Members of the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-10 patrol Winyah Bay near Georgetown. The Flotilla
is looking to expand its reach by establishing a new detachment in the Socastee/Myrtle Beach area.
| BY STEVE PORTER THE HERALD Although Myrtle Beach and Socastee do not have large inland bodies of water, or even outlets to the ocean for that matter, there are so many boaters in the area that the Georgetown Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-10 is hoping it can set up a detachment in Socastee. Its current area of responsibility runs from McClellanville, north of Charleston, to the Highway 501 bridge in Myrtle Beach, where the North Myrtle Beach unit begins. The present Auxiliary in Georgetown has about 50 members. Some of them live in the Myrtle Beach area so there is strong consideration being given to forming a subsidiary group, called a detachment, that would allow members in the Socastee, Waccamaw Neck and Myrtle Beach areas to establish their own meetings and serve the organization locally instead of having to make the trip to Georgetown. Members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary are not members of the Coast Guard itself, but perform duties and services that, in conjunction with the Guard, help keep waterways and boaters safe and well educated in the ways of boating. Those who join the Auxiliary receive valuable information and training in boating and usually. move on to be instructors, safety inspectors and enthusiastic promoters of the U.S. Coast Guard. |
A member of the Auxiliary has to be over 17 years of age, but there is no upper age limit. The activities of each member vary according to what he or she wants to invest in time and energy ... and, if possible, a Coast Guard approved vessel that can be used in Auxiliary missions. The boat remains the personal property of its owner, but he or she uses it in Coast Guard Auxiliary activities. The primary missions of the Auxiliary are Public Education and Vessel Safety Checks and Operations. The education involves conducting classes in boating safety procedures. The Vessel Safety checks are provided free to both private and commercial boat owners at their request. Some insurance companies urge such inspections and some provide lower boat insurance fees if they are carried out and a sticker is attached to the boat. The real action comes from Auxiliary operations. Members are asked to assist the Coast Guard in safety patrols, boater training, aids to navigation inspections, perimeter security during regattas, and watch standing, not to mention new roles the Auxiliary can play in monitoring all action on local waterways for national security purposes. "We actually patrol the waterways trying to educate and innform boaters about unsafe practices we might see;' said Ken Dewell, who emphasized the Auxiliary does not get involved in law enforcement. "We leave that to the regulars." |
It is obvious that Auxiliary members can provide many eyes on the water that can keep track of many vessels and can report back to the Guard when something appears to be amiss. Of course, members also provide assistance to boaters who may have had a mishap, run out of gas, or otherwise need help while out on the water. People who might want to join the Auxiliary do not need to have boating experience, but they do need to have a willingness to participate in the organization's activities and attend meetings. The Georgetown Flotilla can be reached through four members of the Auxiliary: Reggie Hollar at 546.6450 Vito Giardina at 240.9900 Cristine Siwirski at 213.3880 or David Hastings at 546.3259. Reproduced from the Myrtle Beach Herald of August 7, 2008. |