Welcome Back to Smarter Every Day
Today, we’re continuing our deep dive into the US Coast Guard and how they accomplish their mission of saving people in peril and protecting the nation from maritime threats. In the previous videos, we’ve learned about command centers and the command structures, and we’ve learned about search patterns and the RBM, the Response Boat Medium with its fascinating control system and remarkable maneuverability.
Today, we’re spending Memorial Day weekend with a Coast Guard station in Destin, Florida, and seeing how the Coasties go about keeping the boating public safe on one of the busiest boating days of the year, particularly at a place called Crab Island.
We met BM-1, Seth Pritt, who introduced us to the man in charge, Senior Chief Corey Palmer. We got a tour of the station, including the administration building, communications room, and the operations bullpen. We also saw the armory, the downstairs garage (which serves as the headquarters for all the maintenance they do on their boats), and the boathouse.
We also got to meet some of their partners in the area that they all work together with to get the job done. Senor Chief Palmer then showed me the three boats they used, the largest being the 45 foot Response Boat Medium and the other two, the 29 foot Response Boat Small and the 24 foot Boat Special Purpose Craft Shallow Water, which we would be out on later. We headed back to the station for a General Assessment of Risk (GAR) where the team meets and goes through the various risk factors they’re facing for their mission that day. It’s a really interesting, collaborative effort to identify potential risks. After this, Senior Chief filled me in a little more on the whole Crab Island phenomenon.
I had set up a camera and Crab Island was beginning to fill up. Most people were standing in the shallow water and as the day progressed, so many boats would be on there that you’d be right on the edge of the deep spot, where the current could be pushing as much as three or four knots.
When asked about the most common injury, Senior Chief replied that it was hard to say but some of the more severe ones were drowning. He then went on to explain that some people come to visit the island, not being strong swimmers, and get a false sense of reassurance that they can stay in the shallow water all day. As the day progresses, they work their way closer to the deeper drop-off and the current takes them away.
We then loaded up in the 24 foot Special Purpose Craft and headed out on patrol. We were looking for anyone doing anything unsafe, checking safety gear and making sure everyone was good to drive their boats.
As we got out to Crab Island, it was very apparent that there were a lot of inexperienced people operating boats in close quarters, which wasn’t the safest thing. Within a few minutes, we had helped somebody whose rented Jet Ski wasn’t working or they didn’t know how to operate it. I saw the anchor line of one boat get caught around the anchor of a big yacht, despite the mustaches of the two guys on the front of the boat. This wasn’t a scene from the TV show “Cops”, so I wanted to make a couple of points. I recorded some things from that patrol boat that I didn’t want to put on the Internet, as people were out there enjoying time with their families in different states of mental awareness due to their choices. I wanted to respect people’s privacy, so I decided not to post the footage. However, I learned things I didn’t know, such as the Coast Guard having the right to board any vessel and inspect it for the proper safety equipment, as required by law. I also want to make it clear that it’s in everyone’s best interest, especially yours, to not consume alcohol if you’re in control of a vessel.
Later on, while doing a boarding on the outer edges of Crab Island, a report came in that a woman there didn’t have a pulse. The Coast Guard, along with local law enforcement on jet skis, headed out to the island, and when they got there, the woman had revived on her own and refused medical attention.
Someone on a boat then pointed out another boat that was in distress, which had gotten pinned against a bridge by the current. The Coast Guard helped them get free and back underway, and a mechanic checked for any engine damage.
In the comms room, an important call came in about a capsized vessel with eight people in the water. The Coast Guard Station Destin quickly got ready to head that way, and when they arrived, all personnel were accounted for and safely retrieved.
I can only imagine how stressful the ride out to the sinking vessel would have been, knowing that people might have been in danger. So I was like, all right, we’re gonna go in.
It was a very different mood when Destin asked “How far out are we going?”. Justin shouted back “Two more miles!” in disbelief, Destin uttered “Holy Heck…” before the sirens blared. It was a long two miles, but thankfully when they arrived, the captain of the Adeline had all eight boaters on board. A good Samaritan had rescued them from the capsized boat. Everyone was accounted for, so they started picking up debris. Destin found a pair of shoes and a hat and wanted to return them to the owner. When they reached the boat, they discovered the owner and he explained what happened. He was fishing, but the waves were getting too strong so he decided to go in.
Marsha’s hat was found and Destin was excited to return it to her. The owner was thankful for the shoes and the hat. They contacted a salvage company to refloat the boat and they made their way back to the station. Destin’s daughter-in-law was five months pregnant and was on the boat, thankfully the cooler was there and he got her on the boat. Destin - It was scary?
Yes. There wasn’t much time to think about it. I rolled with the boat and then I just hung onto it. Destin - And y’all were able to get out, get the life jackets and all that? No! I couldn’t. That’s just that’s a stupid thing about it. You couldn’t get the life jacket out quick enoughs as fast as the boat went down.
I’m grateful that this man and his whole family, including his grandson, who’s now been born, made it through this experience. And I’m grateful that a Good Samaritan on the Adeline was out there and able to get to him so fast. It’s a good day for the Coast Guard when all they have to do is manage the clean up on a bad situation and no one is missing or lost. But I’m grateful for these men and women who were there waiting and ready for the call.
A huge thank you to YOU for checking out the Deep Dive series here on Smarter Every Day with the Coast Guard. Got more videos comin’ Please consider subscribing if you want to check that out. Also, a huge thank you to everybody that supports on Patreon. I have a surprise coming up soon for patrons, so if you want to check that out Patreon dot com slash smarter every day. That’s it! I’m Destin I’m grateful for you. You’re getting Smarter Every Day. Have a good one. Bye.