Trans Tahoe Swim

Each year the Olympic Club of San Francisco hosts their relay swimming race. Typically there are several hundred participants with six relay swimmers per boat. The Coast Guard Auxiliary, the U.S. Coast Guard, multiple Sheriff's Department boats and event organizer boats patrol the relay to ensure that the event is a safe one. We typically find that swimmers can get separated from their boats or that boats can attempt to cross the swim line at a high rate of speed.

This year we were fortunate to have two personal water craft on the scene from North Shore Flotilla 1. These personal water craft can reach speeds of 45 knots to warn boaters that they are entering an area where swimmers are concentrated.

North Shore Flotilla 1 Auxiliarist Chris Minidew

North Shore Flotilla 1 Auxiliarist Bill Stolz

In addition to the two personal water craft, three other Auxiliary vessels were on scene to support the race that stretches over 10 miles.

North Shore Flotilla 1 facility, Camie Marie was on scene at the event. Crewman, Tom Henderson keeps a watch on adjacent swimmers.

Coxswain John Boyne (foreground) and Crewman, Tom Temkin observe swimmers participating in the race from Reno Flotilla 3 facility, The Melroy.

In addition to these Auxiliary vessels, South Shore Flotilla 4 was on patrol for the event and Reno Flotilla 3's Peter Rast was the communications radio guard for all of the Auxiliary vessels in the event.

Upcoming Boating Season at Lake Tahoe

Epic Winter means good boating

The Lake Tahoe level has risen over four feet since December 1, 2016. It currently is at an elevation of 6227 feet, just two feet shy of its maximum of 6229. Federal Water Master Chad Blanchard estimates that there are four feet of water in the snow pack of the mountains surrounding Lake Tahoe. This snow will melt into the lake and any excess must be gradually released into the Truckee River. Boat ramps that have either been unusable, or marginal in years past will be readily available to boaters this year.

Image courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey.

This photo shows the Tahoe City Public Utility Boat Launch ramp located next to the Coast Guard Station. This photo was taken in the first week of February. Since then, the lake has risen another two feet. The Coast Guard has been using "shallow water" boats (vessel in foreground) for the last couple of seasons since the lake level was low, but they will resume using their regular 29 foot vessels this year because of the significant water level increase.

Winter Dry Suit Swim at Lake Tahoe

Five Sierra Division 11 members conducted their annual dry suit swim at the Coast Guard Station at Lake Tahoe. During the winter months, Auxiliarists who patrol are required to wear the dry suits. These suits are indeed dry in that they keep water away from the user's body. Polypropylene underwear provides further insulation from the cold. On January 16th, the water temperature at Lake Tahoe was a cold 40 degrees. The dry suit swim also serves as a "leak" test. Any suit that leaks needs to be repaired. Anyone who fell into the water without a life jacket or dry suit would likely survive less than 15 minutes.

Sierra Division 11 members gather for the annual dry suit swim. The dry suits are required when water and air temperature are less than 50 degrees.

 

Sierra Division 11 Documents

March 2018 Staff Reports
February 2018 Staff Reports
January 2018 Staff Reports

 

 

 

Uniform Information
	ODU Uniform
	Tropical Blue Uniform
	Uniform Procurement Guide (Everything you need to know about Auxiliary Uniforms)
New Member Information
	Auxiliary New Member Handbook (December 16, 2010 edition)
	New Member Enrollment Application
	Coast Guard Auxiliary Manual (August 17, 2011 Edition)