US Coast Guard Auxiliary Archives

When Hurricanes Come, the U.S. Coast Guard Goes Inland

With Hurricane Matthew barreling towards the coastal town of Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class James Prosser and his wife, Nicole, made the seemingly right decision to send their two young children out of harm’s way to the inland city of Lumberton. Little did they know that the small inland town was also going to take a beating.

Feeling confident about his choice (Lumberton is located almost 90 miles from the coast) Officer Prosser resumed his duties at the Coast Guard Sector North Carolina. Imagine his surprise the following weekend when he received news that floodwaters in Lumberton were rising rapidly while his children were at their grandparents’ home without running water or electricity.

U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 1st Class James Prosser and Master Chief Petty Officer Louis Coleman load Coleman’s trailer with donations during Hurricane Matthew at Coast Guard Sector North Carolina in Wilmington, Oct. 16, 2016.

“Lumberton has been the go-to safe haven during hurricanes for me and my family for about eight years now,” says Prosser. “But after the town was battered by Hurricane Matthew, following two weeks of unusually high rainfall, it became a dangerous place where water was suddenly filling the streets.” By Monday morning, the levee protecting Lumberton had broken, and Prosser was working feverishly with members of the sector command to determine how to best bring his children home.

“They [local officials] were confused as to why we were headed into town at first, but as soon as we explained why we needed to get in, they let us through,” says Prosser. “Most people were trying to leave town, not get in, and we began to see why. Damage from the hurricane became much more evident the closer we got to Lumberton, but I was blown away by the damage we encountered when we got within city limits.”

It quickly became clear that the area was too flooded to continue by truck. Luckily, Prosser and a fellow officer encountered water rescue teams from New York and New Jersey. Prosser found the town unrecognizable and struggled to get his bearings. “Eventually we approached a church that looked familiar. We saw helicopters overhead with people dangling from cables. They were hoisting people from the flooded waters to safety,” he adds.

Prosser was finally able to reach the children via SUV. “When we got there, my two children came running out the door,” says Prosser. “While it was a huge relief to know they were safe at that moment, I knew we were all still in danger. We needed to get out of there as quickly as possible, before we got trapped by floodwaters.” Meanwhile, Prosser and additional officials strongly encouraged others to evacuate the dangerous area. As part of the North Carolina family, Coast Guard Sector North Carolina personnel will continue their response to Hurricane Matthew’s aftermath and the subsequent flooding throughout the region.

Hurricane Joaquin

Hurricane Joaquin was the dominant event this fall in The Bahamas. The brutal, slow-moving hurricane suddenly went from a category one near Mayaguana to a category four and sat over Crooked and Acklins islands for two days with destructive winds and torrential rains. Joaquin then caused major damage in Long Island, Rum Cay and San Salvador as it moved west, north and northeast out of the region. But as they say in The Bahamas, “Thank God for life,” as the storm did not claim a soul. There are hundreds of stories of heroic action and bravery and later of incredible generosity. One family in Crooked Island had to leave their house through a window as it became flooded to the ceiling. Michael Carroll was able to free one of his boats from its trailer, then he and his family spent 19 hours in the boat tied in the lee of his house.

The long rebuilding of the southern islands has begun, and their citizens are showing amazing resilience and determination.

Recovery

Some areas are recovering from Joaquin a lot faster than others. In Long Island, Stella Maris Resort Club & Marina opened soon after Joaquin’s passage. Flying Fish Marina reported some slight damage to its docks yet was expected to be fully operative within weeks of the hurricane’s landfall. Cape Santa Maria Beach Resort on the north tip of the island had a bit of beach erosion but is completely open. Long Island Petroleum is pumping fuel in Salt Pond. Services in Salt Pond will be fairly normal by Christmas though many of their fishing boats were destroyed.

In San Salvador, Club Med and Riding Rock Resort & Marina are working on repairs. Club Med hopes to be open by December 20^th. Rum Cay’s recovery efforts are a bit slower as the loss of government docks hampered equipment delivery.

Crooked Island, Acklins and Long Cay are in various stages of reconstruction, but they sustained the most damage and full recovery will take time. Be sure to be full of fuel, water and supplies if you sail to Rum Cay and the southeast islands. Phone lines are expected to be back in service so call ahead to your destination.

A house near Mangrove Bush, Long Island, is in dire need of repairs post Joaquin.

Giving a hand

December is known as a season for giving, so what can the cruising community do to help the southern islands? The best answer is to carry on and bring business to the islands. Cruise down to the southeast and purchase groceries and fuel where available. Eat ashore if there is a restaurant open. Hire a bonefish guide. If you want to get involved, look around to see where help is needed and ask the local people. Offer whatever skills you have, or simply start working alongside someone. Remember also that cash is good.

El Faro

There was loss of life at sea—a reminder of nature’s wrath and the importance to be prepared for the worst. The 790-foot cargo ship El Faro (“the lighthouse”) went down with all 33 crew members on board in an area near the southeastern Bahamas during Hurricane Joaquin’s passage. The nearly 40-year-old El Faro was on its regular run from Jacksonville, Florida, to San Juan, Puerto Rico, when it lost power and began taking on water in heavy seas. It is the worst cargo shipping disaster involving a U.S. flagged vessel in more than 30 years.

Navtours

A good charter company is operating crewed and bareboat charters out of Nassau, Staniel Cay and Great Exuma. Navtours is a French Canadian company with years of experience in the business, and they are the first to offer extensive services in the Exumas. Skipper your own boat, or charter one with a captain, mate and cook.

Charter companies have been operating in the Sea of Abaco for years because it is a safe, enclosed area where visitors can cruise for weeks and anchor in a different location every night. The Exumas are more difficult because there are fewer good harbors in westerly winds, but this island chain is definitely worth it with the support of a good charter company. With the variety of departure and return locations and with its backup and safety services, Navtours provides a wonderful way to enjoy the finest cruising in the Bahamian region. navtours.com

Crewed or bareboat charters are now available in the Exumas with Navtours.

Navigation notes:

There were few aids to navigation that could have been affected by Hurricane Joaquin in the southeast islands none of which are essential. Proceed with caution and call ahead to marinas before making way to storm affected areas.

by Stephen Connett, Southern Boating Magazine, December 2015

Bone Up On Your Boating Skills

Bone Up on Your Boating Skills and then enjoy the Tides.

With cooler temperatures prevailing in the Mid-Atlantic region, it’s a good time to take in a boating course or two on such topics as safety precautions, navigating and diesel basics to name a few. Fortunately, our region offers plenty of educational opportunities, many of which are nearby and relatively inexpensive.

Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and North Carolina all offer state-sponsored safe boating classes with schedules and registration available on their state government boating websites. The Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), for example, offers free instructor-led courses to the public. Pre-registration is required and classes typically fill fast. VDGIF recommends its basic course for anyone 12 years and older with good reading and comprehension skills who want to learn more about safe and responsible boating. By 2016 in Virginia, all operators of PWCs and motorboats with a motor of 10 horsepower or greater will be required to have a boating safety education course completion card on board. The schedule for a variety of courses are on the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and U.S. Power Squadrons websites—just punch in your zip code. cgaux.org; usps.org

The other option is simply propping yourself in front of a computer. Courses approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators are accepted for certification by all the states. Some courses have a fee. nasbla.org

Scenic wine tasting
Once you’re of legal age or if you already are, a fantastic place to dock is the Tides Inn in Irvington, Virginia, for its annual “Taste by the Bay: Wine, Food, Arts and Ale” event on November 21st from 11AM to 5PM. Activities include samplings from local wineries and craft breweries, tastings from local restaurants, live music by Mercy Creek, and shopping—well-timed for the holiday season—for local creations by artisan vendors.

The Tides Inn overlooks Chesapeake Bay and is an 11-minute walk from the Steamboat Era Museum and 5.5 miles from the boutiques and galleries of Kilmarnock. The Inn’s marina on Carters Creek offers new floating docks that accommodate up to 24 vessels ranging from small weekend cruisers to 150-foot charters. The resort also offers tennis, golf and a spa. Lodge Marina, a water taxi ride away from the Tides, provides 36 slips and also accommodates boats up to 150 feet. tidesinn.com

Big fish are back
It’s that time of the year when large migrant striped bass make their way back through Chesapeake Bay from more northern environs. Anglers fishing in the 23rd Fall Classic November 20-22 hosted by the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishing Association hope to hook up with the traveling fish for prize money, bragging rights and, perhaps, seafood to add to this year’s Thanksgiving feast. Some 800 anglers on more than 200 boats are expected to participate in this year’s tournament, which is the last in the club’s tournament series. During the two-day competition, anglers can fish their favorite hot spots throughout the Bay and its tributaries as the MSSA and its volunteers have weigh stations set up from Sandy Point to Point Lookout. mssa.org

By Christopher Knauss, Southern Boating, November 2015