Coast Guard (UK)

I'm just back fro a trip to Scotland. We took a car ferry from Stornaway to Ullapool. It's a big boat and was steaming along at 20 knots when HM Coast Guard helicopter appeared, hovering over the port quarter at exactly the ferry's speed. Then it left. A while later it came back, did the same thing, and then dropped a guy down onto the deck, all at 20 knots. He unhooked, waved at us all, and then they dropped the cable and retrieved him. Pretty impressive. After that, we chatted with a tour bus operator who told about having a tour member evacuated from the ferry once for a medical emergency (probably not at 20 knots). The victim and his wife were both picked up. She was impressed by that but related the complications for her (insurance, rerouting of tour, etc.). My town is home to our Coast Guard's helicopter base for a large part of the Great Lakes. They're often out practicing in the Bay. I used to grumble about it until I read about how the repeated practice means that when the real thing happens, you don't need to think about what to do. It has become automatic. I am happy never to have been on the victim end of a CG incident, but it is nice to know that they are skilled and prepared. It was interesting to see the signs in both English and Gaelic, sometimes the latter first and the English (in parentheses). I was too tired on Sat. to sail after traveling but by Sunday I figured I should at least row out and check the mooring lines. The wind was from the east and a bit stronger than expected. It was tempting to just check the lines and row back but that seemed awfully lazy and a waste of the row out. So I hoisted the storm jib and main (perfect combo, as it turned out) and had a sail. It was a nice evening. Never fail to sail when the opportunity presents itself together with sun and breeze. Chris Campbell