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Coast Guard Visit-Oct 19, 2024

On October 19th about 15 members of the Lake Champlain chapter of the antique and classic boat society visited the Coast Guard station at Burlington, Vermont at the north end of the harbor. The chapter had a particular connection with this facility because one of the main earlier presidents of the chapter,  Bill Truex was an architect whose company had been involved in the design and construction of the facility in the 1980s Upon arrival we were met by Petty Officer Jacob Raucci who conducted the excellent tour.  The commander of the Coast Guard detachment at Burlington is a chief petty officer who was not available to us during the day, but his staff was more than up to answering our questions. In addition to the roughly 18 full time service members there are about 26 reservists available when needed.

We first toured the very slick 25 foot rapid response vessel equipped with two large outboards that is a work horse of the local detachment, as expected it is fully equipped with modern navigation equipment and life-saving equipment. This is the boat that is usually used to respond to search and rescue calls around the lake if there is no additional information, or severe weather. There are well over 100 such calls per year during the iced over winter. We were reminded that the Coast Guard is chartered to deal with serious threats to life on the lake. They routinely turns calls about fuel problems in fishing boats to the several available commercial towing companies. 

The next boat is a more serious workhorse, the 45 foot response boat that is powered by diesel engines and a water jet propulsion system that allows precise positioning of the boat when engaged in difficult maneuvers out on the lake. We toured this boat also.  The Coast Guard is also responsible for setting and maintaining and retrieving the navigation boats on the lake during navigation season, and for this they use a 45 foot buoy tender that is a long-standing workhorse on the lake for these kinds of activities

During the tour we were informed that one of the current major activities of the detachment is sampling in the water along the route away major construction project on the bottom of the lake that is the Champlain Hudson power express buried high voltage direct current "extension cord" between New York City and the dams of Hydro Quebec. This is a major industrial activity in the lake bed that involves the trenching and laying large electric cable and covering it back up in away that is safe for both people and aquatic life. They sample the water along the construction project daily to make sure that there is no unacceptable levels of pollution 

We also toured the laboratory and maintenance facilities in the building, which are as expected full of modern electronic equipment and and appropriate support facilities along with personal space for members of the detachment.

All in all, it was a very good tour for all of us and we learned a lot about the details of what that imposing facility at the north end of the harbor is doing for all of us on the lake. The routine nature the work does not detract from the long standing Motto of the Coast Guard and it's the life quote "you have to go out. You don't have to come back. "

-Gene Porter

2023 Rendezvous at the Old Dock Restaurant, Essex, NY