Bulk carrier aground in the Minch

[LittleSister]

Having read the MAIB report, I am stunned that neither of the two Coastguard Maritime Operations Officers on duty were familiar with the term 'shoal'!

Not itself a major issue in this accident, but rather worrying if indicative of a general lack of maritime knowledge among Coastguard staff.

 

[Giblets]

Having read the MAIB report, I am stunned that neither of the two Coastguard Maritime Operations Officers on duty were familiar with the term 'shoal'!

Not itself a major issue in this accident, but rather worrying if indicative of a general lack of maritime knowledge among Coastguard staff.

I was also staggered by that. Will be having a chat with our local guy at NMOC to see what the current situation is.

 

[NormanS]

I was also staggered by that. Will be having a chat with our local guy at NMOC to see what the current situation is.

It didn't surprise me at all. I was once told by a "proper" coastguard, that a watch colleague had asked him what a ship meant when it reported that it was "at anchor". The days of the Coastguard service being manned by people with genuine sea experience, is in the past.

 

[Stemar]

The days of the Coastguard service being manned by people with genuine sea experience, is in the past.

That seems to be apparent. All the same, I'd expect basic training to include nautical vocabulary.

 

[dgadee]

I'm mentioned on a Wikipedia page, but I don't have one of my own. I do, however have an IMDB page!

"The Bridge Across the North Channel"? Romance? Thriller? Documentary?

 

[Kukri]

Long ago, 1971, in fact, conversation between my father and the local greengrocer, who was, in his spare time, an Auxiliary Coastguard:

“Saw your son in his boat today. He was in a bit of trouble.”
“How was he getting on?”
“He was running for shelter; he’d torn his mainsail. But I didn’t bother the Lifeboat; he knew what he was doing.”

Suspect that might not happen now.

 

[Stemar]

I wouldn't regard a torn mainsail in boisterous weather as an indication that the boat is in distress if things appeared to be under control, which running for shelter sounds like. Yes, if possible, I'd go and make sure, but I certainly wouldn't put out a mayday on their behalf unless there were other signs that all was not well.

 

[dunedin]

Long ago, 1971, in fact, conversation between my father and the local greengrocer, who was, in his spare time, an Auxiliary Coastguard:

“Saw your son in his boat today. He was in a bit of trouble.”
“How was he getting on?”
“He was running for shelter; he’d torn his mainsail. But I didn’t bother the Lifeboat; he knew what he was doing.”

Suspect that might not happen now.

No, because nowadays sharing information about another person (even their father) would breach confidentiality rules

 

[dgadee]

No, because nowadays sharing information about another person (even their father) would breach confidentiality rules

That's not quite right. In fact it sounds straight out of the Daily Mail.