January 2006:

• Buccaneer, a commercial seiner with a load of squid onboard, capsized off of Point Mugu in moderately heavy seas. The fishing vessel Diane G witnessed the incident and rushed to the aid of the mariners who went into the water. Everyone aboard was rescued with the exception of the boat dog. Assist Channel Islands was dispatched with Captains Kris and Gordon on board, to station keep the capsized vessel in order to prevent it from becoming a hazard to navigation. The Santa Ana winds eventually pushed the vessel into the shipping lanes and it became necessary for the captains on Assist Channel Islands to put a tow line on it to move it out of harm's way. During the next few hours it became a game of dodge-em with merchant ships for the guys. During this time they were keeping watch on the towline so that in the event the submerged vessel lost its reserve bouyancy and went to the bottom, they would be ready to cut it in order to save themselves. At approximately midnight Buccaneer decided to sink and it was only quick action on the part of Captain Gordon to cut the polypropylene line that saved them, and Assist Channel Islands, from being drug under with it. The vessel went down in 200 fathoms of water, too deep for any hope of recovery. It was an unfortunate event.

• A Hardin 45 sailboat, Sunday Morning, was towed from Santa Barbara Harbor to Anchor's Way Boat Yard in Ventura where Les Nickeas will be doing engine repair for the owner. It was Captain Kris on Assist Ventura who did the tow.
  
  

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• Ventura, a 27 foot sailboat, went from Ventura Harbor Boat Yard to its home slip in the Ventura Keys. It was Captains Bev & Paul and Butter on Assist Ventura.
  
  

• Captains Bev & Paul and Butter, along with Captain Curtis from Sneaky Pete, moved F/V Carlene N to a new slip in the Ventura Harbor Village. (CAPTAIN CURTIS)

• Captain Tom and Assist Ventura took a pair of mariners out to Santa Cruz Island to recover a Tanzer 25 sailboat, named Arctic Wind, that had been left on an anchor at Santa Cruz Island the previous night. The mariners aboard had become concerned for their safety during the night, and had called the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard removed the mariners from the vessel, taking them back to shore, and left the boat anchored in Prisoner's Anchorage. Captain Tom put the mariners aboard their vessel and towed it safely back to Ventura Harbor, to its home slip in Ventura West.
  
  

• Stylin, a 26 foot Sea Ray was disabled with dead batteries at Prisoner's Anchorage at Santa Cruz Island. Captain Tom responded on Assist Ventura and gave the vessel a jump start, enabling the mariners to make their way back to their home port of Santa Barbara.

• Vessel Assist Ventura took delivery of the new boat today. A Ribcraft Mitigator, formerly stationed on the east coat is now on our docks and ready for rapid response to emergency. The boat is capable of 45 + knots and is built to handle rough sea conditions. She came equipped to go to work with shock mitigating seats, sophisticated communications equipment, and two 150 hp two-stroke military outboards, making her incredibly agile and responsive for working in tight quarters, and in the surf. We'll be adding more equipment to make her a serious emergency response boat, capable of crossing the Santa Barbara Channel at high speed in most conditions. The Mitigator was delivered to us by Kevin Schmolze of Skipjack Logistics Boat Transporters. Kevin did a great job of getting her to California from the East Coast unscathed, he even slept in his truck during the cross country journey so that he could keep a watchful eye on her. Thanks Kevin! (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3) (PHOTO 4) (PHOTO 5)

• Retriever gets a new house! Victor Garcia, of Garcia Boatworks has been constructing a new house for Retriever. She'll be a more comfortable workhorse for us with some protection from the elements. All of the captains are looking forward to the completion of the project so Retriever can return to work, we've missed her. (PHOTO)

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• Sea Dragon, a 31 foot lightboat, lost a water pump three miles out of Ventura Harbor. Captain Paul on Assist Ventura responded, towing the boat back in to the Ventura Harbor Village.

• It was an eight hour case that took Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands offshore. Trilogy, a 30 foot Wilson, disabled in position N 33 41.623, W 119 05.840, called for a tow back in to Channel Islands Harbor.

• A Waverunner suffered engine failure off of Emma Wood State Beach. The operators on board were towed back to the Ventura Harbor entrance by a good samaritan, lobster boat, Kyrstin Dawn. Captain Paul and Captain Kris on Mitigator took over the tow at the entrance, dragging the PWC back to its home slip in the Ventura Keys.

• Another trip for Kalana, from Anacapa Marine Services to her slip in Anacapa Isle Marina. The captains were Bev and Paul and Butterdog on Assist Channel Islands.

• Swan, a 32 foot lightboat, suffered engine failure just one mile outside the Ventura Harbor entrance. Seiner, Anthony G, took the vessel in tow and was inbound Ventura Harbor when Captains Bev and Paul on Assist Ventura caught up, taking over the tow, and returning the boat to Ventura Harbor Boatyard where it had launched earlier in the day.

• Sun Spot, a Catalina 27 out of Channel Islands Harbor, got into trouble near Platform Gina. The Santa Ana conditions made for rough going for the sailboat, and the mariners aboard issued a call for help. Coast Guard Cutter 41365 out of Station Channel Islands responded, towing the boat into Channel Islands Harbor where Captain Bev, Captain Paul and Butter, on Assist Channel Islands, took over the tow.

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• Bad Dog, a 27 foot aluminum power boat, lost an engine belt while anchored at Smuggler's Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island. It was Captains Tom and Sean, on Assist Ventura, who responded to the disabled vessel, towing it back to Santa Barbara Harbor. It was an 8 hour case, in Santa Ana conditions, for the guys.

• Westerly, a Radon 28, disabled just outside Channel Islands Harbor on a voyage from Santa Barbara Harbor, called for assistance. It was Captain Paul, on Assist Channel Islands, who ran the case, towing the boat into Channel Islands Harbor.

• Free Spirit, a Newport 27, needed some assistance moving from a slip in Ventura West Marina to Ventura Harbor Boat Yard for haulout. It was Captain Kris, on Assist Ventura, who helped the mariner out.

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• SS Scholarship, a 27 foot McGregor out of Redondo Beach, called Vessel Assist for a fuel drop. The mariner on board had just purchased the boat and was not a member of Vessel Assist. He had no functioning VHF radio, no GPS, and no charts onboard so it was impossible to determine his location. The only information available to us was the mariner's report that he could see an island, but the identity of the island he could see was a mystery. Since the mariner's only means of communication was a cell phone, and the cell phone battery was going dead, the case was turned over to Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles. Coast Guard issued a Pan Pan with the lost vessel's description and fortunately another mariner spotted the vessel, reporting its position as west of Santa Barbara Harbor, in the middle of the Santa Barbara Channel. Coast Guard stated their intention of boarding the vessel in order to terminate the voyage for the safety of the mariner.