Coast Guard Conducting 'Operation Mayday' at Maryland Marinas

A Coast Guard representative said it is extremely important to contact them regarding any false distress calls.

To raise awareness about false distress calls, the Coast Guard's second annual Operation Mayday is currently underway and will run through May 15.  "During the operation, the Coast Guard will visit marinas to inform boaters about the dangers of making false distress calls—a felony punishable by law," according to a press release. Jim Stewart, dockmaster at Annapolis Landing Marina, said they received a visit last week. He said the false distress calls are a real issue, particularly with current economic conditions.  "It is becoming a serious issue with budgets being restricted—they [Coast Guard] can't be wasting their time," he said. A distress call, said Stewart, is exactly that—it sends many, including fellow boaters, to aid and assist…

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Coast Guard Rescues Boater at Mouth of Severn River

A crew member aboard a boat in the Severn River suffered a head, neck and back injury, according to a press release from the coast guard.

Coastal emergency agencies were dispatched Saturday to rescue a 64-year-old boater who had been injured while on a sailboat in the mouth of the Severn River, according to a press release from the coast guard. The US Coast Guard, Coast Guard Auxiliary, Maryland Natural Resources Police and Anne Arundel County Fire Department all helped assist in a rescue on the sailboat Joe Joe Bean, which had radioed for help at about noon Saturday. One of its crewmembers had suffered a head, neck and back injury, according to the release. “It was clear the man needed more advanced medical care. At that point, I made the decision to take over with the aid," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Whitlow. Whitlow remained aboard the sailboat, …

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Remembering 9/11

Life After Sept. 11

As the 10th anniversary of the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 approaches, Patch is undertaking a new project to document how those events have affected your lives, your family, your business and your community.

This photo is a local component to a larger project in coordination with Action America to document how the country has been affected by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. See how you can become an Actionist and turn the events of 9/11 into positive action at www.ActionAmerica.com and look for more local coverage of the 10th anniversary of 9/11 on Patch. The Coast Guard Station Annapolis, in Bay Ridge, earlier this year took delivery of a new Response Boat to allow it to better patrol Greater Annapolis waters and the Chesapeake Bay. Since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, improving the safety of major waterways and large ports has been a priority of the Department of Homeland Security. And the bay leads directly into the Port of …

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Boater Finds Human Remains Near Bay Bridge

The Medical Examiner's Office is investigating. Age, gender or race could not be determined.

A boater discovered human remains in the Chesapeake Bay, just south of the Bay Bridge in Anne Arundel County, according to a news release from The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP). The NRP were notified around 11:40 a.m. Sunday. Both the Coast Guard and the NRP arrived on the scene and were able to locate the remains, which were taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for further examination. The age, gender and race of the person discovered could not be determined due to decomposition, according to the release. NRP’s Special Operations Division is investigating the incident.

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