A few miscellaneous stories of USCG. (1) I became a life-long believer in the Coast Guard as a kid duringsevere blow in the 1950's in Long Island Sound, New York. An 83 footer from Eatons Neck was headed west at the height of the storm past Lloyd's Neck Sandhole where we were battened down. She was a mile or two distant as she disappeared beneath walls of water and spray, apparently running at top speed. So awsome, I still remember that scene vividly. (2) In Maine last summer I came across a veteran USG member riding some young (just out of high school?) personnel in dense fog at Jonesport Maine in an orange inflatable. They said they had just come back from Machias Bay (about 15 miles to the east). At first I thought "what a waste" unitl I rthought about the invaluable experience these new kids could get from real live practice in fog in fairly calm conditions. Especially with someone who knew what they were doing. I spoke with the (BOSUN?) and he kew that boat and area cold. (3) Late one night in Lloyds Neck Sand Hole about 15 years ago, my buddies awakeneded me one night..."come out and listen to this" as we overheard some screaming argument through moderate fog. Apparently some altercation was underway on the nearby beach. With a few minutes waking, we heard outboards and an orange USCG inflatable past us. Aboard were four USCG in orange flak suits. Each carried an M16 as they headed toward the beach. (scared the dickens out of me. Next day we learned a shot had been fired on the beach and along with the USCG police responded by setting up a roadblock to prevent escape along the beach into the woods. No one was apprehended. (4) Last year in Cuttyhunk, Massachusetts (off the Coast of Cape Cod) a 90 foot commercial trawler was aground in the nearby passage. (The Cap[tain fell asleep). Police, an Insurance company representative, USCG and Sea Tow along with two tug boats (and a standby pump out barge) worked to dislodge the trawler from big boulders on the bottom. According to the Sea Tow guy who I spoke with, coordination and process was pretty poor. The first day they had two 2" pumps which were unable to float her....I left after 15 minutes realizing they'd never get her off that way. They next day the second tug arrived, but more importantly they now had three 3" inch pumps. After a four or five hours observers could see she was floating higher, and with what I would estimate was close to 5,000 HP pulling, off she came late in the day. I was not impressed with the extensive time this operation took. Luckily seas did not get rough or they would have lost all as this was exposed to the ocean. (5) Over the past two years I have been in Gloucester, Mass. Every morning the USCG crews come down to the boats, check lights, blow the horns, start the engines,etc. Most days several of the boats are out presumably on routine patrol and training. These boats are immaculate. (I saw the egiunes on one of the old 41's there....rebuilt, repainted and immaculate!) I was impressed. (6) Visitng Nova Scotia this past summer, I got to see some Canadian cutters (big ones) and see their bouys. Lots of rust all over, not like USCG. From what locals told me, Canadian USCG has not the capacity to keep the higher standards. I was disappointed. regards, Rob Brueckner