Oregon Surfer Rescued

5
Rant - Oregon Surfer Rescued

USCG ... gotta love having those guys around!

6
rant by Sea-spout
16 comments
gamed
2 years ago

A shame his board got left behind.

2
King of Kooks
2 years ago

They should hand the surfer a copy of his video on dvd and say "That'll be $5,000".

2
cryptomail (not verified)
2 years ago

You know, there has been no definitive answer yet from anyone or empirical proof regarding the cost of a rescue.
If we ever see the ###### Cove Local Boy who took a two year hiatus and then came back with his rock climbing escapade, we'll have to ask him how much his ride cost :)
I was talking to someone involved in legal arts at wet Wednesday a while ago, and he's all "didn't pay a dime", so it's still just conjecture whether they really charge.
I'm still of the opinion that yes, they do because I think it's like an ambulance ride. You're going to pay and it *will* show up on your bill.
Anyone have any links/proof?

0
tracey
2 years ago

We don't need proof. We need to buy me a Snowy Plover safe jet ski. SPSJS = free rescue so long as I'm not sleeping.

3
H20MansLibrary
2 years ago

From what I understand, the USCG can only charge for fraudulent rescues. There are discussions about how to change that, but nothing has been authorized from what I've read. Alps-based climbers and sailors have bought rescue insurance in the past. SPOT is a reasonably well-known program: http://www.geosalliance.com/sar/ The classic argument against fee-based rescue is that if the USCG charges for rescues, then people may not call for help.

3
Sea-spout
2 years ago

I can't speak to the USCG's charge policy, but last year I called for a rescue of a surfer who got swept around the ###### of Montara into the cove immediately south. The whole fleet of possible rescuers, and those who clearly just wanted to get in on the action, showed up. The rescued surfer was not charged, and they took his board up, too.

H20ML, I'm not convinced that the fee would decrease legitimate calls for help (not that you appear to endorse that argument). If anything, fee-based rescues would probably force people to consider all the possible consequences and costs before they do something likely to result in being in over their heads/skill level. It would probably deter fraudulent calls, too. As it is now, there is a moral hazard because risk takers get off scott free if they need to be rescued. What? Did someone say TARP?

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sticker
2 years ago

I got a buddy that got fished out of the water by the USCG after drifting around ###### Cove. They picked him up, rode him back to ######, and shoved him off the back of their boat just outside the lineup. No charge. Have a nice swim in.

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Kooktastic
2 years ago

@tracey: so if you're sleeping, you just leave me out to drown eh? Nice.

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tracey
2 years ago

your own damn fault for surfing at 2am!

4
tcannon
2 years ago

Since when are you asleep at 2am? I call bullshit.

4
tracey
2 years ago

sadly lately, when I am asleep ever? maybe next wet wednesday I should replace my beer with sleepytime tea and a blankie.

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tehdely
2 years ago

That surfer is distressed like an asset, yo

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water sledding
2 years ago

I have a friend who kite boards and ended up stranded on the rocks by Alcatraz. USCG picked her up for no charge, albeit an embarrassing and terrifying experience.

Its a tax payer funded service provided to the public. I bet successful rescues help justify the program from a funding standpoint as well. Plus rescuing live people probably beats scooping hundreds of GG bridge corpses out of the water.

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greacen
2 years ago

Seems like we need a water-borne pack of these guys to bring brandy out to stranded surfers. Or maybe IPA.

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tracey
2 years ago

St Bernards: on jetskis...

2
pelicanpaul
2 years ago

On the video it looked like the guy that went down, the rescue swimmer, probably surfed it in.... did not look like they were going to drop that basket down again...

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