For over 20
years Herb has been a Guardian Angel to crews of
thousands
of Ocean going yachts and commercial vessels, guiding up to 75
vessels per
day, 7 days a weeks, as they transit the Atlantic Ocean and kept
many
sailors away from dangerous storms and severe weather systems, thereby
avoiding
loss of life, property damage and mental anguish to many sailors.
He is known
all over the world amongst seafarers and is a reliable source of
information
and assistance in rescue situations coordinated by the
United
States, Canadian and United Kingdom Coast Guard/Rescue Coordination
Centers.
HIGHLIGHTS OF
ACHIEVEMENTS
Prevents
between 100 to 150 incidences per year where vessels would otherwise
have been
in distress with potential loss of life due to severe weather
conditions
and/or would have requested assistance from or rescue by U.S., CDN
and UK
Rescue Co-ordination Centers (RCC).
On request
of U.S. and Canadian Coast Guard responds to up to 25 cases per
year to
determine status of a vessel and crew upon activation of an EPIRP
(Emergency
position indicator radio beacon) and to provide feed back or
communication
support to RCC bringing such cases to a satisfactory
resolution.
Responds to
60 to 100 requests per year from Coast Guard centers, local authorities,
concerned
families members and from Canada Foreign Affairs to locate overdue or
unreported
vessels/crew, prior to commencing Search and Rescue operations.
----------------------------------------------
Excerpts
from U.S. Coast Guard, RCC NORFOLK correspondence
Captain
U.S.Coast Guard,
Fifth Coast
Guard District
Portsmouth,
Virginia
December
09, 2009,
--Your
assistance in resolving the matter is greatly appreciated and
exemplifies
the spirit of the mariner, to help others in distress.
Once again
you have performed a tremendous service to the mariners plying
the ocean
and to my Command Center watch team. Whenever they have a S/V
situation
in the deep ocean one of the first things they always will tell
me is
either "Herb is talking to the vessel, or Herb is attempting to make
contact".
In either situation, it means a great deal to either continue to
launch
resources, or if communications are made to potentially save the
resource
launch.
On behalf
of the United States Coast Guard and the United States Government,
you are
commended for your outstanding and unwavering commitment to safety
of life at
sea.
--Thanks
for All you do in helping to keep mariners Safe and Alive. Despite
all of our
capabilities, we still rely on "Herb" as a part of our systems
and
capabilities.
--I cannot
recall how many lives the Coast Guard saved this year, I am sure
your
assistance has ensured that and others that we may not have been
involved
with. I can tell you how many we have not saved though. Those are
the
unfortunates and the hardest. My motto is Search and Rescue is a team
sport, we
have to rely on each other to save a life. You sir, are an
integral
part of this team and I greatly appreciate your dedication and
volunteerism.
May 20,
2008
--Thanks
from RCC Norfolk
I wanted to
pass along to you our many thanks for being such an awesome
resource
for us. I have been reviewing some of the cases from the last
couple of
weeks and noted that my watch has contacted you on several
occasions
and as always is your fashion, provided some excellent comms
support for
us. I hope my guys have been amicable enough with you during
the
interactions, b/c I think that some of them think you are on salary and
this is
your job, not a hobby (even though it relates to more like a
career for
you!).
Herb, as I
have said before, you have been outstanding!
Thank you for
helping us
out, and I want you to know that I personally appreciate
everything
you do for us.
With the
most respect, and fond wishes for you and yours.
-------------------------------------------------
RECOGNITIONS AND AWARDS
1994
Community Service Award for Service to Sailors, Government of Bermuda
1997
Cruising Club of America Plaque for Service to Newport Bermuda Races,
1998
Ireland Ocean Cruising Club Award of Merit Medal,
1999 Blue
Water Sailing Service Award by Seven Seas Cruising Association.
2000
Canadian Coast Guard RCC Halifax, Plaque, Contribution to Search&Rescue
2002
Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal
2004 The
Royal Cruising Club "Medal for Service to Cruisers", United Kingdom
--------------------------------------------------
SOME MEDIA COVERAGE
TV INTERVIEWS RADIO INTERVIEWS/PRESENTATIONS
PBS Boat
Works TV Series
KWNC Vancouver
TV5
Thalassa, France 3
CBC Radio 740AM
CBC Midday
TV news Weather
Notebook (Mount Washington
Observatory)
The Weather
Network M.I.T
Weather briefings for Marion
Bermuda Races
CBC
Undercurrent
Weather briefings Newport Bermuda
Yacht Races
Global TV
Evening News with Peter Kent Seven
Seas Cruising Association
Speaking Engagement
ABC World
News with Peter Jennings U.S
Naval Academy Speaking
engagements.
CTV Evening
News with Lloyd Robertson Invitation
To Norfolk U.S. Naval
Meteorology and Oceanography
Command Center and Nuclear
Aircaft Carrier George Washington
to discuss Forecasting
2010
RCYC Safety at Sea Seminar
------------------------------------------------
Some NEWSPAPAR AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES
(several issues over the years)
The Bermuda
Royal Gazette Canadian Yachting The Hamilton Spectator
Ocean
Navigator The Bermudian The Burlington Post
Soundings Monitoring Times Practical Sailor
Yachting
World Canadian
Geographic US Coast Guard Edition
Cruising
World MacLean Magazine Currents
Sail/Sailing Blue Water Sailing All at Sea
Irish
Cruising Club The Toronto
Star Saltscape
Latitude
& Longitude Guide Post Mad Mariner
Readers
Digest University of
Toronto American Airlines
The
National Post U.S. Naval
Academy
U.S Coastal
Living U.S. Navy NLMOC
WeatherWise Yachting