Forth Bridges Festival Flotilla on the Forth www.forthbridgesfestival.com Flotilla Instructions Twitter Facebook Pinterest @ForthBridgesFes Forth Bridges Festival 2014 ForthBridgesFes Welcome to the Flotilla on the Forth To celebrate the 50th Birthday of the Forth Road Bridge a very special day of celebrations will see the Firth of Forth decorated with vessels of all shapes and sizes in one of the signature events in the 2014 Festival. A multitude of crafts will travel along the stretch of water in front of North and South Queensferry. Royal Navy Vessels, Northern Lighthouse Board Support Vessels, pleasure boats, private yachts, ferries, motor-boats and skiffs – it is sure to be a magnificent and emotive spectacle. The Flotilla is managed by Forth Estuary Transport Authority and event managed on their behalf by Indigo Project Solutions Ltd. The Flotilla has been developed in partnership with Forth Ports, FCBC, Port Edgar Holdings, Queensferry Ambition, HM Coastguard, RNLI, the Royal Navy and EventScotland. These joining instructions are important and seek to provide you with the information necessary to join and enjoy the Flotilla. Please ensure that you read all the instructions carefully to ensure that the Flotilla on the Forth is successful and safe for both participants and spectators. Schedule Information TIDES Sunday 7th September Port Edgar (Rosyth) (BST) LW0755 0.9M HW1358 5.7M ALLOCATED MARINE COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL Flotilla Control: Marine VHF –CHANNEL 57 The Flotilla Passage Plan: Please check your column allocation. This will have been provided in your email with your joining instructions. Column 1 and 2: Muster Point between Long Craig Pier and Small craft moorings east of Rail Bridge. Column 1 boats to the East side of area and Column 2 to the West side of area. Proceed in Column Order (Column 1 will lead off as slightly further to go) from Start Point 55o59.8’N, 3o 22.6’W (Use FETA Boat as visual marker) to Southern Tower of Road Bridge (1nm) to due South of Dhu Craig Navigational Buoy by FCBC Boat turn marker (1.8nm) to Forth Road Bridge (1.7nm) to Dispersal Point (use FETA boat as visual marker) 56o00.1’N 3o23.7’W (0.4nm) Column 3: Muster Point Port Edgar Floating Breakwater Proceed in Column order from Start Point (Use P2000 as visual marker) 55o59.9N 3o24.6’W to Due South of Dhu Craig Navigational Buoy by FCBC Boat turn marker (1.5nm) to Forth Road Bridge (1.7nm) to Dispersal Point (use FETA boat as visual marker) 56o00.1’N 3o23.7’W (0.4nm) The Afloat Flotilla Manager will coordinate the departures of Columns 1 and 2 with lead boats followed in close order by their column yachts and shepherded at rear by a Royal Navy P2000. Each column leader on reaching turning point will guide his/her column towards their designated channel for passing under the bridge and on reaching dispersal point wheel in turn south (or individual boats North as previously agreed with Boat Flotilla Manager) to return to Port Edgar or other destination while remaining outside commercial traffic channel. Each columns route and timings are as marked on the chart(s) below. During the Flotilla each column of boats will have a lead boat to set the speed and at least one RIB available to provide support in case of difficulty. Other support boats will provide mechanical and medical assistance. HM Coastguard, The Royal Navy, Forth Ports as well as private contractors will also be present on the day to observe and maintain security and safety of all participants. Support boats may issue specific instructions and we ask everyone to listen carefully and to comply immediately with all instructions. Each participating rowing club will be required to supply and man an accompanying RIB to provide comms link to the Flotilla management and safety teams. Flotilla on the Forth – Joining Instructions Map of Journey Flotilla on the Forth – Joining Instructions Safety Boats The designated “safety boats” are as follows: FCBC – Motor Launch – Wind Speed Calypso – Safety Boat 1, Safety Boat 2 and Calypso Afloat Manager Boat. In addition the 2 Royal Navy P2000 patrol boats will be positioned at the rear of the Flotilla to assist any stragglers and/or safety boats if requested by the Flotilla Afloat Manager. Emergency Procedures and Communication Plan EMERGENCY PROCEEDURES Reportable Incident In the event of an incident that involves personal injury or severe illness, or where the boat is in danger and needs assistance, crews should contact in the first instance their Column Leader on their allocated Channel (VHF 11, 22 or 33 as appropriate). The column leader will cascade to the Flotilla Afloat Manager (Call Sign- Afloat Leader on VHF Channel 57) who will then initiate the appropriate action. All such incidents will be logged and cascaded to the Incident Management Tree (see Table 1) for information or action as required. It is very important that all participants keep “radio silence” once they have completed their initial “comms check” with their Column leader unless they have an incident to report. Major Incident In the case of a major incident that may affect the safety of the Flotilla (such as a unexpected storm squall approaching) then the Boat Flotilla Manager will instruct all vessels to “Abort” the event requesting them to proceed safely to a place of shelter or home port depending on type and warning of the major incident received. Vessels will be asked to switch initially to Channel 57 and if then required to Channel 16 with control transferred from the Flotilla Afloat Manager to Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA). In the event of a serious incident within the Flotilla, vessels will be asked to switch to CH57 and monitor for further instructions. Examples of Reportable and Major incidents and how they would cascade are at Table 2 below. Flotilla on the Forth – Joining Instructions Table 1- Incident Management Tree Flotilla Incident Manager Rob Thomson Shore Support Manager Flotilla Afloat Manager (at Forth Ports) Andy McGrenary Mark Wardle FCBC Safety Calypso Safety Calypso Safety Calypso Afloat Column Leader Column Leader Column Leader Boat Boat 1 Boat 2 Manager Boat 1 2 3 Pharos Reaper HMS Archer Table 2 – Examples of Incident Management Type of Action Taken Lead Officer Comms Instruction Incident Crew Member Skipper reports incident to Column Leader on allocated Flotilla Afloat suffers minor Column Channel who informs Flotilla Afloat Manager Manager N/A cut or mishap (FAM) on Channel 57 (FAM) Skipper reports incident to Column Leader who immediately informs other column vessels of hazard and Initially Ch57 for stricken Participating reports incident to FAM on Channel 57. FAM assesses size vessel only. FAM decide on Vessel loses of vessel and instructs an appropriate safety vessel to take FAM Flotilla channel change power stricken vessel in tow to a safe haven. Stricken vessel depending on risk to other requested to switch to Ch57. FAM informs Flotilla Incident vessels Manager (FIM) who liaises with Forth Ports and MCA As above but FAM will instruct all vessels in column to Initially Column vessels switch to Channel 57 and consider requesting nominated switch to Channel 57, FAM Collision Initially FAM vessels to standby to assist his safety boats depending on to decide if all Flotilla to between potentially immediate damage assessment (E.g. vessel sinking) and switch to CH57 and on MCA vessels MCA number of vessels involved FAM will request FIM to seek transfer all flotilla to switch MCA assistance to Ch16 FAM instructs Column leaders to request all Major squall participants switch to CH 57 approaching FIM informs FAM who aborts Event, All vessels seek FIM and instructions to Abort from appropriate shelter and return to home port when able issued with vessels to remain Grangemouth on CH57 until incident closed. EMERGENCY LANDING Vessels should land casualties at RNLI station on Hawes Pier, unless otherwise directed. The location provides the shortest route to the Casualty Unit at St John’s Hospital and normally allows easy access for vehicles. Flotilla on the Forth – Joining Instructions FIRST AID FACILITIES Rescue launches will be at strategic positions on the river and will accompany the three flotilla columns during the Flotilla. In the event of an immersion of any crew the “warm room” facility will be the changing room showers located at Port Edgar Sailing Centre. First Aid Facilities are located at Port Edgar Sailing Centre, RNLI Station at Hawes Pier. Incidents ashore if serious should use the normal National 999 service. The nearest Hospital Accident & Emergency Unit is at St John’s Hospital, Livingston. RADIO COMMUNICATIONS All boats should carry a marine band VHF transceiver. Marine band VHF channels to be used are listed in Table 3. Table 3 VHF11 Column1 Vessel Management VHF22 Column2 Vessel Management VHF33 Column 3 Vessel Management VHF57 Incident Management/Shore Flotilla Incident Management Link VHF 10 Emergency Channel Forth Ports/MCA Each safety boat will be on VHF Channel 57 throughout. Emergency procedures and responses will be co- ordinated by the Flotilla Incident Officer (Flotilla Afloat Manager) and his On Water and on Shore marshals. All points of the course are under supervision of the on water Flotilla Afloat Manager or his safety boats who can summon assistance via radio if required. Column leaders and other Incident Managers will communicate by mobile radio. There will also be radio links to the safety boats, MCA and Port Authority. In the event of an accident on the water the nearest on water official will alert all other officials by saying “Flotilla Emergency, Safety Launch required at ‘location…’”. All other communications must then cease until the problem has been sorted and the nearest ‘on water’ official has clearly indicated that the incident is clear.