After viewing a pictures of kayaks relatively close to docked, former U.S. Navy warships, this is just a fyi regarding the security zones around U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships. I doubt any kayak would get this close to a ship underway, or at least I would not (and I only have river barges in Minnesota). Nationwide, a security zone has been established around all naval vessels whether they are docked, anchored or under way: Boats must stay at least 100 yards away and reduce speed to a minimum within 500 yards. To underscore the seriousness, violators are subject to arrest and prosecution for a federal felony, punishable by a $250,000 fine and six months in jail. For boaters in an area where the channel does not allow such clearance, skippers need to radio the ship on Channel 16 with a request to pass within 100 yards. "Our greatest fear is the boater who gets into trouble (in a security zone) and doesn't even know what he's doing wrong," said Capt. Scott Evans, the Coast Guard's Chief of Boating Safety. The possibility exists, he said, that security patrols perceiving a threat or getting no response from a small boat in the wrong place will use deadly force and ask questions later. Even before Sept. 11, there were many longstanding security zones around military facilities and many of these are already marked on nautical charts. In the past, there was little or no enforcement of these zones, but there will be now. Also what's markedly different this summer is that non-military areas beneath bridges, near airports, petroleum and chemical facilities, power plants, locks and dams or cruise line docks are now also considered off limits. "If you drop an anchor to go fishing beneath a bridge, you can probably expect to be boarded," Evans said. He cited an incident in which a night fisherman reported seeing men in SCUBA diving gear beneath a major East Coast bridge. Taking no chances, Evans said Coast Guard divers spent the next day checking the base of each piling. Luckily nothing was found. For port security information, call 800-682-1796 for East and Gulf coasts, 787-706-2415 for the Midwest. To report any suspicious activities, call the Coast Guard at 800-424-8802; U.S. Customs at 800-232-5378; INS at 800-375-5283; or contact local marine police on VHF Channel 16 or via phone at 911. Useful government web sites include www.uscgboating.org or www.uscg.mil/news/homeland_security/homeland_security.htm and another article at http://www.boatus.com/gov/homeland_article.htm *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
Very good summary and report of a valuable heads-up about security zones. Here in NYC, we have a listserve in which I and others regularly post updates on security zones (our local touring business and kayak shops also post the latest regs on their premises). The normal rule is to not to get closer than 25 yards to bridges and port facilities, for example, but recently the area around our large passenger ship docks and the USS Intrepid Museum was bumped up to a 100 yard zone. Occasionally something special is put in for a half day. For example, when we were escorting a swim race down the Hudson in mid-September something was going on on the Intrepid and the security zone was went to 200 yards for part of the day. We were forced to swing out wider into the river than we would have liked and as a result, with the fast currents, some swimmers missed their turn into the finish line just a half mile down river. As an aside, there had been stories circulating in NYC of a kayaker supposedly a day or so after 9-11-01 being approached by a small Coast Guard patrol boat and when alongside supposedly threw a knapsack into the patrol boat yelling it was a bomb. The story was ridiculous on the face of it (those boats were armed and he would have been shot or certainly arrested). I finally used the Freedom of Information Act to have the Coast Guard check its records. After a thorough check, nothing of the sort turned up according to the USCG Investigative Service. It was the maritime equivalent of an urban legend. Unforunately it had been making the rounds of local maritime commercial interests as well as Coast Guard people who should have known better. Who knows how such a rumor started, which it is unfortunate as it has made us more of a focus of attention than we might have ordinarily gotten. There have also been advisories out of Washington to local enforcement services of a potential for attack by kayaks (no kidding!) and zodiacs. Local wags kid about how outfitters and kayak instruction businesses should be on the alert for anyone who wants to learn how to launch a kayak and not learn about taking out. As for example of nervous reports. A true story. One folding kayaker went down to the waters at around 125th St. on the Hudson. He was wearing a wet suit. A passerby in a car on the West Side Highway saw this and used his cell phone to call 911. The next thing our folding kayak friend noticed were squad cars descending on him. They checked him out and he paddled away. I put something in Canoe and Kayak magazine a few months ago about how to behave in these perilous security conscious times on the water. Advice like have photo ID, keep your hands visible, no sudden reaching under your spray skirt...all common sensical stuff to abide by. ralph diaz *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
> pictures of kayaks relatively close to docked, former U.S. Navy > warships, this is just a fyi regarding the security zones around U.S. > Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships. >Nationwide, a security zone has been established around all naval vessels >whether they are docked, anchored or under way: > >Boats must stay at least 100 yards away and reduce speed to a minimum >within 500 yards.... punishable by a $250,000 fine and six months in jail. > > or contact local marine police on VHF Channel 16 or via phone at 911. New Zealand is supposedly being condemned and has some trade sanctions against us for having a "no nuclear ships" policy and as the USA will neither "confirm nor deny" whether their ships are armed or powered by nuclear means, we don't have visits. From the above it seems we are very wise to stick to that policy. It would play havoc with some ports and water sports events if we let US ships visit us. Alex *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List - Any opinions or suggestions expressed here are solely those of the writer(s). You must assume the entire responsibility for reliance upon them. All postings copyright the author. Submissions: PaddleWise_at_PaddleWise.net Subscriptions: PaddleWise-request_at_PaddleWise.net Website: http://www.paddlewise.net/ ***************************************************************************
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