Aiding the Heartland
Posted by PA3 Casey Ranel, Friday, October 28, 2011
NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard Cutter Pamlico, a 160-foot inland construction tender, homeported in New Orleans, transits Baptiste Collette Bayou, while working aids to navigation in the Mississippi River Delta near Venice, La., Wednesday April 29, 2009. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tom Atkeson.
The United States has more than 25,000 miles of inland navigable waterways, almost all of which are in the eastern half of the country. 10,300 of those navigable waterways are in the Eighth Coast Guard District. The most navigated of these is the Mississippi River, which is the fourth longest and the tenth largest among the world’s rivers. The upkeep of the Mississippi River’s many aids to navigation falls within the districts responsibility to ensure the safe flow of commerce; the life blood of America.
The Mississippi rises in Minnesota and flows southward for 2,230 miles until it reaches the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it drains into its tributaries in all or parts of 31 states between the Rocky and Appalachian Mountains. With all this navigable water, rules of the road have to be set and followed.
“Aids-to-navigation is important because it shows mariners where dangers lie, and can include shallow water, obstructions or mishaps on the waterways,” said Petty Officer 1st Class John Sadler, a boatswain’s mate assigned to Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh. “Aids-to-navigation facilitates the smooth flow of commerce by promoting a safe route of navigation for mariners to follow.”
In order to navigate the water or to help plan a trip, it is helpful to have a chart. Charts show the nature and shape of the coast, buoys and beacons, water depths, land features and much, much more.
NEW ORLEANS - The Coast Guard Cutter Harry Claiborne, a 175-foot coastal buoy tender homeported in Galveston Texas prepares to dock at Spanish Plaza in New Orleans to deliver Rex, King of Carnival to give his proclamation to the city of New Orleans during Lundi Gras festivities Feb. 15, 2010. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Tom Atkeson.
“It is imperative to know the difference between different types of aids-to-navigation,” said Sadler. “Taking the time to learn about different aids-to-navigation and their meaning could easily prevent you from damaging your vessel, or far worse, you and your crew.”
The Coast Guard operates and administers the United States ATON System, which is intended for use with nautical charts and has the goal of promoting safe navigation on the waterways. Safety signals are maintained by different types of Coast Guard and ATON teams that are positioned on waterways across the U.S.
Two of the different types of teams include the 240-foot ice-breaking cutter that navigates through some of the coldest waters in America as well as the 65-foot River Tender’s that navigate through the sandy or muddy bottoms of America’s waterways.
From muddy bottom rivers to 14-foot seas to ice-filled waters, the Coast Guard has a tender that can handle any day board, buoy or beacon light to keep America’s waterways safe and moving.
ST. LOUIS - Coast Guard crewmembers deploy a buoy during a river tender training event at the Coast Guard Industrial Support Activity, Sept. 23, 2011. Coast Guard Sector Upper Mississippi River is hosting five Coast Guard cutters and more than 115 sailors for a week of training and exercises beginning September 19. This assembly of ships represents nearly half of the Coast Guard's inland river fleet. They are responsible for more than 10,300 miles of inland waterways and the entire navigable lengths of the Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois and Tennessee river systems. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Stephen Lehmann.
Tags: Aids to navigation, BM1 John Sadler
