May 2006:

• Captains Bev and Paul moved an Ericson 27 from its slip in Ventura West Marina to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. The towboat was Maverick.

• It was another long tow for Assist Ventura. Captain Paul and Jason went to the aid of a mariner disabled at Skunk Point, Santa Rosa Island. The boat was headed to Santa Barbara so it was almost 11 hours before it was safely delivered home, and Assist Ventura and her crew could return to base.

• Spooky, a Laguna 18, went to the launch ramp in Channel Islands Harbor and was placed on a trailer for the long tow to its new home in Idaho. The boat had formerly been kept in a slip in Channel Islands Harbor Marina, but the new owners, who live in Idaho, were not willing to commit to that commute. The tow boat crew was Captains Bev, Paul and Jason, and Butterdog, along with new crewmate, Maddie. The tow boat was Assist Channel Islands. (PHOTO)

• Captain Kris got up early to make the run to Smuggler's Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island. Afishyonado, a Sea Ox sportfisher, was disabled and in need of a tow back to Channel Islands Harbor. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• A 21 foot Seaswirl Striper went on the beach near Surfer's Knoll just outside the Ventura Harbor entrance at approximately noon. The mariners lost power and called Vessel Assist for a tow but before Captain Kris could get on scene the boat was ashore. The mariners had deployed an anchor, but apparently it was not set with enough scope, or not deployed early enough to prevent the catastrophe. Captain Kris and Assist Ventura returned to base and Captain Paul responded by way of the beach, with wetsuit, and a truck and trailer from Lynn's Heavy Hauling to remove the boat over land. The boat was successfully extricated from the situation by the end of the day. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

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• A Catalina 34, named Lady K, went from a slip in Vintage Marina to Channel Islands Boatyard for repairs. Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands were the escorts of the day.

• Wind Wizard, a Catalina 38, went from Anchor's Way Boatyard to a slip at the Catalina Yacht Sales docks. It was Captains Bev, Paul, and Jason, along with Butterdog who did the move. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• A 19 foot Wellcraft, adrift in the Santa Barbara Channel, was spotted by a commercial freighter and reported to the Coast Guard. The Coast Guard confirmed that the boat was one which had been reported missing from Gaviota on Saturday - it had managed to drift all the way to the shipping lanes before being seen. Captain Kris was dispatched to find the boat but the latest coordinates were hours old, so he and Captain Paul calculated a set and drift solution in effort to estimate the location where they felt the boat would be found. The coordinates proved to be exactly right and Captain Kris successfully recovered the needle in the haystack, towing it to Santa Barbara where it was placed on the owner's trailer.

• Captains Paul and Bev moved a 60 foot steel trawler from its slip in Ventura West Marina to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. Retriever was the towboat.

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• Captain Kris, and deckhand Manny, on Assist Channel Islands, participated in a search and rescue operation in the Santa Monica basin. An autonomous underwater vehicle, which had been conducting a seafloor survey, suddenly stopped communicating with researchers on Sunday and was presumed lost. The last known location was N 33 deg 38.13' - W 118 deg 49.97' A search had been underway for the AUV, utilizing air assets and following predicted set and drift solutions, but nothing had been found by Thursday when Vessel Assist was contacted. Captain Kris and Manny put in six and a half hours in the search before returning to base. If anyone sees this equipment they are urged to note the GPS coordinates for the location, and then to contact Vessel Assist so that this valuable research tool can be returned to service. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)

• Captain Paul and Jason, on Retriever, again joined the search for the AUV. Unfortunately, nothing was found. The guys put in almost four hours before returning to base.

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• Pacific Player went back to its slip in Channel Islands Harbor from the Channel Islands Boatyard. It was Captains Bev and Paul, on Assist Channel Islands who were the tow boat team of the day.

• Captain Kris, on Assist Channel Islands, joined the search for the AUV once again. At the coordinates where the equipment was lost, he deployed a listening device that attempted to interrogate the unit regarding its current location. No information was recovered.

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• It was Captain Tom and Retriever's turn for the early tows this weekend. At approximately 5:30 am a 20 foot Maui with 3 POB suffered engine failure in position N 34 deg 09.828, W 119 deg 52.504. The boat needed a tow back to Santa Barbara Harbor.

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• As soon as Captain Tom finished with the Santa Barbara tow he was dispatched on another case. A Hunter 34, named Layla, lost battery power while anchored at Twin Harbor anchorage on Santa Cruz Island. Captain Tom put into Santa Barbara Harbor and went battery shopping at the local chandlery for the mariners, and then delivered a brand new battery to them in the anchorage before returning to Ventura base.

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• Captain Tom wins the hero award for the day. After being at the helm of the boat since 6 am, he was sent on yet another case. Priapism, a Radon 26, out of Santa Barbara Harbor, called for assistance and Captain Tom turned around after leaving Santa Cruz Island and headed back in that direction. When he arrived on scene at the coordinates the mariner had given him there was no boat to be found. After several calls it was determined that the mariner had called the Santa Barbara Harbor Patrol and been towed in to the harbor without notifying Vessel Assist. It was a frustrating stand down for Captain Tom, but the day wasn't over yet. Before he could get in to Ventura Harbor base, he lost the port engine on Retriever, and had to limp in under reduced power. Then when he arrived at the Vessel Assist docks, an electric craft boat, named Sparky, was tied up in his slip. After being at the helm all day, dealing with stand-downs and engine failure, poor Captain Tom was required to move a VERY INCONSIDERATE mariner's boat so that he could tie up his own boat. The Vessel Assist docks are not public, no one should ever tie a boat up, even if the docks appear to be empty - a tired, hardworking Vessel Assist captain is probably returning to base and will be faced with someone else's selfish decision. There is NO PUBLIC TIE UP AT THE VESSEL ASSIST DOCKS AT ANY TIME - EVER!!!!

• Captain Tom, and Retriever, went to the rescue of the becalmed sailboat, Autumn Star, seven miles out of Ventura Harbor, towing the boat back to its slip.

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• Captains Bev and Paul tried to take the Mother's Day afternoon off, but a mariner with a wrapped prop in Channel Islands Harbor demanded attention. Captain Paul suited up and got in the water to cut away the boom material that was disabling the boat while Captain Bev handled the boat. The mariner had apparently maneuvered too close to a construction boom in the new Westport Harbor area in Channel Islands Harbor. Captain Paul employed a hooka system so that he could stay underwater long enough to give the problem his undivided attention. He used a knife to cut away the rubber, and bolt cutters to remove the chain which was wound around the prop many times. After about an hour, a grateful Sea Ray owner motored back to his home slip in Mandalay Bay, with an escort from Assist Channel Islands. It was after 10 pm by the time Captains Bev and Paul got home.

• Captain Kris moved a 36 foot sailboat from a slip in Channel Islands Harbor Marina to the crane for an engine pull, and then back to the slip. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

• It was Captain Kris who went to the aid of a boat named Popeye disabled near Channel Islands Harbor. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• Captain Paul went to the rescue of a Slickcraft 20, disabled near the entrance of Ventura Harbor. Retriever was the tow boat.

• A Chriscraft 20, disabled near the shipping lanes in the Anacapa Passage, called Vessel Assist for help. Captain Paul and Retriever ran the four hour case, towing the mariners back to Ventura Harbor.

• Captain Kris responded to the disabled mariner in Channel Islands Harbor, who lost power and landed on the end of L Dock in Channel Islands Harbor Marina. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• Sirena, a Radon 34, lost power at Smuggler's Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island and called Vessel Assist. The mariners on board were able to get their problem fixed though, and stood down Captain Paul and Retriever.

• Captain Paul and Maverick responded to a Mayday on Channel 16. A mariner aboard a 20 foot power boat was disabled in the surfline between Ventura Harbor and Channel Islands Harbor. The mariner was able to drop an anchor but the anchor was not holding, so the situation quickly escalated into a Mayday. This was close to the same location that the Seaswirl 21 went aground on May 7th, an area with shoals, catching many unwary, or inexperienced, mariners offguard. A number of agencies responded to the emergency, including the Coast Guard 41 foot motor lifeboat, Ventura Harbor Patrol, Channel Islands Harbor Patrol, Sheriff's Department boats, Swiftwater Search and Rescue skis, and California State Lifeguards. Officers John Higgins, and Kris Emery, of the Ventura Harbor Patrol, were the heroes who took their boat into the surfzone to get a line to the mariner. Officers Higgins and Emery then pulled the boat to safety where Captain Paul and Maverick took over the tow, dragging the boat to the Channel Islands Harbor launch ramp.

• Captain Kris went to the aid of the 24 foot Skipjack, named Smitty, disabled in position N 34 deg 04.542, W 119 deg 53.210 (near Painted Cave, Santa Cruz Island), towing the boat back to Ventura Harbor. Assist Channel Islands was the tow boat.

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• Captains Paul and Bev took Retriever from Ventura Harbor to Channel Islands Harbor to assist a mariner on a Cheoy Lee, named Carese, who ended up in the wrong slip. Assist Channel Islands was already on another case with Captain Kris. After putting the mariner away, it was back to Ventura for the night for Retriever, just ahead of the rain.

• It was approximately 1500 hours when the call came in from Fugro Seafloor Surveys that the missing AUV had been found. Captains Paul and Kris were dispatched on Retriever to recover the equipment which had gone aground just west of Point Dume. Captain Paul suited up and swam in to the beach to attach a line while Captain Kris stood by offshore. Once the line was secure, Captain Kris pulled Captain Paul, and the AUV, offshore and the long tow to Ventura Harbor was begun. Captain Paul managed to climb back aboard Retriever before Captain Kris could drown him. By midnight the AUV was safely tied up to the docks in Ventura. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2) (PHOTO 3)

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• Rare Earth, a 22 foot Anderson, lost an impeller just outside Ventura Harbor and called Vessel Assist for help. Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands responded, towing the boat in to Ventura Harbor.

• Captains Bev and Paul, along with crew, Butter and Veda, towed the AUV to Ventura Harbor Boatyard for haulout and placement on a truck. The AUV was sent to the Seattle base of Fugro International for repairs. It was with relief that we watched this expensive equipment come out of the water to be turned over to its owners. (PHOTO 1) (PHOTO 2)

• Captains Bev and Paul moved a C&L trawler, named Magpie, from a slip in Ventura Isle Marina to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• After returning to the docks from moving Magpie, a call came in to Vessel Assist from a small inflatable, disabled in the main channel in Ventura Harbor. The mariners on board had suffered outboard failure and needed a tow back to their home slip in the Keys. Captains Bev and Paul, on Retriever, were the moving crew.

• Captain Kris moved Wind Wizard from its slip in Ventura Isle Marina, to Anchor's Way Boatyard. Retriever was the tow boat.

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• Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands moved a Galaxy 17 ski boat from its slip in Mandalay Bay to the Channel Islands launch ramp.

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• Captain Paul ran the 12 hour case, halfway to Catalina Island, to tow a 32 Downeaster named Island Seeker, back to Channel Islands Harbor. The mariners lost engine power and were becalmed. They did not have a functioning GPS, or a VHF radio on board making the search for their location extremely difficult. In addition, their flares were outdated, and there was no radar reflector on the mast. In effort to assist Captain Paul in locating the mariners before dark, the Coast Guard launched a Search and Rescue helicopter. It was Coast Guard asset, Blackfin, who eventually located the mariners and reported their location to Captain Paul who was then able to determine a heading to their position. It was 0530 when Captain Paul and Retriever finally returned to base.

• An Owens 37 went from its slip in Ventura West Marina to Ventura Harbor Boatyard. It was Captains Bev and Paul, on Retriever, who moved the boat.

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• Captain Paul responded to the 24 foot Searay, disabled about two miles out of Ventura Harbor. Conditions were rough so Ventura Harbor Patrol stood by at the entrance, to make sure that everything went according to plan. Captain Paul and Retriever safely delivered the small boat to the launch ramp.

• Whistle Down, a Spencer 35 sailboat, called Vessel Assist for help. The mariners were unable to start their engine just outside Ventura Harbor entrance so Captain Tom and Retriever responded, towing the boat back to its slip in Ventura West Marina.

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• Serenade, a 45 foot Dufour sailboat, suffered a dead battery in Channel Islands Harbor. Captain Kris and Assist Channel Islands responded, attempting to give the boat a jumpstart, but it was no-joy. Captain Kris towed the boat back to its slip in Vintage Marina.

• Captain Tom and Retriever were the heroes who responded to the distress call from a vessel with a crab pot in its propellor. Significant Other, a Cheoy Lee motorsailer, was operating in the vicinity of Platform Gina when suddenly it became obvious that the boat's propellor had become entangled in something. The mariners on board could see a heavy polypropylene line, and a buoy, but were unable to free it, so the boat was essentially anchored. Captain Tom suited up and got in the water, cutting the line free and sending the mariners on their way.

• E Sea Living lost power while motoring in Ventura Harbor, calling upon Vessel Assist for help. Captains Bev and Paul, on Retriever, towed the boat to its home slip in the Ventura Keys.