WanderlustandWhimSea

So the Coast Guard made another visit to WhimSea today. This time the cause was interesting. A fishing vessel I passed this morning didn’t see me on board and reported it as an unmanned vessel underway. A Pon Pon message went out to Lake Erie and the Coast Guard out of Cleveland came to check it out.

As a bonus they decided to do a complete safety inspection. The most interest was caused by the black water tank and the head. Since WhimSea was built before the dumping overboard rules were in place for the Great Lakes they had to verify the mechanism to pump overboard could not function. I was happy to have the new fire extinguishers on board and the electronic flares. So WhimSea passed the inspection and the Captain got credit for completing professional mariners training.

The best part about this experience is they let me keep making way while they performed the inspection. In case I was sleepy from my 445am departure, it also got my heart pumping and my nerves alert. What a way to break up a 10 hour run from Geneva on the Lake to Vermilion. I will pass quite close to Marblehead Coast Guard Station on my way home – cross your fingers I can get past them without incident.