Dear USCG - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Mr. Sandman · 03-13-2004, 01:50 PM

USCG,

I am not exactly sure to whom at the CG this should be directed, but while exploring the beach today, we discovered a washed up buoy (# 7 green can). It was along Cape Poge, on Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. I happen to have my handheld GPS with me and the coordinates of the buoy are 41 deg 25.021 N and 070 deg 27.944W. It has about 40' of chain still attached and it appears one of the links gave way. A photo of the marker is attached.

Please see that this info gets to the right people.

Thanks,

....

Mr. Sandman · 03-13-2004, 01:52 PM

I thought it would make a nice decoration in my yard but this thing is heavy as hell.

You will need a crane to pic this up.

JohnR · 03-13-2004, 02:28 PM

Know where you are on Pouge without the coordinates

Mr. Sandman · 03-13-2004, 03:04 PM

Its a pretty big place, and it is in a tucked way spot, most people will take the inside route (which is an eaiser drive) and miss this. I still had the unit in the truck from past road trips.

What a morning this was...I thought I'd take the kids for little beach drive after breakfast this morning... All my beach safety gear is in the shed still stored for the winter. Figured..eh, won't be out there long no need to dig all that crap out just yet. (It stays in the truck nearly all year otherwise)

While out there today (after the buoy) I came across a women, real sick old man and a couple kids in a surbaban buried up to the running boards. NO ONE AROUND. Rear wheels were so deep their was no weight on them at all..they spun free in air. The old man (with bad lung cancer) was having some difficutlies.
I asked her what she was doing out here (no stickers, 35psi in all her tires)..."I was looking at homes to rent for the summer and thought we could drive out here." I was pissed at myself for not having all my gear but rummaged through both our vechiles and came out with a kayak strap and a stuff to start digging.
This baby was in hard. Sand up along the oil pan and the front and rear differential was burried so deep I could just make out the top of them.
To make matters worse her 4wd did not seem to be engaging anymore, only one wheel was spinnin and it was in air. I sat in the drivers seat, the "Change oil" light was on and check engine soon light was on.

First I let the air out of her tires to 14, then I dug for about a 1/2 hour and tried to pull her our in reverse. The Yukon was work'n hard as I had my foot to the floor in 4wd low and in the tow/haul mode and nothing was budging. I dug some more and tried pulling her from the front, the strap broke. I got really close and quadrupled the strap, and finally dragged here out of there. I drove her truck out as said she "never wants to drive on the beach again" (I didn't argue with her). I spent a good hour getting that vehicle atta there.
She offered to pay me but I just told her to save her money for when she returns this summer....

I thought that old guy was going to die out there. She was in a panic..her cell phone didn't work out there, she had her sick dad and kids in the car...she was frazzled. My only advidce was please don't drive back to Boston with 14 psi in those tires, you will not make it very far PLEASE stop as a gas station and get air.

scoobe · 03-13-2004, 03:50 PM

Sandman saves the day!

BEETLE · 03-13-2004, 04:00 PM

Lucky for them you came by.

fishaholic18 · 03-13-2004, 04:08 PM

Nice going Mr. Sandman!!!!

Mr. Sandman · 03-13-2004, 04:09 PM

We played with it for a while but could not hook it to the hitch.

Uncle Matt · 03-13-2004, 04:12 PM

City people make me laugh! You can have all the money and degrees in the world but still have no common sense.

Goose · 03-13-2004, 04:25 PM

Can a 4x4 get to that local? How many guys do you think it'll take to get that near road and roll it on a trailer? I got the hole dug and I'm headed to get paint. I figure white Pee stone garden bed and dwarf boxwoods dress up the yard nicely.

PNG · 03-13-2004, 09:07 PM

Nice of you to help the folks out. They never cease to amaze.

On the bouy (hull) there is a serial #, jot it down and call (if U want) 508-457-3210 and speak to the SDO(Staff Duty Officer). Give the bouys position. The hull number will ID where it came from so they can send a discrepancy report (and notice to mariners) to the proper unit so they can replace the hull which is their job - to maintain commerce & safe navigatable waterways.

I would imagine after all the ice this winter they are short of hulls.

Chris

Mr. Sandman · 03-13-2004, 10:46 PM

Pasngas,
Thanks for that info. I spoke to the CG this afternoon in Menemsha, they were pleased I had the lat lon location. The buoy is one of the channel markers that lead to Edgartown, harbor (about a mile or so from where it was found) They said they would get right on it and see that it gets taken care of.

gdurham75 · 03-13-2004, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mr. Sandman
Its a pretty big place, and it is in a tucked way spot, most people will take the inside route (which is an eaiser drive) and miss this. I still had the unit in the truck from past road trips.

What a morning this was...I thought I'd take the kids for little beach drive after breakfast this morning... All my beach safety gear is in the shed still stored for the winter. Figured..eh, won't be out there long no need to dig all that crap out just yet. (It stays in the truck nearly all year otherwise)

While out there today (after the buoy) I came across a women, real sick old man and a couple kids in a surbaban buried up to the running boards. NO ONE AROUND. Rear wheels were so deep their was no weight on them at all..they spun free in air. The old man (with bad lung cancer) was having some difficutlies.
I asked her what she was doing out here (no stickers, 35psi in all her tires)..."I was looking at homes to rent for the summer and thought we could drive out here." I was pissed at myself for not having all my gear but rummaged through both our vechiles and came out with a kayak strap and a stuff to start digging.
This baby was in hard. Sand up along the oil pan and the front and rear differential was burried so deep I could just make out the top of them.
To make matters worse her 4wd did not seem to be engaging anymore, only one wheel was spinnin and it was in air. I sat in the drivers seat, the "Change oil" light was on and check engine soon light was on.
First I let the air out of her tires to 14, then I dug for about a 1/2 hour and tried to pull her our in reverse. The Yukon was work'n hard as I had my foot to the floor in 4wd low and in the tow/haul mode and nothing was budging. I dug some more and tried pulling her from the front, the strap broke. I got really close and quadrupled the strap, and finally dragged here out of there. I drove her truck out as said she "never wants to drive on the beach again" (I didn't argue with her). I spent a good hour getting that vehicle atta there.
She offered to pay me but I just told her to save her money for when she returns this summer....
I thought that old guy was going to die out there. She was in a panic..her cell phone didn't work out there, she had her sick dad and kids in the car...she was frazzled. My only advidce was please don't drive back to Boston with 14 psi in those tires, you will not make it very far PLEASE stop as a gas station and get air.

[B]good job sandman... i used to work on plymouth long beach..used to pull all of the "luxury SUVs" out of the sand with my Ford Ranger! tough towin' ehh?? lol rock on

Topwater · 03-14-2004, 01:28 AM

Great job. One less truck on the beach.
Good will towards others!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Topwater

scoobe · 03-14-2004, 04:09 AM

Wow nice perspective picture. That bouy makes the kids look like little elves.

Van · 03-14-2004, 09:47 AM

No good deed goes unrewarded.

you will be blessed with many large linesiders..

Raven · 03-15-2004, 07:48 AM

i saw them

Mr. Sandman · 03-15-2004, 08:05 AM

Thats wild man!

beachwalker · 03-15-2004, 10:22 AM

this washed up on yhe beach last memorial day. they didn't get to it for 6 months.
i bet that green can is pretty important and being a lot smaller they can drag it off with a cutter.

they used a helo to get this one back in place

Mr. Sandman · 03-15-2004, 10:26 AM

Thats a big baby beachwalker...I bet you have two of those as driveway markers on your Mansion out there!

beachwalker · 03-15-2004, 11:40 AM

yes, port and starboard and then one of the offshore bouys on my helo pad

are we getting ready to fish or what. come on sunny days. this has been one tough mottha of a winter.

just got back from Oregon. had a chance to go steelhead fishing but ran out of time.

you cannot believe how much snow they have. I'll post a few photos in Likwids you think ya got snow thread. friggin 15 ft base at the top.

vineyardblues · 03-15-2004, 05:07 PM

I thought Paul S worked all winter ???
vb

Mr. Sandman · 03-16-2004, 11:38 AM

CG @ woods hole just called me. Thanked me for the heads up. He had heard (from the Edgartown Harbormaster) that it was gone but did not know where it was. They are debating between retrival via a pick-up or helo, can't get a boat in close enough to drag it out due to the nearby shoaling. Weighs 900# not counting the chain. Plan to put a temp buoy in its place thur or after this upcomming storm blows thru. He hopes we don't get a big high tide with this blow and it washes away again and wants to get out there asap and get it.

GO CG!

good people.

likwid · 03-16-2004, 12:00 PM

they should just run a small tug out there and fire a messenger to the beach then haul a cable to it.

Worked many times in shoal areas like that.

angler management · 03-16-2004, 01:30 PM

3 cheers to Mr Sandman

1) you helped some poor fool who did not know any better and did not take advantage of them. (did it for FREE)

2) you reported a marker to CC instead of thinking someone else would do it.

3) you have your kids OUTSIDE! In winter coats.

My foolish kids all 3 jumped into the ocean last Sunday, all the way under. Just had to do it.

I thought my fishing itch was bad. They just had to swim.

Your a good man MR Sandman!
Good to know with all the fools out there some people are still nice.

Thanks

beachwalker · 03-16-2004, 01:32 PM

Awesome Sandman.

those things probably ain't cheap.

The USCG is a great group and are now getting even more able. The days are gone of the unarmed, partially aware crew.

Mr. Sandman · 03-16-2004, 02:23 PM

angler,

It was just another day on the beach...

You went swimming in NH in march? That takes real big ones. I just put my hand it the herring run the other day and thought it was freezin. I honestly think if I dove in the water now I would die instantly, I know my heart would just explode. I have chest pains now just thinking about that.

BW.. you are right! It pissed me off when under BC the CG stations were getting shut down (esp at BI) left and right and they were being sqeezed out...few understand how important they are. I am glad they are under the Homeland Sec. umbrella now and are re-emerging to the forefront.