The coast guard does this for practice. They pull into these tight turbulent areas to practice holding the boat still in the water for advanced boat handling training. This manuveur is used for rescuing people out of rough water without drifting. When they finished practicing, they headed in. One long horn blast is normal procedure for ALL boats entering a "blind" inlet. He wasn't waiting for the right wave, or for other boats. They could have come in at anytime they wanted. Thanks, JM
I was stationed here in the CG 85-88 when they used 44' Motor Life Boats & the last 36' MLB's in the CG. I've ran CG boats in and out of "The hole in the wall" many, many times. jmflyer55 is partially right. They do practice station keeping at the entrance but you certainly must time your entrance. If a wave breaks on your stern, you can't steer or use propellers (bubbles cause cavitation). The 47' MLB in your vid has an aluminum hull so they do take care to stay off the rocks. Nice vid! tks
The Cape Disappointment Crew has been my Guardian Angel twice! There is not a more beautiful sound than a CG Helicopter in the dead of night when you are up to your knees in water on a boat! Super Heroes do exist, they enlist in the United States Coast Guard.
Interesting side note about Depoe Bay, Oregon. If you have even seen the classic movie "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest", this small harbor was used for the scene in which the escaped mental patient inmates take a boat out to sea.
At the beginning of the video I was thinking that if it was me I would gun it full speed ahead and that's what he did. This is where the fishing scene in one flew over the cuckoo's nest was filmed.
JmFlyer is absolutely right. They're using the circumstances for training. They could have shot in their like a bullet...but some "pilot" type got some refresher training. Those Coast Guard 46 footers have nearly 2,000 horsepower at their finger tips. They can darn near climb a wall with full throttle.
I think he was waiting to make sure no body was coming out then he blew his horn when he went in. If you stop you can no longer maneuver so they need to keep moving to avoid the rocks. No backing up or turning around in there.
Navigation rules require a prolonged blast of 4-6 seconds on blind corners- it is required to be answered if another vessel is approaching from the opposite direction.
Some small boats don't do that...I've been staged with a few boats waiting our turn to leave...sounded the horn when it was clear...got just under the bridge and a small boat came in passed me like I was invisible...they looked scared to death...
At least if you go on the rocks here, the coast guard isn't that far away. And they live to pull dumb asses like me off the rocks. They're just made that way. Love those guys.
