On-Site Report for November 4, 1999

As weather permitted we have gone on patrol daily. On the 4th we entered the Neah Bay Marina with Julie Woodyer at the helm. We became aware and alarmed that two of the USCG rescue boats and the NMFS boat were not at their births and both canoes were missing as well. Since this is one to the indicators we look at upon entering the harbor, we called the headquarter cabin in Sekiu on cell to request that the aircraft owned by Ken could proceed immediately offshore to establish the whereabouts of the missing USCG & NMFS boats and canoes. There was apparently a miscommunication (as a result of poor cellular signal) and somehow the person on the phone proceeded to inacurrately translate our request for aerial surveilance as a call for assistance. As much as we tried to communicate the message, she was insistant that we were in distress and the phone went dead. The Sedna rep. called in a distress call to the Coast Guard, who contacted us by radio and we, in an effort not to disclose our plans, communicated to the USCG that we were merely trying to make luncheon arrangements with the informant.

At any rate we proceeded out of Neah Bay and found the two missing rescue craft moving slowly toward the marina with one of the 42 foot craft in tow of the other. Knowing how egar the USCG is to save our vegetarian bacon so to speek, Julie and I felt it was only fair to offer them some assistance in what appeared to be their time of need. So we hailed them with our offer of assistance. They didn't respond for several calls, until at such time, they issued a statement that we were interfering with a training mission. "Well why didn't you say so?" The point was however that we would be sited for something or other if we didn't move one half mile away. So without thinking we said "roger that". However it then immediately crossed my mind that Neah bay is not a half mile wide at any point. So go figure. One of those "don't listen to what I say, listen to what I mean" situations no doubt. We proceeded out of the harbour at a resonable speed and received a radio reminder from my friend Robert Coster Commander of the Neah Bay Coast Guard Station that we would be sited for something if we tried any something again. Right. OK.

The leisurely trip home was nice and we stopped to look at some whales and dolphins along the way. When we were just about back to Sekiu (about 2 hours after leaving Neah Bay) we came upon the SEDNA crew trying to make their way up the coast, apparently attempting to ensure our safety. Thankfully, we had not been in need of assistance. We thanked them for their efforts.