CCB MEDIA PHOTO
Coast Guard Station Chatham.
CHATHAM – A recent designation change for the Coast Guard’s Chatham station will alter responses in high surf conditions.
The station’s designation was changed from a surf station to a heavy weather station, which means boat crews will only be able to respond if the surf on the bar is below eight feet.
Chatham Harbormaster Stuart Smith says the new designation is a significant change.
“There could be a delayed response so mariners are going to have to understand that change and work their schedules appropriately,” Smith said.
The Coast Guard has three 42-foot motor life boats stationed in Chatham. Two are located at the Chatham Fish Pier and the third is at Stage Harbor. All three boats are surf capable and able to operate through breaking surf up to 15 feet.
Station Chatham had been designated as a surf station since it was established in the late 1800s.
Smith says there are no boats locally that will be able to respond in high surf situations.
“They will either have to get a waiver, that will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, to operate over eight feet, or respond with a helicopter,” Smith said.
The change went into effect in early December.
Smith says the breaking surf on the bar can regularly get higher than 8 at any time of year.
“We don’t even have to have a storm here,” he said. “You could have a storm or hurricane, which happens fairly regularly, go offshore east of Chatham and east of the Cape and kick up the surf on the bar certainly in excess of eight feet.
Smith said the change will affect the commercial and recreational fleet.
“They are going to have to go to Stage Harbor if they are concerned about a response or they are going to have to not go,” he said.
Smith believes the designation changes were evaluated nationwide.
“It’s not like the Chatham station was the only station effected,” he said.
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