My crew (Piers and Susie) and I were lucky enough to visit the Coastguard HQ at Milford Haven and were shown around by Dan. During our visit they were co-ordinating a clifftop rescue.
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Every sailor knows that VHF Channel 16 is monitored 24/7 by the Coastguard and most other vessels at sea. If a life or a vessel is in imminent danger a “Mayday” call on 16 will initiate a rescue. The most vital piece of information to transmit is your location. With a modern VHF radio this can be transmitted with the touch of a button. .
Photo 4 shows the predicted position of a “Man Over Board” that the CG generates based on a combination of the tide and wind conditions at the time, and they then use that to guide a helicopter, RNLI or other vessel in the area. It is very accurate as long as they know “where” and “when” the person enters the water. On a modern chart plotter there is a button you can press which records this. However walkers stranded on a cliff or beach calling 999 often do not know where they are!
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Photo 3 shows another piece of technology in action. Using Automatic Identification System (AIS) transmitted from Good Dog, the CG can “re-wind” my course and see exactly where I was at any given time. Photo 6 shows AIS as seen on my mobile phone’s App “Marine Traffic”.
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Photo 7 shows our speed (12.5 knots) and depth (65.8 m) as we whistled through Ramsey Sound off St David’s peninsula and the aptly named rocks – The Bitches! Exciting stuff.
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Finally I met a Ship’s Pilot called Matthew Roberts who operates off a pilot boat. He explained to me why using Radar is much more reliable than using AIS (photo 9 shows the overlay of the two) and also how when he steers a super tanker into Milford Haven, he sometimes has to “aim off” by up to 30° – thus pointing the ship at a cliff in order for it to ferry glide through a channel. I then understood why it takes 5 years to train! .
About the Harbour Master Sailing Challenge: I am circumnavigating #GB attempting to visit every #harbour with a #harbourmaster #fundraising to #support @Seafarers_UK and their work in the #martime industry, supporting #seafarers.