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DIFFERENT TIDES
Have you ever wondered why at times you can see land along the
causeway on the island side for a couple of hundred yards. These
are very low tides but they don’t happen all the time. There
is a formula of the sun and moon in a certain phase to cause these
which is too complicated to explain here, but basically when the
moon is the closest to the earth (at perigee) the tides will be
at it’s greatest ranges. This is when it gets very low.
Conversely, when the moon is farthest from the earth (at apogee)
the tide range is at the least. On the other hand, when the moon
earth and sun are all lined up, it is called a spring tide and
tides will higher than normal and lower than normal. On these
very low tides, be very careful in shallow shoals and edges of
channels. A lower end can be very costly. Checking the tides before
going out in the bay, especially south bay, is strongly recommended.
A yearly tidal chart can be copied from the Internet, which I
carry on my boat all the time. Go to N.O.A.A. and look through
their site for it. As always, be safe and see ya on the water.
THE CHART
In my class room, the new students ask me about all the maps on
the walls. Well, I politely ask them where? There they say, on
the walls. I reply by telling them that those are charts, not
maps. There is a lot of difference. Before I went to maritime
school, I was the same way. A chart was used just for telling
people where I caught the big fish by pointing to the spot. If
I ever go beyond the jetties on an over night trip in the Gulf,
a chart will be with me. It has a treasure of information on it
that can save your life. The local charts tells you which buoy
has a bell or a gong or a whistle on it so you can find your way
back in the fog. Another sweet item it has is which one of the
buoys has a light on it and how it is flashing as to distinguish
between others that are flashing. Another bit of information on
the chart is that it is adjusted to be on a flat surface. That
kind of map is called a Mercator Map. It is kind of stretched
out and warped a bit to lay flat and to be worked with. The only
difference is, now you need to use a true reading. You cannot
simply use your compass and set your course across the Gulf. You
will be way off. There is a formula to convert your compass to
a true and that makes it good so all you sailors out there, use
the formula. Chapmans Seamanship Book has all of these and other
formulas you may need to plot your next course.
As always be safe and see you on the water.
TWIC OFFICE NOW OPEN
This information will most definitely upset most Captains around
here. There is a new i.d. that every merchant mariner will have
to acquire before September 28th 2008 and this will be enforced.
Basically it is a card that will allow you to enter the port area
or any port for that matter and work there. Here are some excerpts
from the Coast Guard I received. TWIC is a common identification
credential for all personnel requiring unescorted access to secure
areas of MTSA-regulated facilities and vessels, and all mariners
holding Coast Guard-issued credentials. TSA (Transportation Security
Administration) will issue workers a tamper-resistant “Smart
Card” containing the worker’s biometric (fingerprint
template) to allow for a positive link between the card itself
and the individual. The TWIC will cost $132.50 and is payable
by Credit Card, Money Order or Certified Check. Those who hold
a valid MMD issued after February 3, 2003, MML issued after January
13, 2006, HME issued after May 31, 2005, or a FAST card, may pay
a reduced fee of $105.25. Those applicants choosing to pay the
reduced fee must present an MML, MMD, HME, or FAST card at the
time of enrollment. If the reduced fee is paid, the TWIC expiration
date will be 5 years from the issuance date of the supporting
MML, MMD, HME, or FAST card. Captains, this means you can bring
your captains license and get the reduced price. TWIC enrollment
at the Port of Brownsville starts on December 5, 2007
-Location: 1000 Foust Road
Brownsville, TX 78521-1000
-Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 4:30
PM
To schedule an appointment and save time during enrollment, you
can still pre-enroll online at www.tsa.gov/twic or call 1-866-347-8942
(TWIC). By the way T.W.I.C. means Transportation Worker Identification
Credential.
As always, be safe and see you on the water.
BANANA BOATS BEWARE
This is an advisory regarding the use of a jet ski pulling a banana
boat. It has come to my attention that the local MSD (marine safety
department) has in an effort to ensure the safety of passengers
participating in water-based activities, will enforce this in
an elevated level. The letter came out August 10th and was hand
delivered to my office for dissemination to as many people as
I could contact. I was aware of this rule for many years, but
they will clamp down on this rule and will close your business
down until they decide to re-open it. They will need to show proof
of first-aid and currently enrolled in a drug and alcohol testing
program. They also said in the letter which is available at my
office that you have until January 1st 2008 to obtain the appropriate
Coast Guard credential.
This is not a sales pitch, however a warning to all the companies
that run banana boats along the surf and bay. Come by the office
and get a copy. To get a complete guide call the MSD at 956-546-2786.
Captains, get ready to dish out another $150 to get a Port Entry
I.D. This will be an I.D. that you must carry if you go into the
port. It is not optional.
As always, see you on the water.
Written by Captain Alan Stewart of the Laguna Madre Maritime
Training Center
For Information on the Laguna Madre Maritime Training Center please
call 956-639-8697
To see archived articles by Captain
Alan Stewart please click the link below:
January
2006 articles
February
2006 articles
August
2006 articles
September
2006 articles
January
2007 articles
April
2007 articles
December
2007 articles
Texas
Clipper Article
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