PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Post by: FSO-PB Jonathan James

This week's photo was submitted by Paul Ploeger from AIXAIR piloted by Aircraft Commander Rick Williams on Saturday, November 12, 2011.

Portland, OR- AUXAIR conducts an overflight of an overturned vessel on the
Multnomah Channel. AUXAIR provided support to the Coast Guard RB-S from Coast Guard Station Portland, which including a check for possible people in the water as well as a check for pollution that my be leaking from the overturned vessel. AUXAIR conducts muliti mission flights to augment AIRSTA Astoria aircraft on the Columbia and Willamette Rivers.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Post by FSO-PB Jonathan James

Happy Holidays shipmates. I hope you all had a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving with family and friends this past week. With Thanksgiving behind us brings our next big operation, Christmas Ships.

I just want to remind all our members underway for these parades to remember risk management, situational awareness and watch out for the safety of their fellow shipmates while underway.

Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell underway for Christmas Ships.USCGC Bluebell participates in the Willamette Fleet of Portland Christmas Ships
AUX Daren Lewis, USCG. Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Post by FSO-PB J. James
Member training is the highlight of this weeks photo of the week. Without this most important program, we couldn't serve the boating public or the Coast Guard. A BIG thanks to Jon Polimeni for some outstanding training offered at the division level this year and his support to the flotilla's who have offered training to members in the division.

Damage Control Trailer
Photo By FSO-PB Jonathan James
Area Captain elect Daren Lewis (left) and SO-MT John Polimeni (right) work on repairing a leak in the Damage Control Trailer. This trainer is used to train Coast Guard personnel and commercial fishermen on the methods used to patch leaks due to cracks, holes, splits and leaking seals. This is also a great piece of equipment to show what TCT is all about.

Flotilla 73 Crew Academy With 76 OPFACs

Photo by Area Captain elect Daren Lewis
In this photo, 051 Coxswained by Todd Mains is practicing the side tow evolution with 173 Coxswained by Ken Babick who is the academy lead officer. In the background 267 Coxswained by Lynn Easton stands off while the crew observes the process of a side tow evolution.


Training With The Active Duty
Photo by Area Captain elect Daren Lewis
The station often asks the auxiliary to participate in training of the station boat crew and coxswains. In this photo an auxiliary OPFAC is being used as an escorted vessel to allow the active duty to practice their escorting procedures.


Classroom Instruction

Photo By Area Captain elect Daren Lewis
In this photo Todd Mains teaches the Boat Crew candidates of an easy method to remember the sound signals when approaching or passing a vessel. We are lucky in our area as we have a bus load of outstanding instructors who have a wealth of knowledge.

Note: Wednesday we will be hosting the division meeting which is also the division election. Lets have a great turn out and support or members running for higher office. I would like to say thank you to Matt Epstein who is running for Division Vice Commander and Brad Schuldt who is running for Division Commander. Good luck to you both on Wed.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

This weeks "PHOTO OF THE WEEK" I am highlighting our flotilla's public affairs activities.
Bu: FSO-BP J. James


Lynn Easton at the Portland Boat Show. This is a great opportunity for us to talk to the boating public. Especially the new or soon to be new boat owners


LEFT: Area Captain South elect Daren Lewis fitting kids at the Oregon Zoo Safety Fair. This is a great example of our working relationship with other agency's like AMR Ambulance. RIGHT: A Coast Guard MH-60 Jayhawk from Astoria lands in a field at a school for a safety fair. We had a tent with the cold tank so kids could see how hard it is to function in the cold water.



This is what a table at an event could look like. We have literature
and exhibits for specific aspects about boating. This allows us to customize
our booth to each PA event. This was a picture taken from the Columbia
Slew Regatta. The information provided was specific to the paddling community.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Young Rick Poulson, son of FC John Poulson sporting the Division 7 gear by Commander Daren Lewis. Note the name on the left sleeve and the Coast Guard core values on the other sleeve. Rick is also sporting a Coast Guard Cover from Hawaii.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Photo by FSO-PB Jonathan James. Rose Festival Fleet Week 2011
Lowest vessel to upper vessel: 52' Motor Life Boat Triumph
100 foot Inland Buoy Tender Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell
157 foot Coastal Buoy Tender Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake

MLB Triumph was specifically designed for assignment to a Pacific Northwest region station, where severe surf conditions were commonly encountered. The original wooden 52’ MLB versions, although proven highly capable for heavy weather rescue operations, were quickly wearing out and needed replacement. It was determined that their replacements should have hulls of steel rather than wood, aluminum superstructures, twin diesel engines and propellers, and self-righting and self-bailing features. Triumph was built in December of 1961 and stationed at Station Cape Disappointment.

Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell was commissioned April 4. 1945 in Tacoma, Washington. Cutter Bluebell is in charge of maintaining 420 Aids to Navigation on over 300 river miles on 3 different rivers. This is 23 percent of the entire 13th District buoys and aids. Another historical fact about the Bluebell is that she is the second oldest cutter in the Coast Guard fleet next to the Queen of the fleet. 100-foot inland construction tender Coast Guard Cutter Smilax.

Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake is the thirteenth of the Keeper Class of the Coastal Buoy Tenders. Henry Blake was placed in Commission, on the 18th of May 2000 and began her journey of over 9,400 nautical miles over a six month period which included port calls in 4 countries and 11 states on her way to her home port in Everett, Washington, which she arrived at on the 14th of September 2000. Henry Blake is responsible for the maintenance of 80 lighted, 39 unlighted, and 65 shore aids to navigation.

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

So, today marks the new beginning of the photo of the week for the flotilla blog. If you have any photos you would like to submit, please email them to FSO-PB J. James.

PORTLAND, Ore. - Auxiliarists take a break from training to observe Coast Guard H-60 Jayhawk helicopter CG 6021 conducting a rescue demonstration on May 21, 2011 at the Marine Safety Unit Portland Open House. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Auxiliarist Daren Lewis

Photo of the Week: Rocket's Red Glare

Fireworks off Rainier Oregon as part of the Rainier Days celebration. 11JUL2009 Safety Patrol

Photo of the Week: A Vessel Exam

Chris Roosevelt, FSO-VE doing a Vessel Exam at 42nd Street Ramp, 03JUL2009

Photos: Coxswain on the water training day

Photo of the week - Pump training

Chris and Paul at the de-watering pump training 10JAN.