U.S. Coast Guard no topic Update

BOSTON — The United States Coast Guard has just released its first boating safety mobile phone app as part of the kickoff of National Safe Boating Week 2015, which runs today through through Friday.

Features of the app include: a safety equipment checklist, general navigation rules, local boating laws and information, as well as the ability to request free Vessel Safety Checks and create float plans that can quickly be sent to family or friends before getting underway. 

When location services are enabled mariners can also receive the latest weather reports directly from the closest National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) weather buoys, and easily report pollution, hazards on the water, or suspicious activity in real time.

Another app feature is an Emergency Assistance button which will call the closest Coast Guard command center when locations services are enabled. The boating safety mobile app is not designed to replace a boater's marine VHF radio and the Coast Guard still strongly recommends all boaters have a marine VHF radio aboard their vessels. 

"We are very excited for its release," said Lt. Karen Kutkiewicz, Public Affairs Officer for the First Coast Guard District. "The new Coast Guard app makes boating safety information more accessible and in one place!"

Because the app is self-contained, personal information is stored on the phone and not sent to the Coast Guard unless the user chooses. The Coast Guard does not track a user's location, and the app cannot track a user's location unless the app is being used and location services are enabled. 

The app is titled "United States Coast Guard" by BastaYaPR, a non-profit organization in Puerto Rico, and is now available on the Apple and Google Play online app stores. 

National Safe Boating Week is an annual event the week before Memorial Day Weekend to help encourage all boaters to practice safe boating. 

For more information on National Safe Boating Week click HERE 

For more information on general boating safety click HERE

For more information on the United States Coast Guard app click HERE

WILMINGTON, N.C. — Coast Guard Sector North Carolina is scheduled to temporarily discontinue numerous navigation aids Thursday in the vicinity of Hatteras Inlet due to shoaling.

Recent hydrographic surveys indicate shoaling in Hatteras Inlet between Buoy 9 and Buoy 13.  The current navigational aids in this section of the waterway do not accurately mark navigable water due to limited channel depth and reduced channel width.  

Mariners are advised to use the preferred alternate routes known as Barney Slough and South Ferry Channel to enter or depart the ocean inlet.

Due to the potential for increased shoaling and changes in channel depths and widths in the Hatteras Inlet Channel, use of regional and local navigation information is highly encouraged.

The following navigation aids, found on Hatteras Inlet Channel chart 11555, will be temporarily discontinued.

28669 - Buoy 9
28730.1 - Channel Lighted Buoy 11A
28670 - Buoy 9A
28730.15 Channel Buoy 11AA
28724 - Lighted Buoy 9B
28730.2 - Channel Lighted Buoy 11B
28726 - Lighted Buoy 10
28733 - Channel Lighted Buoy 12AA
28726.1 - Buoy 10A
28733.1 - Channel Lighted Buoy 12B
28726.2 - Lighted Buoy 10B
28733.2 - Channel Lighted Buoy 12C
28729 - Lighted Buoy 11
28735.2 - Channel Lighted Buoy 13

The Coast Guard will continue to monitor the conditions of the waterway and update mariners as necessary.  For any questions or concerns, please contact the Sector North Carolina Command Center at 910-343-3880.