U.S. Coast Guard Station & Aids to Navigation Team Pensacola

On August 15th, 2024 partner maritime law enforcement agencies came together to conduct hoisting training. This training improved cross-agency coordination and lifesaving skills.

Participating agencies were:
U.S. Coast Guard Air Station New Orleans
CBP Air and Marine Operations
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency
Alabama Marine Resources Division
Homeland Security Investigations
Mobile Police Department
Gulf Shores Police Department
Orange Beach Police Department
Gulf Shores Fire Rescue
U.S. Coast Guard Station & Aids to Navigation Team Pensacola

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U.S. Coast Guard Heartland Safe Boating
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile
U.S. Coast Guard Heartland

Join us for Lighthouse Day on August 7 and enjoy FREE admission! 🎉 Our staff & volunteers will offer special tours, and the Coast Guard's Aids to Navigation Team will showcase static displays. Stop by for a day of learning, fun, and food!

We'll be open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, with festivities happening from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

Visit Pensacola

Last week we hosted a pair of candidates for service with the US Navy Chaplain Corps.

Aids to Navigation Team Pensacola is hosting an event for National Lighthouse Day at Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile
U.S. Coast Guard Heartland

On Sunday, July 6, we responded to a vessel taking on water south of Pensacola with our partners at MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife.

The crew was able to get the flooding controlled with portable pumps preventing the loss of the vessel.

MK3 Payne joined the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Station Pascagoula to deliver a 45’ RB-M to Baltimore.

Fair winds and following seas!

The team below is embarking on a momentous journey aboard Coast Guard Station Pascagoula's 45' Response Boat Medium (RBM). Four dedicated crew members will sail past seven states, covering an impressive distance of over 1675 nautical miles. This remarkable expedition includes two coxswains from U.S. Coast Guard Station Pascagoula , an engineer from U.S. Coast Guard Station Pensacola and a crew member from U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile. The expedition is estimated to take around 9 days to accomplish. Upon reaching their destination, CG Station Curtis Bay will proudly become the new home for the 45' RBM.

📢 The Pensacola Beach Lifeguards have announced a revision to the beach flag system for Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key.

To remain consistent with state and local Gulf Coast beach agencies, the revised flag system will measure the following surf risks:

🟢Green flag - Low Hazard: Generally calms surf and currents
🟡Yellow flag - Medium Hazard: Moderate surf and/or currents
🔴Red flag - High Hazard: High surf and/or dangerous currents; beach patrons encouraged to remain out of the water
🔴🔴Double red flag - Water Closed: No swimming or wading
🟣Purple flag - Stinging Marine Life: Flown when jellyfish, Portuguese man o'war or other stinging marine life are present

"Our lifeguards are revising our beach flag system to remain consistent with our fellow agencies along the Gulf of Mexico," said Water Safety Chief Dave Greenwood. "Now, we will fly double red flags when we close the Gulf to all swimming and wading. We want to remind our beach patrons always to be cautious when entering the Gulf of Mexico."

Over Memorial Day weekend we conducted boating safety patrols in the Orange Beach area with our state partners from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency.

U.S. Coast Guard Heartland
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile

Update regarding the buoys marking the Military Exclusion Zone (MEZ) around Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP).

The buoys that marked the MEZ have been permenantly removed; however, the military exclusion zone is still in effect in accordance with 33 CFR 334.778. The MEZ extends 500’ from the shoreline or any quay, pier, wharf, or levee on base. Vessels are restricted from transiting, anchoring, or drifting within the prescribed area.

Boats from U.S. Coast Guard Station Pensacola and MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife will be patrolling and enforcing the area during the U.S. Navy Blue Angels homecoming air show November 3-4.

If you intend to observe the show from the water you should avoid anchoring in the Intercostal Waterway and Pensacola Ship Channel. Beaching vessels on base property is unauthorized.

U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile
U.S. Coast Guard Heartland

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To clarify:

The only off limits area for vessels is the airshow box off the beach.

Minimal safe speed is not the same as no wake. All vessels shall operate at a safe speed for the prevailing circumstances and conditions.
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Good morning,

Vessels intending to anchor offshore Pensacola Beach, FL to watch the U.S. Navy Blue Angels must be 1000 yards off the beach.

We will be enforcing a line slightly further south today.

We understand everyone’s desire to be as close to the action as possible but having a cleared area for the pilots to quickly identify their markers is paramount for their safety and yours.

We appreciate your cooperation. Stay safe and enjoy the show!

NorthEscambia
U.S. Coast Guard Sector Mobile
Pensacola Beach Chamber of Commerce
Santa Rosa Island Authority
MyFWC Florida Fish and Wildlife
Pensacola Beach Lifeguards
Escambia County Sheriff's Office

Always check the weather before heading out on the water!

This Memorial Day weekend, remember the boating safety seven! Safe Boating Campaign

‼️Rip Current ‼️
Surf heights of 2 to 4 feet will support a high risk of rip currents for all beaches in coastal Alabama extending through Jefferson county. Rip currents are expected through at least Saturday evening with the high risk potentially lingering all weekend.

Given the unseasonably warm weather with near record heat, as well as warming gulf waters, combined with a prolonged period
of dangerous rip currents into the upcoming weekend, swimmers are advised to be cautious despite the nice beach weather and
heed all beach flags and advice from beach safety officials.

Great job to today’s duty crew!

This morning Station Pensacola, CGC RIDLEY, Sector Mobile Command Center, and a CASA aircraft from Aviation Training Center Mobile responded to a 35 foot recreational vessel taking on water near the Bob Sykes Bridge in Pensacola. The two people on board were both wearing life jackets, shot off flares, and began to inflate a dinghy. Due to the excellent response of the Coast Guard assets and the safety measures taken by the people on board the vessel, both were safely taken to shore.

We strongly urge all mariners to wear life jackets, carry a VHF radio, and have a plan in case you find yourself needing assistance on the water. Boat safely!

Training Tuesdays! Today the crew trained on conducting tows.

Our 45 RB-M’s and 29’ RBS II running in after “Breakfast with the Blues” on Wednesday.

Pensacola boaters, stay vigilant transiting Pensacola Pass!

If you are transiting the area south of Pensacola, FL please see the Marine Safety Information Bulletin in this post regarding the vessel that sank Saturday. Stay safe!

http:/homeport.uscg.mil/mobile

We are extra proud of our crew today, and thankful they were able to provide timely assistance and get everyone to safety.

Stay safe out there!

It’s Red, White and Blues Week 2022 here in Pensacola!

We will be on the water enforcing a safety zone for the Santa Rosa Island Authority’s Pensacola Beach Airshow featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.

We get lots of questions regarding the safety zone and where vessels can position to view the show. Here are the details. Please, share this post to spread the word!

This information will also be repeatedly passed as a Broadcast Notice to Mariners on VHF radio channel 16 & 22 from July 6-9.

Here’s how to make sure you have the best Pensacola Beach U.S. Navy Blue Angels Airshow experience this weekend:

Arrive early to ensure parking in designated parking areas. The Casino Beach parking lot will fill up quickly. We will provide updates on our page when central parking lots are full.

DO park in the main parking lots or gravel parking areas.
DO NOT park in areas with NO PARKING signs. Your vehicle will be removed.
DO NOT park on any private property.

There are free trolley services provided that run from Park East and Park West. These are spacious parking lots, with trolleys that will transport visitors to the beach. For more information on trolley operations visit https://visitpensacolabeach.com/trolley-information/

Show Schedule:
July 7th Dress Rehearsal – 2 p.m.
July 8th Full Dress Rehearsal with civilian acts – 11 a.m.
July 9th Air Show – 11 a.m.

For more information on the show visit https://visitpensacolabeach.com/whats-happening-blue-angels/

Have a great weekend and enjoy the show!

❗ Operation Dry Water's heightened enforcement weekend kicks off tomorrow ❗

The Coast Guard urges mariners to be safe during the Fourth of July weekend

Read more here:
https://lnks.gd/2/qMvd8B

Learn more about the dangers of boating under the influence here:
t.ly/sgiM

Today we recognized several shipmates for their outstanding work within the station and the Pensacola community.

Petty Officer Michael Hancock received his First Class collar devices today, which in our opinion was very well deserved! He did outstanding work around the station and worked tirelessly when our assets were down so that we could continue to assist the community around us. MK1 Hancock, we wish you well at your next duty station, and hope that you continue to inspire others with your incredible leadership skills, just as you inspired all of us.

Next, we said good-bye to EM1 Scott, who has been an exemplary part of Station Pensacola for the past year. Not only did your numerous lessons and trainings help better new coasties, but you also showed us what it’s like to be a true shipmate, teaching us that it’s it’s okay to reach out for help. It is rare to experience the type of person who believes that whether you’ve known someone for five years or five minutes, you’ll always have their back. Thank you for being such an important part of this Station!

Several others were recognized today including MK1 Gonzalez, MK1 On, BM2 Lee, and BM3 Whitehorn, for navigating 42 nautical miles offshore to the CGC Eagle where they transported two people in need of medical attention to the Naval Hospital Pensacola, where they could receive proper treatmemt.

BM1 Keiek, MK1 Hancock, and BM2 Bradbury received the Good Conduct Award for their leadership in the station as well as their involvement in the community.

MK2 Gannon, BM3 Shilt, and FN Messer were also recognized for their service to the community which included a tag team mission with local panhandle Auxiliarists to the Orange Beach Elementary School, where they taught boating safety and Coast Guard roles and missions to the students.

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Fair winds and following seas, MEC! We appreciate the outstanding support and training you provided Station Pensacola.

Bravo Zulu to MEC Michael Walden for an amazing tour at Sector Mobile!

MEC Walden helped to train over 100 members in Coast Guard Law Enforcement during his tenure at Sector, and will now be headed off to evaluate Coast Guard Law Enforcement across the entire service at his next unit.

MEC Walden will be greatly missed as a strong leader and friend to many at Sector Mobile, good luck at your next unit shipmate!

We are proud to announce that in the past month we have had three of our fellow shipmates sew on a new rank!

These men not only protect our waterways, but have performed numerous search and rescue missions, making them heroes in our community.

Congratulations to Petty Officer First Class Jesse Howe, Petty Officer First Class Jeremy On, and Petty Officer Second Class Ryland Ells!

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