Traffic Reports

[boomer]

A recent MCA Notice encouraged 'small craft, yachts and some small commercial craft' to pass TRs to HM Coastguard for use in S & R operations should anything untoward befall that craft. However, in all our voyaging along the S.Coast we have rarely if ever heard a TR on the VHF (and then from a Raggie). Surely, not every trip is so short that a TR is considered unnecessary, so what do you guys do? Is there a channel other than 16/67, do Marina Offices have some special arrangement in place or do you just not bother. Please enlighten me

 

[oldgit]

Just a quick mention that I always mention to someone(even mybe the wife) roughly where i intend going that day and what time I should be back by.

Hard work never did anyone any good.You die from it.

 

[hlb]

Whats a TR?? But If you mean a safty message'y thingy. Most dont bother unless going along way. But then if your going along way you end up in some other coast guards back yard. So you tell him you've arrived. But he dont tell the other lot, where you set off from. Less some one says to them. Oy hey up. Do you know where my husband/wife/kids are. They set off a fortnight ago and there teas going cold. So coast guard then looks in his book and then rings other coasty where you were going to. Then miles of paper work. Then start looking for you. I know cos I forgot to tell them that I had cum. So rang them up. So after going through all the switch boards from a pay phone. Nice girl told me. So there you go. Bit of a wast of time IMHO. But what was the question you asked!!

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[longjohnsilver]

Missing persons!

This reminds me of a time about 20 years ago when I went diving for the day, a mate of mine drove me there and back, came home to an empty house, wife met up with her sister or sumit, was knackered so went to bed. Wife returned having only been out for half an hour or so, found the house in darkness so buggered off to her parents for the rest of the evening. She apparently kept on phoning home but I was out for the count, so eventually she called the police to report me missing!

HMCG were informed and they reported back that the dive boat was safely tucked up in its berth, so then all the local hospitals were contacted, no reports of an admission. She eventually decided she'd better come home - and then I really copped it for being safely tucked up in bed. The police were not overly impressed when she phoned them to report me safe and well.

Of course it was all my fault!!!

 

[ccscott49]

Re: Missing persons!

No brownie points then? tee hee, at least you were tucked up in your own bed!!

 

[BarryH]

Theres a form for all that malarky, its from the coat gaurd office, G10 i think its called, or is it for filing your details or something. Still who talks to who nowdays!

 

[hlb]

Re: Missing persons!

Know what you mean John. I've been in loads of trouble for not being dead when I should have been!!

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[Chris771]

Re: Missing persons!

Boating in the Irish Sea, which is not quite the floating car-park that the majority of the South Coast has become, I always pass my TR (old Radio Term from days of Morse - Traffic Routing) to Liverpool Coastguard when leaving Preston and when I go to Conway or Dinorwic Holyhead Coastguard always seems to be aware of my ETA, as I usually give a generous passage time and have had comments like "Made good time then". But, obviously the scale of things are somewhat different from the South Coast.

I was also called by the Coastguard on a passage from Douglas to Fleetwood to look out for a boat with engine failure a couple of years ago, as he was close to my track. So in my part of the world, with the much smaller number of craft, some sort of overview is maintained

Chris