Attention Baja Ha-Ha Sailors: UCSG SAR Event In San Diego
As sailors plot a course for the 29th Baja Ha-Ha kickoff party in San Diego, we’re reminded that the USCG is hosting a safety seminar in the lead-up to the cruise south. The seminar will be held on Saturday, October 28, at the West Marine Super Store in San Diego, from 5 to 6 p.m. The Grand Poobah encourages everyone to attend this helpful event.
Because the United States Coast Guard and the Baja Ha-Ha care about your safety at sea, the Ha-Ha is delighted to bring back Douglas Samp, Search and Rescue [SAR] specialist from Rescue Coordination Center, Alameda, for a Search and Rescue seminar.
As the SAR specialist out of RCC Alameda, which is in charge of the Eastern Pacific, Samp knows his stuff. He also knows the Ha-Ha. He was the command duty officer in Alameda in 2009 when a Ha-Ha boat was hit by a whale and sank quickly. Thanks to the preparation and skill of Captain Eugenie Russell and crew, and the preparation and skill of the Coast Guard, everyone was rescued safely from their life raft.
“I remember that incident as though it were yesterday,” Samp says. The Coast Guard later described it as a “textbook rescue”.
Whom should you call for help if you have an emergency during the Ha-Ha? The Grand Poobah, the Mexican navy, or the Coast Guard? Samp has the answer.
What is the best device for calling for help when at sea? An EPIRB, Starlink, InReach, Iridium GO!, SSB, Satphone? Samp will discuss the pros and cons of each device.
How do the different international rescue systems work? Samp has the answer.
How long might it take you to be rescued halfway to the Marquesas? Douglas can give you a rough estimate.
Samp can also tell some SAR tales, such as the time when two specialists jumped out of a plane, along with a small boat, in the middle of the night, in the middle of the Pacific (!), to provide medical assistance to a former Ha-Ha participant who had a medical emergency. They saved his life.
The presentation, hosted by the Grand Poobah, will be a sit-on-the-floor/stand-up affair at West Marine. It was well attended last year, and we expect it to be well attended this year. If you plan to attend, please send an email to [email protected] stating your intention.
While we can’t confirm it at this time, we believe Samp will also be available at the Last Cheeseburger in Paradise and Costume Kick-Off Party on Sunday, October 30.