Thames CG & a medivac yesterday

[sailorman]

a cruise ship leaving Parkestone yesterday, we saw her off Felixstowe Pr. there was a call from Dover CG to Thames CG ( in Hull ) to tell them that the ship had a pax with head injuries & requested a medivac. well i was appaled at the TCG responce. in the end the Captain told them not to bother as the Harwich Pilot had contacted the Harwich RNLI him self. we then saw the LB speeding out.
We have the biggest container port in the country with no effective CG. so much for saving money.

 

[Boz]

Hi Sailorman, you're usual a pragmatic sort of fellow, what incencensed you so much?

 

[sailorman]

Hi Sailorman, you're usual a pragmatic sort of fellow, what incencensed you so much?

Dover picked up the call before Thames ( Hull branch) had to tell TCG to deal with it, the lady operator from TCG was sruggling to read from her crib sheet.
the captain asked for medivac
she asked was there a doctor ob,yes said the captain, has he seem the injured asked she :sleeping:.
do you want helio or LB
the captain then said LB ( they were off felixstowe pr);
he then said dont worry as the pilot has arranged the LB himself.
Now 6 months ago the situation would have been delt with fast & professionally.. Dover were also deailing with a uxb on a dredger off southwold , on TCGs patch,this new set-up is a mockery

 

[Habebty]

Last weekend, the Thames weather forecast was announced as coming from Shetland Coastguard! But rapidly corrected.

 

[Boz]

Channel 16 these days is a bit like re-runs of the Navy Lark.... listening to Dover and Thames CG asking each other for radio checks. As they're probably sat next to each other in Fareham

The other thing I don't understand is why literally hundreds of leisure craft need to carry out a comms check on Channel 16? I tend to use Marinas or other boats on a working channel or have I got that wrong?

 

[sailorman]

Channel 16 these days is a bit like re-runs of the Navy Lark.... listening to Dover and Thames CG asking each other for radio checks. As they're probably sat next to each other in Fareham

The other thing I don't understand is why literally hundreds of leisure craft need to carry out a comms check on Channel 16? I tend to use Marinas or other boats on a working channel or have I got that wrong?

i have yet to "do" a radio check or tell the CG where im going.

 

[Boz]

i have yet to "do" a radio check or tell the CG where im going.

Most radio checks, I suspect, would appear to be from weekend sailors anyway. On an extended cruise such as your recent trip it might be useful if someone is keeping an eye on you from afar - with AIS and Marine Traffic or Vessel Finder. Not all are as experienced as you Sailorman and I think to let the CG know you are crossing the North Sea for instance would be appropriate although since the CG reorganisation I wonder if it would actually be noticed if you didn't contact them from the other side?

Any CGs like to respond?

 

[sailorman]

Most radio checks, I suspect, would appear to be from weekend sailors anyway. On an extended cruise such as your recent trip it might be useful if someone is keeping an eye on you from afar - with AIS and Marine Traffic or Vessel Finder. Not all are as experienced as you Sailorman and I think to let the CG know you are crossing the North Sea for instance would be appropriate although since the CG reorganisation I wonder if it would actually be noticed if you didn't contact them from the other side?

Any CGs like to respond?

we have a mobi phone,watsapp & email.

 

[Boz]

Oh Yes, we use Hangouts rather than Whatsapp - things have certainly changed a bit since I learned Semaphore as a Sea Scout OMG in the Fifties.... I believe Morse Code is no longer required to get a Skippers ticket anymore?

View attachment 52899View attachment 52900View attachment 52901

 

[Bru]

Contrary to what was originally announced, it seems that "Thames Coastguard" has not, in fact, been taken over by Humber but integrated into Fareham

Dover is still actually Dover

I see no problem with Dover and "Thames" carrying out radio checks to each other. In radio comms it's routine procedure. Ok, so an interminable succession of radio checks can get a bit wearing after a while but worse things happen at sea!

The standards and competence demonstrated by the new operators at Fareham has not, so far, impressed. I've come close on two occasions to getting on the air myself to tell them to move routine traffic to the working channel and to complain about the gibberish that was masquerading as the MSI broadcast

It can only be hoped that they get a grip on it before they have to deal with a major incident

 

[dogleg]

Dover picked up the call before Thames ( Hull branch) had to tell TCG to deal with it, the lady operator from TCG was sruggling to read from her crib sheet.
the captain asked for medivac
she asked was there a doctor ob,yes said the captain, has he seem the injured asked she :sleeping:.
do you want helio or LB
the captain then said LB ( they were off felixstowe pr);
he then said dont worry as the pilot has arranged the LB himself.
Now 6 months ago the situation would have been delt with fast & professionally.. Dover were also deailing with a uxb on a dredger off southwold , on TCGs patch,this new set-up is a mockery

Last week I was in the Barrow deep when at about 1830 BST I heard a 16metre motor yacht report that he was aground close to the South Whitaker he twice said he would appreciate assistance in refloating, TCG reply after much repeated questioning was that "you will refloat before we can get any assistance to you" given that there are Atlantic 85's at Burnham and Clacton and a Tamar ALB at Walton this was a somewhat surprising claim. It was about 45 min from LW. The yacht eventually refloated about 2045.

The CG in question seemed to be totally unaware of the capability of the rescue assets at his disposal plus he did not seem to consider the chance of prop and or shaft damage to the yacht, unlikely as it was good weather but possibly none the less.

 

[dogleg]

Contrary to what was originally announced, it seems that "Thames Coastguard" has not, in fact, been taken over by Humber but integrated into Fareham

Dover is still actually Dover

I see no problem with Dover and "Thames" carrying out radio checks to each other. In radio comms it's routine procedure. Ok, so an interminable succession of radio checks can get a bit wearing after a while but worse things happen at sea!

The standards and competence demonstrated by the new operators at Fareham has not, so far, impressed. I've come close on two occasions to getting on the air myself to tell them to move routine traffic to the working channel and to complain about the gibberish that was masquerading as the MSI broadcast

It can only be hoped that they get a grip on it before they have to deal with a major incident

apparently TCG will be run from Dover once Dover have been linked up to the national network

 

[Leighb]

The other thing I don't understand is why literally hundreds of leisure craft need to carry out a comms check on Channel 16? I tend to use Marinas or other boats on a working channel or have I got that wrong?

I used to think the same, not that I have ever regularly done a radio check, except when I had new radio and antenna installed.

However this year I had a problem in that my radio failed selectively on some channels.

It could transmit and receive normally on 80, could receive clearly on 71 and 24, but it turned out could transmit but not receive on either 16 or 67.

In that case a radio check to a marina would have seemed OK, but useless.

There was an internal fault in the set. I had to fit a new radio.

 

[sailorman]

apparently TCG will be run from Dover once Dover have been linked up to the national network

that is very good news for us, a real Pro outfit

 

[Boz]

At that rate you would need to carry out a radio check on all channels, certainly those you wished to use..... Interestingly enough American rules prohibit Radio Checks on Channel 16, they do, however, have a secondary calling channel (9) ....

 

[Cantata]

apparently TCG will be run from Dover once Dover have been linked up to the national network

I don't think that's quite as it will be. My understanding as of a few months ago from a reliable source was that the old Thames area will be shared between Dover and Humber, the dividing line being just S of the Blackwater estuary.

 

[Bru]

apparently TCG will be run from Dover once Dover have been linked up to the national network

See below...

I don't think that's quite as it will be. My understanding as of a few months ago from a reliable source was that the old Thames area will be shared between Dover and Humber, the dividing line being just S of the Blackwater estuary.

Which is what we were led to believe. However, the reality seems to be that the old Thames area is being run by Fareham

Both Dover and Humber CGs always seem right on the ball, the faux "Thames" is shambolic frankly

 

[Cantata]

Which is what we were led to believe. However, the reality seems to be that the old Thames area is being run by Fareham ................

Yes, it is for now, until the Dover systems are linked into the Nation network, as Dogleg pointed out.
I think that change comes in the Autumn sometime.

 

[Bru]

[

Yes, it is for now, until the Dover systems are linked into the Nation network, as Dogleg pointed out.
I think that change comes in the Autumn sometime.

Or does it?

I'm confused, I'll freely admit, because there seems to be at least two versions of what will happen circulating and a number of news articles and the like have recently been suggesting that it'll be Fareham. Entirely possible they've got it wrong of course

 

[oldvarnish]

I wonder if it would actually be noticed if you didn't contact them from the other side?

I'm not certain the CG has ever taken any interest in your arrival. The purpose of reporting your departure is so that in the event you are reported overdue by a relative etc, they can know that you actually departed, at what time, and with which intended destination.
If you report a problem while on passage, then they might then ask you to report your arrival.
I've filed lots of passage plans, and failed to report the end of many of them. No questions ever asked.