Keep an eye on the ATONs

I was on patrol a week ago Sunday with Ken Babick and we came across the 1 buoy on the Willamette. It had obviously been hit buy a white boat. Just a reminder that another thing we do on our Marine Observation Mission (MOM) patrols is keep an eye on the Aids to Navigation (ATONs) looking for:

• damage 
• lights not functioning
• a buoy out of position, or
• a missing ATON

If you are a boater please do not tie off to a buoy or other aid. If you strike an aid please call it in to the nearest Coast Guard unit. Buoys, daymarks and other aids are fairly tough but they can be damaged or moved out of position. An out of position aid, a missing aid, or an aid with a failed light can be a serious danger to navigation and can put your fellow boaters at risk.