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Flotilla Commander Kent McCoin [email protected]  Vice Flotilla Commander George S. Crouch III [email protected] Aids to Navigation C.Dale Owen [email protected] Career Counselor Carl Brown [email protected] Communications Steve Davis [email protected] |
Communication Services Lee Olson [email protected] Finance Lynn Williams [email protected] Information Services Donald H. Davis [email protected] Materials James Smith [email protected] Marine Safety Hans Miller [email protected] |
Member Training Gerald J. Ruschkofski [email protected] Marine Dealer Visitor Albert C. Morgan [email protected] Operations George S. Crouch III [email protected] Public Affairs Edward C. Jones [email protected] Publications Joe M. Richbourg [email protected] |
Public Education Ronald J. Tvorik [email protected] Personnel Services Aaron R. Small [email protected] Secretary/Records Jeanette Brown [email protected] Vessel Examinations James Fleming [email protected] Division Captain Ellen Kreiling [email protected] |
Congratulations to Ron Tvorik and all the instructors who made this year�s fall BS&S class another success. It was small by normal standards due to the current �lake image� but the students were all enthusiastic and appreciative. We may even have some visit our next flotilla meeting to check us out! Ron continues to do a fantastic job with PE and I�m always impressed when I hear Professor Al McCallister give a class. Good professional work! Thanks also to Ed Jones and Holiday Kamper for the meeting location for the last class.
Don�t miss the next flotilla meeting! We have a speaker from SCE&G to talk with us about the �drawdown� and related issues and to answer our questions. We will have election of officers for next year and make plans for the change of watch meeting for the flotilla. In addition we need to get members signed up to work the 2003 boat show Jan 23-26. Check your calendars before the meeting so you know your availability. This is the same weekend as the Division Change of Watch in North Myrtle Beach so some members will be unavavailable over the weekend but can volunteer for the boat show before or after the Division meeting. The point is: we need maximum participation with two important events going on so we don�t over tax any members.
If you saw flotilla island in October the maintenance looked terrible! Thanks to the work party Nov 2 attended by Richard Lesnieski (who also worked individually earlier), Jim Flemming, Jim Smith, Carl Brown, George Crouch and my mower that ran itself, the grass now looks great. The whole time we worked outside, Dale McCoin did a complete scrub down of the building inside - including kitchen and bathrooms. It even smelled nice when she finished and we all sat around outside and enjoyed conversation and refreshments Smitty brought.
As a repeat from last month, time is running out for your requalifications this year if you haven�t completed them. Don Davis gave a good summary of everyone�s needs in last month�s On Course. In addition, it is time for vessel facility checks for next year. They too should have been completed in October so any remaining paperwork could be input by early November before our databases are frozen for the rest of the year! The same for any radio facilities due to expire this year.
I have raced my sailboat the last couple weekends and the water�s great! You just have to use a little extra caution to be safe - but it is possible. Lake Murray is still SC�s premier lake
See you at the next meeting!
First let me remind everyone that the deadline for PRELIMINARY application to the Coast Guard Academy is Dec. 15. This can be done over the internet at www.cga.edu. After that date, I will be contacting schools about the Academy's one week preview of life as a cadet, Aim
The dead line for AIM is March 31, but if we find out about anyone who is planning to apply for this, we will try to get them to apply early to give us plenty of time to check all their requirements.
Click on the underlined link to view the report. Click "Back" button to return to newsletter.
Well, as the year is closing fast, supply requests have started to taper off. By "hook & crook" I have discovered that by shipping supplies & manuals to other members, the AUXSUP has been shorting us or not shipping at all!! I've ordered several AUX Manuals and they haven't shipped any. In the meantime, if anyone can call or contact members who are resigning this year, you might be able to get old manuals etc. to use. If any of these resigning members would like, they can get in touch with me and I'll arrange to meet them and pick-up what they want to give back to the flotilla.
Since next month (December) will be a shortened month with our change of watch and Christmas Dinner/Meeting on the 16th, I would just like to wish all of the members of 12-3 a happy holiday season.
Smitty's trivia question: What recent movie hit had this last story line?
"Now we are free...I will see you again...but not yet...not yet."
I attended the public meeting on the Lake Murray hydrilla problem held at Irmo Elementary School on November 6. A similar public meeting was also held at Lexington High School on November 7. The meetings were held by the DNR to get public input on their proposed solutions for fixing the hydrilla problem on Lake Murray. A presentation was given by Steve de Kozlowski of the DNR outlining the history of hydrilla on the Lake and the current situation.
Hydrilla is an aquatic vegetation that was imported into Florida as an aquarium plant around 1960. It appeared in Lake Marion in 1982 and in Lake Murray in 1993. Hydrilla grew uncontrolled in the Lake until 1996 when the drawdown and treatment with the aquatic herbicide Komeen slowed it down. It remained under control until 2000 when the combination of clear water from the drought and the use of Komeen was discontinued. Now it has grown unchecked to about 6700 acres and will continue to grow to cover the entire shoreline. The Lake surface area is 48,000 acres. It has been observed to grow as deep as 30 feet and extends beyond the Gap. In the past 3 years a new aquatic plant, Illinois Pond Weed, has also invaded the Lake. I'm sure we all know how bad the weed problem has become.
It was the opinion of the DNR and general opinion of the audience that the only realistic option to controlling the weeds in the Lake was thru the use of sterile grass carp fish. They are considering the placement of the fish in the Lake during the current drawdown when the water will be more concentrated.
Tommy Boozer from the SCE&G Lake Murray Management Team will be at our November Flotilla Meeting to discuss some of the arrangements that are being made for the Lake during the drawdown. He will be able to answer some of our questions about what is going on with the Lake over the next couple of years.
Anyone who is interested in the Elected Officers Exam please contact me.
I have been working on a project; creating a new public website for our flotilla. I discussed this with FC McCoin and FSO-CS Olson (via e-mail) and now have a proposed site completed. I hesitate to use the word �completed� because I have a feeling it will always be a �work in progress.� I have received approval from FC McCoin, and several good suggestions from FSO-CS Olson. However, the site will need to be submitted up the line for additional approvals before it can be added to the official sites on the Auxiliary National website.
I would like to share this proposed site with you, the members of our flotilla, to get your input and suggestions, comments, criticisms, etc. What I have tried to do is create a site where the public can go to learn about Flotilla 12-3, our programs, public education classes, Vessel Safety Checks, membership as well as a central e-mail contact. It would also be a link to our newsletters and other boating and Coast Guard related sites.
I used some information from the CGA National site, but tried to bring this back to the local level rather than just try to duplicate what is already on the national site. For example, the PE page describes the public classes we teach and gives a link to the national page for more detailed information; however a local contact person is listed so the prospective student is given a contact in our flotilla. When the classes are scheduled, they can be posted along with registration information. I followed the same procedure with VSC�s and membership.
Until this is finalized and approved, I have posted the proposed site at the following address: www.geocities.com/cgauxmurray2 (This is nearly the same address as our member�s newsletter site, just the addition of �2� at the end.) The Geocities pop-up ads will appear as they do in the newsletter, but that�s the price of using a free site. (You can close them by clicking the upper right corner.) Once on the official site, we won�t have the ads.
Take a look and let me know what you think. I would like the site to be as good as we can make it, and represent as much of our flotilla as possible, not just my ideas, or those of only a few people.
One final note. The image I used on the home page is a collection of photographs I have taken at various times and places to try to represent Flotilla 12-3�s activities. However, the one of Ron Tvorik at the BS&S class was taken by Ollie Moye. (Thank you Ollie and I hope I have your permission to use it.) The picture of the sunset was not taken at Lake Murray, but it was the closest I had. And obviously, the lighthouse is not at Lake Murray. I just used it because I like the photo. Would anyone like to guess where it is? A clue, it is not in SC, but is in the 7th district. A larger image is at the end of the newsletter. If anyone has other photographs that we could use, please send them to me, preferably by e-mail as a .jpg file.
Thanks,
Joe
This month's question is not exactly a navigation question, but is still boating related. We all know that the Hunley was the first submarine to leave Charleston Harbor (and successfully sink a warship in battle.) Can anyone name the last submarine to return to Charleston Harbor?
The first correct response will qualify for a prize at the November meeting, courtesy of Ed Jones.
The Fall BS&S class will conclude on Nov. 12th at Holiday Kamper and Boats. Thanks to Ed Jones for the use of their meeting room for the last class. We have ten students who will complete the class. The Flotilla will be notified as soon as the dates for the Spring BS&S class are confirmed. As usual, the class will be held sometime after the boat show.
Thank you for your support.
Minutes of the regular business meeting of Flotilla 12-3 of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Monday, October 28 from 7:00-9:00 p.m.
Facility Inspections: At this time, we have completed seven Facility Inspections, and forwarded the forms to DIRAUX-MIAMI. We have less than two months to complete the inspections on the other facilities!
When an Operational Facility's status changes, such as member resignation or dis-enrollment, facility no longer being offered, or the vessel is sold, the owner must notify the Flotilla Commander, and the FSO-VE.
The FC is responsible for the removal of the Facility Decal and Wreath, and notifing Gene Kahn to remove the facility from AUXDATA.using the Surface Facility Admin. Forms can be found at: www.d7oax3.net
Vessel Safety Checks: there are no VSCs scheduled at this time.
For VEs who still need VSCs to qualify, there are still boats in use at Marinas, and the Launch Ramps that are still useable. SCE&G�s ramp at the Dam, Lake Murray Marina & Yacht Club, and Light House Marina are all being used at this time. Light House Marina, and Lake Murray Marina, are just two of the Launch Ramps that will be operable even when the water level reaches the 345 level!
Just a little information on fire extinguishers :
10-BC extinguishers, designated B-I by the USCG, will discharge for MAYBE 10 seconds!
60-BC extinguishers, designated B-II have six times the extinguishing capacity, but does NOT mean it will extinguish six times longer!
Confidentiality Notice:
Telephone numbers and addresses of members are protected by the Privacy Act of 1974. As a matter of policy, rosters of names, addresses and telephone numbers shall not be made available to the general public or any outside organization. Privacy of all rosters shall be safeguarded and the page clearly labeled. The publication of these rosters, addresses, and telephone numbers on any computer on-line service including the Internet is prohibited by the Privacy Act of 1974.
