Australian Volunteer Coast Guard Visit to San Francisco Bay Area Article by Jimmin Chang, Division Chief, National Interpreter Corps, Sunnyvale, CA

During their trip to California, Deanne and Mathew Semmen, members of the Australian Volunteer Coast Guard (AVCG), had an opportunity to spend a whole Saturday with US Auxiliarists. These members of Carrum Flotilla VF7 in Melbourne, Victoria were able to see us in action, and exchange ideas and experiences.

Even though we had only one day notice, we managed to arrange a full day of activities. Rod Collins District 1-NR Chief-of-Staff, also worked with our District Director of Auxiliary and Bob Henry Sector Auxiliary Coordinator, arranged USCG Cutter guided tours.

In the morning, they were picked up in the hotel at San Francisco’s Fishermen’s Wharf, and were driven down to the south San Francisco Bay at Alviso County Park in San Jose, CA. They observed USCG Auxiliarists from Flotilla 48 and 49 (District 11NR) at work staffing a National Safe Boating Week boating safety booth and conducting vessel safety checks. Brian O’Mara, Division 4 Vice Commander, demonstrated and explained how our vessel safety check program worked.

RIn Deanne Semmen, Joaquin Duran, Jimmin Chang, and Mathew Semmen the in front of the NSBW Boating Safety Booth on May 21, 2011. (US Coast afternoon, Guard Auxiliary Photo provided by Joaquin Duran, Division Commander they 4, San Jose, California) visited Intel Museum and learned about the history and development of the semiconductor technology in the Silicon Valley. They also received a guided tour of Coast Guard Island in Alameda and the 378 ft High Endurance USCG Cutter MORGENTHAU. The cutter tour was very detailed and lasted an hour and a half. They also had ample time to do souvenir shopping at the Base Exchange. While on the island, they even had a brief encounter with the Nigerian and Philippine Navy personnel who were there working on the decommissioned High Endurance Cutters.

After dinner at the Mile Rock Dining Hall on Coast Guard Island, they visited Yerba Buena Island in San Francisco and had a guided tour of the 87 ft patrol boat USCG Cutter PIKE. They were offered a brief introduction to the aids to navigation facility and some of the boats of Station San Francisco.

On the way back to their hotel, they stopped at the lookout on Treasure Brian O’Mara explained how a VSC was done to Deanne and Mathew Island, in the middle of the bay, to see the San Francisco skyline and the Semmen as Jimmin Chang observed. (US Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo lit-up Bay Bridge. by Elsie Lam Flotilla Commander 48, San Jose, California)

This was a very positive experience for the Semmens, as Mathew noted, "Although it was a long day, we are glad to see and are impressed with all the Coast Guard assets and Auxiliary programs. In Australia, the Royal Australian Navy and state's water police are responsible for law enforcement. (The) Australian Coast Guard is a volunteer search and rescue organization, and we do not have a vessel safety check program."

USCGC PIKE crew member, Deanne and Mathew were on the deck of FS1 Haiduck explained to Mat and Deanne how Damage Control USCGC Pike, with Station San Francisco assets in the background. responded to shipboard emergencies on USCGC Morgenthau. (US Further back were the old and new still under-construction San Francisco Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo by Jimmin Chang, Division Chief Interpreter Bay bridges. (US Coast Guard Auxiliary Photo by Jimmin Chang, Corps, Sunnyvale, California) Division Chief Interpreter Corps, Sunnyvale, California)

~GJA 07/09/11