Our last posting was on Friday November 15 after our trip
exploring the St. Johns River. I suppose it is way past time for an update as
Nan Ellen has been bugging me for months to get the Blog up to date. As you
will read, we have been very busy in the last 9 months and there was NO time
for Looping.
Thanksgiving 2013 was our first holiday after the passing of
Nan Ellen’s mother Ethel, and it was an emotional and difficult time for both
of us.
After Thanksgiving, it was time to start planning for Christmas,
and soon we began the process of decorating the house. It actually went faster
this year as I chose to participate at a higher level since Nan Ellen did not
have her mother to help. They enjoyed the process and it just was not the same
without Ethel. We celebrated by ourselves at home and it was very different and
somewhat emotional without Ethel.
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| Just the two of us this year |
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| Our tree and nutcrackers |
To start December, we participated in the Kennesaw GA Santa
Parade to welcome Santa and his helpers. We always dress up in our warm “Gumby
suits” which are actually Mustang Survival suits for cold water conditions. We
wore “non-regulation” headgear while waving to the crowd along the parade
route.
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| Our "float" in the Kennesaw Santa Parade |
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| The guest of honor with his real reindeer |
I made one trip to Miami in December for an Executive Committee meeting
at Coast Guard Air Station Miami at the Opa Locka airport. We drove on this
trip and made a stop on the boat in Jacksonville to break up the trip in half.
We use the boat as a floating Condo when Coast Guard business takes us to
Florida as it is only a 6 hour drive from home and makes for a shorter trip
anywhere in Florida. After the Miami EXCOM meeting, we drove back up to Coast
Guard Station Port Canaveral for the Division 17 Change of Watch – one of my
Divisions. Then it was back to Jacksonville for a couple of days before heading
home.
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| Station Canaveral Logo |
Because we planned a trip to Indy in between Christmas and
New Year’s Day, we took down most of the decorations right after Christmas. It
felt odd with the timing, but Nan Ellen did not want any decorations up on New
Year’s.
We made our usual trip driving to Indianapolis to visit my
mother and my brother a couple of days after Christmas and simply got lucky
with the weather. Although cold, we missed a MAJOR snowstorm that stuck a few
days after we left. Had it hit while we were there, we certainly would have
been stuck there several days until it was safe to come home. We went after
Christmas to coincide with my Mother’s 80th birthday. My sister and
brother in law drove in from Rochester NY to help us celebrate along with other
family and friends. A great time was had by all.
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| Birthday Girl Milestone |
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| The Fuller Clan |
Before we knew it, it was New Year’s Day. After gorging on
football all day long, it was time to fall back into a pattern of normalcy for
us – whatever that means! The Atlanta Boat Show was first on our list of calendar
events for the Auxiliary.
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| Atlanta Boat Show Crew |
Next up was the Division 2 Change of Watch at Dobbins
Air Base with CAPT Rodriguez (Sector Charleston Commander) as our guest of
honor. Our home Division Change of Watch is a little different than any other
as we have a large contingent of members who are in the Coast Guard Pipe Band.
It is always a real treat to have them play a few tunes for us as entertainment
and to kick off the festivities. I think it was the first time CAPT Rodriguez
had experienced an Auxiliary Change of Watch like this!
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| COW Cake |
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| CAPT Rodriguez with Pat McMenamin, Nan Ellen, and Dave |
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| The Atlanta Detachment of the Coast Guard Pipe Band |
Shortly after, it was
off to Savannah where I helped teach a Leadership workshop at Coast Guard Air
Station Savannah.
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| Entrance to Air Station Savannah on Hunter Army Airfield |
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| Helicopter Pre-flight preparations |
Next up on the calendar was a trip to Jacksonville to attend
the 100th Anniversary celebration of the US Power Squadron. Nan
Ellen and I wore both our Auxiliary uniforms and our Power Squadron uniforms on
different days at the conference. I was involved in teaching and certifying the
first 18 US Power Squadron Program Visitors in their organization. This is a
Coast Guard program that reaches out to marine dealers and anyplace people
might want to pick up boating safety information. The Auxiliary has been
performing this duty for several years and now the Power Squadron has joined
the Auxiliary to help spread the word. I also represented the 7th
District Auxiliary as the senior Auxiliary officer present.
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| 100th Anniversary Flag Display |
We were treated to a preview of a new tool
that the Power Squadron has invested in – a boating simulator using a special
computer, three video monitors, and an Instructor controlling the scenario. We had
a great deal of fun with it and I tried to crash into other boats, docks, and
the shore. It made realistic sounds of fiberglass crunching, but a simple reset
made it all go away for the next driver! We even wore our life jacket when
driving the simulator. They also had a full size real boat outside that they
use for on the water training. The Auxiliary is studying the feasibility of
offering a similar boating simulator, but costs may deep six this project.
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| Power Squadron Boat Simulator with Instructor Lisa Herndon of the Atlanta Power Squadron |
In February, we attended the Atlanta Power Squadron Change
of Watch and, took care of various doctor and dentist appointments. Basically,
we attended to domestic business with not much travel for the month. Those of you from colder climates may laugh at us when we talk about cold winters and snow, but snow is really a rare event for Atlanta. More often, we get ice. As a matter of fact, when we were in Jacksonville for the Power Squadron Conference, Atlanta got hit with a MAJOR snowstorm that we just missed in Jacksonville. It came within about 20 miles of Jacksonville and actually closed Interstate 10 west of I-75 with impassable conditions. We were not so lucky on the second storm that hit while at home in Atlanta and here are the photos to prove it.
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| BRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!! |
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| Where's the sled? |
In March, we attended a special Auxiliary member training
class at the Auxiliary Flotilla at Lake Lanier GA that dealt with a Marine
Safety certification. After completing the class and passing the test, I
achieved AUXOP status which is the highest rating you can receive as an
Operational Auxiliarist. It is commonly referred to in the Auxiliary as the PHD
of Operations. It takes many years of study in several subjects and elective
specialties to achieve it. It is probably the second hardest achievement in the
Auxiliary. In my opinion, only the Trident certification ranks higher and I am
a long way from achieving it. Nan Ellen also passed the same test as me, but
now only lacks the Weather specialty to achieve her AUXOP status. She plans to
take that class in September at our District Conference in Orlando.
Also in March, it was back to Miami and Opa Locka for
another EXCOM meeting and this time I flew Delta since I had nowhere else to go
at the end of the trip. This was a non-eventful trip. We had our spring
Division meeting and I taught a TCT class (Team Coordination Training – a risk
management class) in Atlanta. Several more doctor appointments and annual
medical tests took up the remainder of the month.
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| Air Station Miami Logo |
April began with a switch in hats to my Ham Radio Emergency
Coordinator role and the move of the Paulding Wellstar Hospital. Our ARES
(Amateur Radio Emergency Services) group coordinated with the county Emergency
Management Agency, Police, Sheriff, Fire, EMS, and the Hospital staff to track
the ambulance transfer of all patients from the old hospital facility to the
new facility. This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to showcase our skills
with communications and tracking. We used various ham radio modes including
digital and voice communications by using hams on the ground at both the old
and new hospital. Our Net controller was off site to keep track of everything
and keep the log of all patients and vehicles. Previous to the actual move of
patients, we had a full scale exercise using school kids as “patients” being
transported so we were able to learn a few lessons before the real move occurred.
We did not lose anyone and the move was flawless due mostly to the exceptional
planning and the full scale exercise working out the kinks.
In early April, we traveled to Cocoa Beach FL for the
Division 17 social. They conducted the social at a local park bordering the
Banana River and we cooked hot dogs and hamburgers. After lunch, Nan Ellen and
I “borrowed” a PWC owned by the Division Commander and his wife and rode over
to the Port Canaveral Locks. It was great to just be social and leave the
business of the Auxiliary at the parking lot.
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| Is there a Qualification in Burger Flipping?????? |
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| Port Canaveral Lock with Cruise Ships in background |
We had an unexpected treat when fellow Auxiliarists Carter Quillen and Diane Eggers brought their Ship of Imagination "Archimedes" to the picnic. It is the world's largest solar powered concrete boat!
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| 20 ton displacement Length 50' Beam 14' All solar power |
On April 11, Nan Ellen and I celebrated our 27
th
Anniversary and instead of a nice dinner out, we decided to attend a Pollution
Responder class put on by the Marine Safety Department at Coast Guard Sector
Charleston. They came to Atlanta for the class and it was coincidental that it
occurred on our Anniversary.
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| (L-R) MST 2 Richard McCarson and LT Ashonte Franklin |
That afternoon when the class ended, we drove to
Savannah to attend the Division 10 meeting the next day – one of my Divisions.
After that meeting was concluded Saturday afternoon, it was back to
Jacksonville for my meeting on Monday night with a Flotilla in Green Cove
Springs FL. Again, we used the boat as a floating condo when in Florida on
Auxiliary / Coast Guard business. Then it was back home for more doctor diagnostic
tests and Easter before returning to Jacksonville the following week. During
our week in Jacksonville, Division 14 Commander Bill Sekeres had arranged a
joint fun night at the Jacksonville Suns Baseball Game. There were nearly 100
people in our group comprised of Auxiliarists, active duty Coast Guard, and
Power Squadron members. As usual, Bill headed up the Honor Guard and presented the colors before the game.
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| Coast Guard Auxiliary Division 14 Members at the game |
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| Division Commander Bill Sekeres and Dave |
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| Jacksonville Suns VS Montgomery Biscuits |
That weekend, Division 4 – another of my Divisions -
had a meeting which we attended at Coast Guard Station Ponce Inlet located in
the Daytona area. Our boat got a lot of occupancy in April while we traveled to
Florida, but only left the dock once to travel the 10 or so miles upstream
(south) on the St Johns River to Doctor’s Lake and Whitey’s Fish Camp
Restaurant. Unfortunately, when we arrived, they were closed for lunch on
Monday – bummer!!! Division Commander Bill Sekeres was going to meet us there
by car, so we left the boat at Whitey’s dock and went up the street for lunch.
It was good to get the boat out and run it, but it was very sluggish –
obviously a lot of bottom growth and some of it came off on the return trip
home to Ortega Landing.
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| Row, Row, Row your boat |
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| Closed for lunch - BUMMER!!!!!!!!! |
In May, we traveled to Camp Sidney Dew near Rome GA to
conduct an inspection of the 33 canoes and paddlecraft of the Boy Scout Camp
there. We had to endure a bit of dust that had accumulated and more than a
couple of spiders that had taken up residence in the building where the canoes
and kayaks are stored.
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| Boy Scout Camp near Rome GA |
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| Nan Ellen completing paperwork with fellow Auxiliarist Paul Kendra |
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| Dave attaching decal to rowboats with assistance from Paul Kendra |
Just before Mother’s Day, we went to the State Capitol
and had a photo opportunity with Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and First Lady
Sandra Deal along with GA DNR and the Power Squadron for the National Safe
Boating Week Proclamation.
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| (L-R) Ed McGill, Dave, Nan Ellen, Governor Deal and First Lady Sandra Deal, CAPT Mike England - DNR, Douglas Towns - Power Squadron |
We had another photo op with City of Acworth Mayor
Tommy Allegood as he presented our National Safe Boating Week Proclamation.
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| (L-R) Mayor Allegood, Ron Argo, Dave, Nana Ellen |
A
week later, the nationally televised Pro Wakeboard Tournament came back to Lake
Allatoona (our home port) for the eighth or ninth time. We participated both on shore
at the Boating Safety Booth and on the water with our Patrols to control
spectators and the wakes of their boats. The weather was nice and we had no
incidents for the tournament.
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| Grabbin' some air |
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| Check out the "readily available" life jackets acting as fenders between the boats |
Next up was Memorial Day and our annual trip back
to Indy in May to visit my mother and brother and of course to attend the Indy
500. We needed to return home to Atlanta because later that week, I flew from
Atlanta to Miami for another EXCOM meeting at Opa Locka.
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| Dave standing in Turn 1 at the Indy 500 |
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| Nan Ellen standing in Turn 1 at the Indy 500 |
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| Start of 2014 Indy 500 |
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| Helio Castroneves and crew in a pit stop |
As June started, we planned to do our triennial (every three
year) recertification of our Coxswain and Boat Crew qualifications, but a
medical issue by one of the boat owners made us reschedule this task for later
in the year – perhaps on another lake. Late in the month, we traveled to
Hiawassee GA in the north Georgia Mountains on the border with North Carolina
for our summer Division 2 meeting (our home Division).
Of course, July 4 always calls for us to participate in the
Douglasville GA parade and with it being an election year, the politicians were
in full force. I wonder why they put them at the front of the parade?
I think they should go behind the horses
(editorial comment). The weather was pleasant and cooperative and a good time
was had by all.
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| Our "float" in the July 4 Douglasville Parade |
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| July 4 crowd along parade route |
The following week, it was time to get back on the road for
Auxiliary business and first up was Charleston SC for the Division 12 meeting.
As the meeting concluded, I felt faint and passed out momentarily. Another
Auxiliarist broke my fall and saved me from going headfirst into a glass
display case that would have cut me up badly had I fallen into it. He sustained
a cut on his hand, but only required first aid on scene. They transported me to
the hospital by ambulance and the doctors poked and prodded and tested me
continuously for several hours. They could not find anything wrong, but wanted
to observe me overnight. The next morning, the doctor released me and said that
I likely ate something that did not agree with me and said to follow up with my
doctor when I returned home. I have not had a recurrence of this episode. That
morning at the hotel, I ate ½ of a waffle and drank what I thought was decaf
coffee and both of these are not part of my normal diet. I had been
experiencing abdominal cramps in the 30 minutes or so before I passed out. The
doctor reassured me that he could find nothing wrong and he saw no reason to
cancel my trip. So we continued the trip to Jacksonville, but a day later than originally
planned. On Monday, I attended a meeting at Coast Guard Sector Jacksonville
with CAPT Allen and his staff for their monthly Auxiliary briefing. He had
several new members to introduce as they rotated out assignments and stations
during May and June so we had an opportunity to put a face with the name.
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| Sector Jacksonville Logo |
Then
it was on to Orlando and a special meeting of the EXCOM where we decided on a
strategy for the remainder of the year and put together an action plan to try
to accomplish an important goal.
Then it
was back to Atlanta for a week before heading back to Jacksonville again for a
special Division 14 meeting. I had the distinct pleasure of presenting a plaque
to honor the 50 years of Auxiliary service of member Bob Strong. Bob remains
active by teaching Public Education classes, and conducting Vessel
Examinations. He performed the facility inspection on our boat earlier in the
year. Amazingly, Bob has 51 years with the US Power Squadrons!
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| Bob Strong 50th Anniversary of Service to the Coast Guard Auxiliary |
To round out the
trip to Jacksonville, we were able to take our boat on patrol on the St. Johns
River with two other local Auxiliarists. Our patrol area for the day was the
security zone directly in front of Naval Air Station Jacksonville. We had to chase
off a boat that was net casting inside the security zone. Otherwise, it was an
uneventful but VERY hot day. It was good to actually use our boat on patrol
away from our home waters and we plan to do it again when our schedules permit.
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| John Hadley, Scott Thomas, and Dave re-hydrating after the patrol on the St Johns River |
As August began, we were back home in Atlanta to kick off
AMLOC (Auxiliary Mid-Level Officers Course) that was sponsored by our Division at
the Clay National Guard Center on Dobbins Air Base in Marietta GA.
As I
mentioned earlier, we had to postpone our requalification check rides for
Coxswain and Boat Crew due to one of the boat owner’s medical issues so we made
arrangements to perform this task at Lake Sinclair on another Auxiliarists
boat. Because I had not practiced on his boat, we made a trip to Eatonton GA (2
½ hours away) to get some stick time and to practice the tasks we would be
required to perform during the Qualification Check Ride and Recertification.
During the following week, we had a refresher of the shoreside tasks required.
These include plotting positions on a chart, determining magnetic headings,
converting to true headings, measuring distance, and various problems computing
speed, time, and distance where you know two of the three variables. A week
later, we returned for the actual check ride. Everyone passed OK and we are
good to go for another three years. Whew!!!! Additionally, the week prior, I
passed the NAVRULES exam required of all Coxswains every 5 years. This is the
exact same test you must pass for a Coast Guard Captain’s License and is the
significant barrier to obtaining your Captain’s License or Coxswain rating.
This was my third time (initial and two re-qualifications) passing the exam
during my time as a Coxswain in the Auxiliary.
As I write this, we are preparing to go back to Orlando,
this time for the Auxiliary National Convention where we will celebrate the 75
th
Anniversary of the Auxiliary. Nan Ellen will be taking a in depth class to
become a Public Affairs Specialist which may be her next Auxiliary role as she
does not plan to run for higher elected office (my position as District
Captain).
I am running for District
Chief of Staff and if successful, I would serve in this position for two years
while attending ASOC (Auxiliary Senior Officers Course). This is basically a
two year program to prepare you to become District Commodore (Auxiliary equivalent
to a one star Admiral). Usually, at the end of those two years, you are then
elected by your peers to District Commodore where you serve for two years. This
election will take place in September, also in Orlando at our District
Conference.
Our future Loop plans are still up in the air right now and
would certainly be postponed if I am successful in my quest to become District
Chief of Staff. I hope to be a little
more current with updates for the rest of this year. Nan Ellen plans to incessantly
bug me and will try to hold me to it! Stay tuned for more later.
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