On June 15th, the U.S. Coast Guard Base Seattle celebrated the change of command ceremony hosted by U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound. During the event, Capt. Mark McDonnell assumed command of Sector Puget Sound, relieving Capt. Patrick Hilbert from his position as the commander. The ceremony was overseen by…
After 17 years, the HUBBARD, an Alaska-built ferry, embarked on its maiden voyage. The ferry, which measures 280-feet long, took an additional four years to enter service due to the need for crew quarters, an amenity that was not part of the vessel’s original design. U.S. Coast Guard regulations limit…
The 77- year-old F/V PACIFIC PRODUCER, which operates in the waters of the Pacific, has recently come under scrutiny due to numerous violations and safety issues. The 169-foot long vessel has been docked in Tacoma on the Foss Waterway since August of 2022, after smashing into a private pier. As…
The weather has turned warm, and in many places, high temperatures are breaking records. The air may be warm, but the water is still cold. In Washington State, the average summer water temperature is just 55 degrees. This may not sound that cold, but it can be deadly. Warm air…
The 276-foot F/V KODIAK ENTERPRISE caught fire early Saturday morning April 8th while moored at Trident Seafoods in the Tacoma Hylebos Waterway. The vessel was still burning as of Monday, April 10th. The U.S. Coast Guard, The Tacoma Fire Department, the Washington Department of Ecology, the Environmental Protection Agency, and…
The U.S. Coast Guard has successfully recovered a partially submerged tugboat that was located at the National Guard Dock in Gastineau Channel, Alaska. In late December of 2022, the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Juneau was notified after an oil sheen was discovered. Working together, the city of Juneau, the U.S.…
The U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River is clamping down on “paper captains” in the waters of Washington and Oregon thanks to Lt. Cmdr. Colin Fogarty, enforcement chief for the sector in Warrenton, Oregon. As an educated and licensed attorney, Fogarty, and his colleagues are highly skilled at proving Jones…
The coordinated response effort continues after the sinking of the F/V ALEUTIAN ISLE just west of San Juan Island, Washington, on Saturday, August 13th. Groups participating in the response include the U.S. Coast Guard, the San Juan Office of Emergency Management, the Swinomish Tribe, and the Washington State Department of Ecology.…
On Saturday, August 13th watchstanders at U.S. Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound were notified that a fishing vessel located off the west coast of San Juan Island was taking on water and in need of emergency assistance. An Air Station Port Angeles MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, a Station Bellingham 45-foot Response…
The U.S. Coast Guard medevaced a 28-year-old man from F/V PHOENIX after it was reported that the crewmember was suffering from severe abdominal pain. Watchstanders at the 17th District command center received a call from the F/V PHOENIX on Saturday, July 23rd, at about 11:24 p.m. The vessel was located…