people ripping out to calls in the middle of the night or in rough weather will often cause more harm than good. CG is trained for these scenarios, Joe Blow running a 17 foot double eagle isn't. Of course assist when possible and needed but a fleet of arm chair CG responding to every call they hear would be a nightmare for professionals. I can just picture guys trying to save someone and end up being the ones needing saving.

Hit the nail on the head.

 

[ziggy]

The Act states it is illegal to operate a VHF marine radio without a ROC-M licence, and operating is defined as simple as "Turning on the radio"
but with that being said if a person is on a boat and an emergency rises Grab that mic and make your call,
all boat owners/captains should be required to take the ROC-M course as part of the PCOC, its a short course and could be a life saver[/QUOTE


Never said you didn't need a ROC to operate a radio.The statement made was that it was illegal to monitor a VHF radio ashore and therefore you could not hear emergency calls unless you were on your boat!
As you state without an ROC it would make no difference if you were at sea or ashore, the radio should be off IAW the "Act"! But again I will say it is impossible to tell if anyone is monitoring a radio or a scanner for that matter ashore and frankly what harm could it possibly do?. If you transmit however....

 

[Canso]

I like the idea of a text based system to alert local boaters. Could be tied into GPS so that it only goes out when you're within a certain area. Given the cuts to coast guard I think boaters could use all the help we can get out there.

My lowrance link 8 VHF will sound an alarm and display "distress" the MMSI number and gps coordinates of the person in distress. no matter what channel I'm on, and after 10 seconds the channel automatically changes to channel 16 if I haven't done so.

Not sure who triggers this, I thought the CG. Both times I've had this happen, they were boat fires in Vancouver harbour.

 

[seadna]

My lowrance link 8 VHF will sound an alarm and display "distress" the MMSI number and gps coordinates of the person in distress. no matter what channel I'm on, and after 10 seconds the channel automatically changes to channel 16 if I haven't done so.

Not sure who triggers this, I thought the CG. Both times I've had this happen, they were boat fires in Vancouver harbour.

That's only for those who have their GPS tied into a DSC equipped radio and who had the presence of mind to press the distress button on the radio. E.g. those calls are generated automatically from specially equipped radios (DSC - which are commonplace nowadays) which are properly wired to the chart plotter (rare amongst rec boaters). The MMSI number had to be obtained by registering with the proper authorities entered into the radio properly (not that common amongst rec boaters). But if everyone had a properly setup DSC radio with an MMSI #, it would be great in such situations.

 

[sammyslabber]

wow just watched this on the news, another win for the sea island hovercraft crew, we sure are lucky to have them. View attachment 14297

Lucky yes; however all 3 of Richmond's Sea Island sea-base hovercraft were out of service last week;leaving a large hole in the system.All this after Kitsilano C.G station was closed; take note Ottawa,hard to put a value on saving lives. Thankful everyone was rescued;hats off to the C.G crews who put their lives on the line and make due with all the budget cuts

http://globalnews.ca/news/1567169/q...-3-sea-island-hovercraft-left-out-of-service/

 

[MrX]

Point taken - but don't forget that the CG already calls out for assistance on Channel 16 (which I commented on isn't monitored if you are not on your boat (with few exceptions)). Thus a text based assistance may be beneficial. As for you 17ft comment - I would hope that one wouldn't risk their own life to save others by taking out a boat that clearly shouldn't be out in severe conditions. A lot of boats sink in calm waters and a 17 ft double eagle could be a life saviour in those conditions.

I was leaving our cabin today (Gulf Islands - boat access only) and when I turned on my battery switches I heard a Coast Guard conversation for a sailboat on the rocks on the north end of Wallace Island. I immediately called the Coast Guard and was the first one scene (I was there in 5 minutes), pulled the sailboat off the rocks (it was about 2:00 pm and the tide was falling) and all ended well (the sailboat was not seriously damaged and sailed away under power). As per my previous emails, if I would have received a text from the Coast Guard I could have been there earlier. Further, I actually assisted by saving taxpayer dollars as the Ganges Coast Guard was called off.

That said, my 4 and 8 year old daughters were excited to attend and assist with the call - they named the three of us the 'Rescue Squad'! My 4 year old immediately asked if we could go and rescue another boat!

 

[Califbill]

Maybe Canada should be like the US in dropping a VHF license. Does not seem to be a really needed item. You do get Buttheads on the radio at times, but that happened with licenses. As to using a VHF from shore, when I fish Uclulet it seems to be a normal thing. All the locals use it for getting stuff from town, telling someone lunch is ready, etc. world does not end. And I do like the idea of a GPS based text system.