SAN DIEGO –The Coast Guard Sector San Diego welcomed a new commanding officer in a change of command ceremony, Thursday at the Coast Guard base in San Diego.

During the ceremony, which was presided over by Capt. Gwyn Johnson the acting District 11 Commander, Capt. Sean M. Mahoney assumed command responsibilities from Capt. Thomas H. Farris as commander of Sector San Diego and San Diego Captain of the Port.

After 30 years of active duty service in the Coast Guard, Farris officially retired after the change of command ceremony.

Mahoney is reporting to San Diego from Portsmouth, Va., where he was assigned as the Chief of the Fifth District Incident Management branch. There he led search and rescue and crisis management in the mid-Atlantic region.

The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. It is a formal ritual, conducted before the assembled company of the command. It conveys to the officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees, and auxiliary members of the Coast Guard that although the authority of command is relinquished by one person and is assumed by another, it is still maintained without interruption.

SAN DIEGO – The official party of the change of command ceremony for Coast Guard Sector San Diego arrive on stage to begin the ceremony Thursday, June 30, 2011. Capt. Gwyn Johnson (far left) presided over the ceremony where Capt. Sean M. Mahoney (third right) assumed command from Capt. Thomas Farris (second from left). U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

SAN DIEGO – Capt. Thomas H. Farris and Capt. Sean M. Mahoney conduct a personnel inspection during the Coast Guard Sector San Diego change of command ceremony at the Coast Guard base Thursday, June 30, 2011. Mahoney officially assumed responsibilities from Farris during the time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

SAN DIEGO – Capt. Sean M. Mahoney (right) salutes Capt. Gwyn Johnson (center) as he assumes command of Sector San Diego from Capt. Thomas H. Farris (left) Thursday, June 30, 2011. Mahoney officially assumed responsibilities from Farris during the time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

SAN DIEGO – Capt. Thomas H. Farris (right) accepts the American flag from Cmdr. Christopher J. Conley (left) during his retirement ceremony at Coast Guard Sector San Diego Thursday, June 30, 2011. Farris retired from active duty service after dedicating 30 honorable years to serving the country. U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

For video of the change of command ceremony, follow the link below:

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=1304242

For video of Capt. Farris’ retirement ceremony, follow the link below:

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=1304294

SAN DIEGO –The Coast Guard Sector San Diego welcomed a new commanding officer in a change of command ceremony, Thursday at the Coast Guard base in San Diego.

During the ceremony, which was presided over by Capt. Gwyn Johnson the acting District 11 Commander, Capt. Sean M. Mahoney assumed command responsibilities from Capt. Thomas H. Farris as commander of Sector San Diego and San Diego Captain of the Port.

After 30 years of active duty service in the Coast Guard, Farris officially retired after the change of command ceremony.

Mahoney is reporting to San Diego from Portsmouth, Va., where he was assigned as the Chief of the Fifth District Incident Management branch. There he led search and rescue and crisis management in the mid-Atlantic region.

The change of command ceremony is a time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. It is a formal ritual, conducted before the assembled company of the command. It conveys to the officers, enlisted personnel, civilian employees, and auxiliary members of the Coast Guard that although the authority of command is relinquished by one person and is assumed by another, it is still maintained without interruption.

SAN DIEGO – The official party of the change of command ceremony for Coast Guard Sector San Diego arrive on stage to begin the ceremony Thursday, June 30, 2011. Capt. Gwyn Johnson (far left) presided over the ceremony where Capt. Sean M. Mahoney (third right) assumed command from Capt. Thomas Farris (second from left). U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

SAN DIEGO – Capt. Thomas H. Farris and Capt. Sean M. Mahoney conduct a personnel inspection during the Coast Guard Sector San Diego change of command ceremony at the Coast Guard base Thursday, June 30, 2011. Mahoney officially assumed responsibilities from Farris during the time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

SAN DIEGO – Capt. Sean M. Mahoney (right) salutes Capt. Gwyn Johnson (center) as he assumes command of Sector San Diego from Capt. Thomas H. Farris (left) Thursday, June 30, 2011. Mahoney officially assumed responsibilities from Farris during the time-honored tradition, which formally restates that the continuity of command will be maintained. U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

SAN DIEGO – Capt. Thomas H. Farris (right) accepts the American flag from Cmdr. Christopher J. Conley (left) during his retirement ceremony at Coast Guard Sector San Diego Thursday, June 30, 2011. Farris retired from active duty service after dedicating 30 honorable years to serving the country. U.S. Coast Guard photo Petty Officer 1st Class Allyson E.T. Conroy.

For video of the change of command ceremony, follow the link below:

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=1304242

For video of Capt. Farris’ retirement ceremony, follow the link below:

http://cgvi.uscg.mil/media/main.php?g2_itemId=1304294

FORT MACON, N.C. – Coast Guard Station Fort Macon is scheduled to hold a change of command ceremony here, Friday at 10 a.m.

Senior Chief Petty Officer David Scott Hooley will turn over command of the station to Senior Chief Petty Officer Thaddeus Bouchard.

Bouchard enlisted in the Coast Guard in February 1997. His previous assignments include Station Southwest Harbor, Maine, Station Georgetown, S.C., the Coast Guard Cutter Monhegan homeported in Key West, Fla., the Coast Guard Cutter Attu homeported in Key West, Fla. the Coast Guard Cutter Tarpon homeported in Tybee Island, Ga., and the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy in Charleston, S.C. 

During his years of service, Bouchard has earned three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Coast Guard Letter of Commendation and various unit specific awards.

Hooley enlisted in the Coast Guard in September 1989. His previous assignments include Station Ketchikan, Alaska, Station Hatteras Inlet, N.C., the Coast Guard Cutter Bainbridge Island homeported in Sandy Hook, N.J., Group Hatteras, Station Oregon Inlet, N.C., the Coast Guard Cutter Marcus Hanna homeported in South Portland, Maine, Station Wachapreague, Va.,  and Station Emerald Isle, N.C.

During his years of service, Hooley has earned the Douglas A. Munro Award for Inspirational Leadership, two Coast Guard Commendation Medals, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Coast Guard Letter of Commendation, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal and various unit specific awards. 

Coast Guard Station Fort Macon patrols the waters from Drum Inlet on Core Banks south to the North Carolina–South Carolina border and conducts search and rescue and law enforcement missions.

Media are invited to attend the change of command ceremony and interview official parties. In order to gain access to Station Fort Macon, media interested in attending should notify Chief Petty Officer Kenneth Grande at 252-247-4583.

FORT MACON, N.C. – Coast Guard Station Fort Macon is scheduled to hold a change of command ceremony here, Friday at 10 a.m.

Senior Chief Petty Officer David Scott Hooley will turn over command of the station to Senior Chief Petty Officer Thaddeus Bouchard.

Bouchard enlisted in the Coast Guard in February 1997. His previous assignments include Station Southwest Harbor, Maine, Station Georgetown, S.C., the Coast Guard Cutter Monhegan homeported in Key West, Fla., the Coast Guard Cutter Attu homeported in Key West, Fla. the Coast Guard Cutter Tarpon homeported in Tybee Island, Ga., and the Maritime Law Enforcement Academy in Charleston, S.C. 

During his years of service, Bouchard has earned three Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Coast Guard Letter of Commendation and various unit specific awards.

Hooley enlisted in the Coast Guard in September 1989. His previous assignments include Station Ketchikan, Alaska, Station Hatteras Inlet, N.C., the Coast Guard Cutter Bainbridge Island homeported in Sandy Hook, N.J., Group Hatteras, Station Oregon Inlet, N.C., the Coast Guard Cutter Marcus Hanna homeported in South Portland, Maine, Station Wachapreague, Va.,  and Station Emerald Isle, N.C.

During his years of service, Hooley has earned the Douglas A. Munro Award for Inspirational Leadership, two Coast Guard Commendation Medals, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, the Coast Guard Letter of Commendation, the Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal and various unit specific awards. 

Coast Guard Station Fort Macon patrols the waters from Drum Inlet on Core Banks south to the North Carolina–South Carolina border and conducts search and rescue and law enforcement missions.

Media are invited to attend the change of command ceremony and interview official parties. In order to gain access to Station Fort Macon, media interested in attending should notify Chief Petty Officer Kenneth Grande at 252-247-4583.

The U.S. Life-Saving Service, the precursor of the U.S. Coast Guard, had two main means of rescuing people aboard distressed ships stranded near shore: by small boat and by a strong line stretched from the beach to the wrecked vessel. Each vessel was a 700 to 1,000 pound, self-bailing, self-righting surfboat pulled by six surfmen with 12 to 18- foot oars, or a two to four ton lifeboat. These sturdy surfboats were pulled on a cart by crewmen, or horses, to a site near a wreck and then launched into the surf.

Today, replicas of these historic boats, the Joshua James and the Ida Lewis, are moored up in the shallow side of Coast Guard Island nested within the Oakland estuary in Alameda, Calif. The Joshua James and the Ida Lewis were created from the same hull design as the old Life-Saving Service’s Monomoy Surfboats, which descended from whaleboats used for whaling in the eighteenth century.

In the early 1990’s, the Coast Guard purchased these two boats with appropriated funds for the purpose of morale, wellness and recreation. The boats were used to teach the art of rowing and also to teach Coast Guardsmen a little history about their service.  As the rowing program continued to evolve on ”the island,” a few leaders emerged that have strengthened and sustained the program over the past few decades.  One such leader has been retired Coast Guard commander Bill Davis of Alameda, who continues to coach and teach surfboat rowing to the many active duty, reserve, and civilians.  Despite the great leadership and love of rowing shown, the rowing program on Coast Guard Island experienced a fairly long lull and fell off in the years following 9/11 as the Coast Guard took on additional missions in homeland security. However, in 2008, Capt. Keith Turro came aboard as the Integrated Support Command Alameda (now Base Support Unit Alameda) commander and took stock of the program having it up and in full swing by January 2009.  Rowing workouts and a little history were again offered to Coast Guardsmen in Alameda in a unique way.

Fully revitalized, the men’s, women’s and co-ed whaleboat teams regularly compete in whaleboat races in and around the San Francisco Bay Area as part of the Bay Area Whaleboat Rowing Association. Racing these boats can be traced in Coast Guard history, when crews aboard cutters would come into port and blow their hard earned cash within the first couple hours and would then need something to occupy the rest of their time in port. The crews felt that racing their boats were not only fun, but good exercise and good training.

Today’s whaleboat rowers compete in approximately 10 races per year ranging from 2,000 meters to 5 ½ miles. Once a year Coast Guard rowers can participate in a 10 ½ mile trip across the San Francisco Bay, from Coast Guard Island to San Francisco’s Aquatic Park. Each boat has eight rowers plus a coxswain.

“It is hard to field a highly competitive team because of the turnover that military life creates,” said Turro. “Our goal is to maintain an experienced, competitive team well beyond my departure this summer. We are in a constant state of training and recruiting.”

On April 30, Coast Guard Island hosted the annual Coast Guard Challenge Whaleboat Races. Twenty-one teams rowed approximately two miles circling Coast Guard Island. The Coast Guard men’s team won first place, the women’s and co-ed teams took third. The Coast Guard men’s team remains undefeated since the fall of 2010.

Not all rowers are in it for competition, but purely for health benefits.

“Rowing is a full-body sport and is aerobically demanding,” said Turro. “I know of at least three people who were able to meet the Coast Guard’s weight standards, in-part because of their involvement with the rowing crew.”

Rowing clinics are held during the lunch hour Mondays and Wednesdays for beginners. Once the rowers get some practice under their belts, they are able to join the more competitive rowers and row up to three times per week Monday through Friday. Crewmen range in rank from admiral to seaman and can include other members of the Coast Guard family including spouses and children.

Since its emergence from a long hiatus, the rowing program has had hundreds of participants rotate through, now having approximately 50 active rowers . Active duty Coast Guardsmen get first priority for participating, however, auxiliarists, civilians, family members and others who work with the Coast Guard are welcome when there is an opportunity.  

Hardwired to be responders by culture and by training, Coast Guardsman who are on-duty or off-duty are lifesavers. For this reason, rowers practice man-overboard and steering casualty drills. Fortunately, the rowers haven’t been diverted to a rescue situation while in training, but they keep a constant eye out for anyone in trouble being that the estuary is within striking distance of the Alameda marina and is a popular area for water sports.

“Because the Bay Area has an active rowing community, keeping this program is important to all those involved,” said Turro. “These assets are a great community outreach tool and again a great opportunity to honor the history and profession of our service”

Other than sighting the moored whaleboats off the docks in Coast Guard island, those who transit the entrance are also greeted by a bright electronic billboard that reads, “If you don’t row you don’t know!”

What does this mean? It’s an invitation to all – to come get some knowledge about our lifesaving heritage and a little workout along the way.

In hindsight, the rowing program is well positioned to continue well into the future because of the great love and commitment shown by those currently involved as well as Alameda’s heritage now married to the Coast Guard when it was designated a Coast Guard City in 2006. Most recently, the base also recently added a brand new boathouse to store the whaleboats and oars during inclement weather.

“This boathouse is important in order to preserve and show respect to the equipment that represents the history of our service,” said Turro. “Our service today is dedicated to those who died – so others may live.”

The U.S. Life-Saving Service, the precursor of the U.S. Coast Guard, had two main means of rescuing people aboard distressed ships stranded near shore: by small boat and by a strong line stretched from the beach to the wrecked vessel. Each vessel was a 700 to 1,000 pound, self-bailing, self-righting surfboat pulled by six surfmen with 12 to 18- foot oars, or a two to four ton lifeboat. These sturdy surfboats were pulled on a cart by crewmen, or horses, to a site near a wreck and then launched into the surf.

Today, replicas of these historic boats, the Joshua James and the Ida Lewis, are moored up in the shallow side of Coast Guard Island nested within the Oakland estuary in Alameda, Calif. The Joshua James and the Ida Lewis were created from the same hull design as the old Life-Saving Service’s Monomoy Surfboats, which descended from whaleboats used for whaling in the eighteenth century.

In the early 1990’s, the Coast Guard purchased these two boats with appropriated funds for the purpose of morale, wellness and recreation. The boats were used to teach the art of rowing and also to teach Coast Guardsmen a little history about their service.  As the rowing program continued to evolve on ”the island,” a few leaders emerged that have strengthened and sustained the program over the past few decades.  One such leader has been retired Coast Guard commander Bill Davis of Alameda, who continues to coach and teach surfboat rowing to the many active duty, reserve, and civilians.  Despite the great leadership and love of rowing shown, the rowing program on Coast Guard Island experienced a fairly long lull and fell off in the years following 9/11 as the Coast Guard took on additional missions in homeland security. However, in 2008, Capt. Keith Turro came aboard as the Integrated Support Command Alameda (now Base Support Unit Alameda) commander and took stock of the program having it up and in full swing by January 2009.  Rowing workouts and a little history were again offered to Coast Guardsmen in Alameda in a unique way.

Fully revitalized, the men’s, women’s and co-ed whaleboat teams regularly compete in whaleboat races in and around the San Francisco Bay Area as part of the Bay Area Whaleboat Rowing Association. Racing these boats can be traced in Coast Guard history, when crews aboard cutters would come into port and blow their hard earned cash within the first couple hours and would then need something to occupy the rest of their time in port. The crews felt that racing their boats were not only fun, but good exercise and good training.

Today’s whaleboat rowers compete in approximately 10 races per year ranging from 2,000 meters to 5 ½ miles. Once a year Coast Guard rowers can participate in a 10 ½ mile trip across the San Francisco Bay, from Coast Guard Island to San Francisco’s Aquatic Park. Each boat has eight rowers plus a coxswain.

“It is hard to field a highly competitive team because of the turnover that military life creates,” said Turro. “Our goal is to maintain an experienced, competitive team well beyond my departure this summer. We are in a constant state of training and recruiting.”

On April 30, Coast Guard Island hosted the annual Coast Guard Challenge Whaleboat Races. Twenty-one teams rowed approximately two miles circling Coast Guard Island. The Coast Guard men’s team won first place, the women’s and co-ed teams took third. The Coast Guard men’s team remains undefeated since the fall of 2010.

Not all rowers are in it for competition, but purely for health benefits.

“Rowing is a full-body sport and is aerobically demanding,” said Turro. “I know of at least three people who were able to meet the Coast Guard’s weight standards, in-part because of their involvement with the rowing crew.”

Rowing clinics are held during the lunch hour Mondays and Wednesdays for beginners. Once the rowers get some practice under their belts, they are able to join the more competitive rowers and row up to three times per week Monday through Friday. Crewmen range in rank from admiral to seaman and can include other members of the Coast Guard family including spouses and children.

Since its emergence from a long hiatus, the rowing program has had hundreds of participants rotate through, now having approximately 50 active rowers . Active duty Coast Guardsmen get first priority for participating, however, auxiliarists, civilians, family members and others who work with the Coast Guard are welcome when there is an opportunity.  

Hardwired to be responders by culture and by training, Coast Guardsman who are on-duty or off-duty are lifesavers. For this reason, rowers practice man-overboard and steering casualty drills. Fortunately, the rowers haven’t been diverted to a rescue situation while in training, but they keep a constant eye out for anyone in trouble being that the estuary is within striking distance of the Alameda marina and is a popular area for water sports.

“Because the Bay Area has an active rowing community, keeping this program is important to all those involved,” said Turro. “These assets are a great community outreach tool and again a great opportunity to honor the history and profession of our service”

Other than sighting the moored whaleboats off the docks in Coast Guard island, those who transit the entrance are also greeted by a bright electronic billboard that reads, “If you don’t row you don’t know!”

What does this mean? It’s an invitation to all – to come get some knowledge about our lifesaving heritage and a little workout along the way.

In hindsight, the rowing program is well positioned to continue well into the future because of the great love and commitment shown by those currently involved as well as Alameda’s heritage now married to the Coast Guard when it was designated a Coast Guard City in 2006. Most recently, the base also recently added a brand new boathouse to store the whaleboats and oars during inclement weather.

“This boathouse is important in order to preserve and show respect to the equipment that represents the history of our service,” said Turro. “Our service today is dedicated to those who died – so others may live.”

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard medically evacuated an injured fisherman off the coast of Georgetown, S.C., Thursday.

Rescued was Alan Carl, 45, hometown unknown.

Search and rescue controllers at Coast Guard Sector Charleston were notified at 7:09 a.m., via VHF Channel 16, by Carl asking for medical assistance after sustaining an injury while fishing around the mouth of the North Santee River near Georgetown.

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Facility Charleston arrived on scene at 8:09 a.m. and transported the victim to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Mariners are encouraged to invest in a VHF-FM radio as their primary means of distress alerting on the water.  Communication via VHF-FM radio provides superior alerting capabilities over cellular phones.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard medically evacuated an injured fisherman off the coast of Georgetown, S.C., Thursday.

Rescued was Alan Carl, 45, hometown unknown.

Search and rescue controllers at Coast Guard Sector Charleston were notified at 7:09 a.m., via VHF Channel 16, by Carl asking for medical assistance after sustaining an injury while fishing around the mouth of the North Santee River near Georgetown.

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Facility Charleston arrived on scene at 8:09 a.m. and transported the victim to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Mariners are encouraged to invest in a VHF-FM radio as their primary means of distress alerting on the water.  Communication via VHF-FM radio provides superior alerting capabilities over cellular phones.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Coast Guard medically evacuated an injured fisherman off the coast of Georgetown, S.C., Thursday.

Rescued was Alan Carl, 45, hometown unknown.

Search and rescue controllers at Coast Guard Sector Charleston were notified at 7:09 a.m., via VHF Channel 16, by Carl asking for medical assistance after sustaining an injury while fishing around the mouth of the North Santee River near Georgetown.

A Coast Guard HH-65 Dolphin rescue helicopter crew from Air Facility Charleston arrived on scene at 8:09 a.m. and transported the victim to the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston.

Mariners are encouraged to invest in a VHF-FM radio as their primary means of distress alerting on the water.  Communication via VHF-FM radio provides superior alerting capabilities over cellular phones.