| Office of Public Affairs U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District |
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| Press Release | Date: August 2, 2005 |
FOG CAN CHALLENGE EXPERIENCED RECREATIONAL BOATERS SEATTLE - Coastal regions are experiencing dense fog near river and bay entrances that can disorient even the most experienced boaters. During the weekend, the Coast Guard helped six recreational boaters back to into port after they become disoriented in dense fog. None of the six boaters had navigation devices, such as a global positioning system or radar, needed to safely move through fog. The worst case happened of the coast of The operator used a cell phone to call 911 for assistance. It took nearly an hour for the station to locate the boater. The operator was cited for failure to carry the required visual distress signals, which is required by state and federal law. The Coast Guard would like to remind boaters to equip there vessels for safe operations in a quickly changing marine environment. The summer months along the The Coast Guard recommends that vessels that operate offshore should have the ability to navigate in fog. At a minimum they should have a global positioning system and a VHF marine band radio. Radar and global positioning systems, while moderately expensive, can guide boaters safely to shore during thick fog. A VHF marine band radio is essential for contacting the Coast Guard during an emergency. The Coast Guard can track a VHF marine band radio broadcast to its source which can speed your location. Also when a boater broadcasts a call for help on channel 16, they are heard by everyone around them that is also monitoring the radio. Compare this to a cell phone which only enables you to contact one person and cannot currently be tracked. Additional boating information can be found at http://www.uscgboating.org/index. ### The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service within the
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