The official blog of the U.S. Coast Guard
A team of U.S. Coast Guardsmen at the National Data Buoy Center helps to maintain a nation-wide network of data collecting weather buoys. The team organizes, coordinates and manages the deployment, service and recovery of 106 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration meteorological weather buoys.
The calm swells of the Port of Panama gave the Fir’s crew a perfect opportunity to show the Panama Canal Authority how buoys are maintained in the U.S. As the Panamanian crew traversed to the whistle buoy, they searched for the black-hulled tender sporting the iconic 64-degree Coast Guard red, white and blue racing stripe. There it was, on time, dead center of dozens of floating cargo ships.
The technology has changed over the years but not the mission: to safeguard the Nation’s waterways and the ships, craft and personnel that ply those waters, maintaining the nation’s economy by supporting, guiding and protecting the most efficient form of transport we have – our Nation’s waterborne commercial vessels.
The rise and fall of river water levels is a constant, impacted by flooding and drought. It’s something those who work on or around the river contend with on a regular basis. This year, rivers throughout the Midwest region are experiencing record low water levels and natural relief through the winter may be minimal. As water levels drop, the channels in which ships and barges travel shrink in width and depth, creating difficulties for shipping commerce. The U.S. Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers and shipping industries are working together to adapt to the pressure of keeping the Mississippi River open for commerce and the public.
We asked our Facebook fans if they could ask a buoy tender sailor anything, what would it be? And with more than 300 questions asked, it was clear you were all eager to hear more about the men and women who sail aboard “black hulls.” We picked the top five most “liked” questions and asked
Our sixth video features Aids to Navigation Team (ANT) San Diego and their work on the Zuniga Jetty light ‘Zulu’ at the entrance of San Diego Bay. Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Tapp, officer-in-charge of the ANT, narrates the b-roll video and explains why the crew has to be hoisted by a helicopter onto the light to conduct repairs. Click on the post to watch the video and find out how to cast your vote for your favorite…
Coast Guard Cutter Mobile Bay has been working for weeks to ensure seasonal aids are replaced for the winter months. Photo courtesy of LT Bryan Estell. For nine weeks, Coast Guard units across the Great Lakes have been working around the clock in the largest domestic aids to navigation recovery operation in the United States
Semper Paratus is the guiding principle behind a joint exercise featuring Coast Guard, Navy and Canadian forces along the Washington Coast and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The exercise is aimed at strengthening relationships and preparedness between U.S. and Canadian forces. Story here Yesterday, we reported that a 72-year-old man was still missing