In response to winning the “Lone Sailor Award,” consumer satisfaction guru J. D. Power talks about what he learned as an officer on the East Wind. Video here.

Thanks to Lee for the heads up.

The Coast Guard Compass has begun their annual video of the year contest. You can see the first Video here.

Just had to share this photo. Half of the US Navy’s Aircraft Carriers and half of their big deck Amphibs, in a single photo, all tied up in Norfolk.

“Also across Hampton Roads but not in these photos are two other carriers at Newport News Shipbuilding:  THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71), now finishing up a three-and-a-half-year refueling overhaul, and the new GERALD R. FORD (CVN 78), first ship of a new class of carriers, that will launch in mid-2013.”

Good thing the Coast Guard is still on watch.

I was recently asked if there was a good text to explain the Coast Guard, and I have to say I had no answer. Anyone have any recommendations that in a single volume explain the services roles? Any documents on-line?

The Maritime Executive reports the Coast Guard Authorization for 2013 and 2014 has been signed into law, authorizing expenditure of $8.6B in 2013 and $8.7 in 2014. Note in our Byzantine budgeting system, this is not the same as having a budget for those years. In fact we are already well into 2013, and I think we have a budget.

It does authorize a number of changes in the way the CG interacts with the public.

The Coast Guard has reactivated the Polar Star. Report from the Seattle Times here.

Polar Sea’s future is still in limbo.

Thanks to Lee for bringing this to my attention.

I’ve just added a new page linking the top ten posts I’ve published on this blog. You will find it at the masthead, along side “Home,” “About,” “Heritage,” “Recommended Blogs,” and “References.” You can also find it here.

This is different from the “top post and pages” list on the home page because that refers only to the past week.

The RNLI is a volunteer charitable organization that provides life saving services to those in distress in the waters around the United Kingdom. In some respects, it is a counterpart of some of elements of the Coast Guard and the CG Auxiliary.

gCaptain posted a video of the RNLI in action. Some of their equipment looks very much like the Coast Guards, but you will also see them using equipment that looks more like a beach front lifeguard service including a surf board, a personal water craft, and a small inflatable dingy.

There is more information about the RNLI here.

Defense News reports, the Indian Coast Guard is continuing to grow, including development of a radar and electro-optic based Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) system that is expected to include 84 remote sensor sites.

The system is a response to the Nov. 26, 2008, Mumbai terror attacks which came by sea. For them 26/11 has the same meaning 9/11 has for the US.