Virginia Saltwater Fishing

Crews at the Coast Guard Long Range Aids to Navigation stations, including the six Alaska-based stations, turned off their domestic signal across the nation at 11 a.m. Monday, February 8, 2010.

The shutdown of the signal concludes the broadcast of the U.S. domestic signal. Stations Attu and Shoal Cove, which are bound by bi-lateral agreements with Russia and Canada, will continue to broadcast their international signals until later this year. All the stations will continue to be maintained and manned as the closure of the facilities proceeds over the coming months. Decommissioning dates have yet to be set and plans for the dismantlement of the stations are in development.

Loran-C was originally developed to provide radio-navigation service for U.S. coastal waters and was later expanded to include complete coverage of the continental U.S. as well as most of Alaska. Twenty-four U.S. Loran-C stations work in partnership with Canadian and Russian

stations to provide coverage in Canadian waters and the Bering Sea. The system provided better than 0.25 nautical mile absolute accuracy for within the published areas and provided navigation, location, and timing services for both civil and military air, land and marine users. It was approved as an en route supplemental air navigation system for both Instrument Flight Rule and Visual Flight Rule operations.

The Loran-C system served the 48 continental states, their coastal areas, parts of Alaska and neighboring countries for 67 years, 8 months and 24 days.

source: USCG press release

Titan Salvage crews successfully pulled the barge La Princesa off Sandbridge beach at 7:48 a.m. Wednesday, November 18, 2009.

The crews used two tugs pulling together on the bow and stern of the barge at high tide to free it. The barge, which broke free from the tug Sentry Thursday night, grounded on the beach near Little Island Pier Friday morning.

Coast Guard, Crowley and Titan Salvage personnel worked together to remove the barge from the beach while ensuring the safety of the public and environment. Coast Guard inspectors and a member of the American Bureau of Shipping will survey the vessel to ensure that it is seaworthy. Once the survey team is satisfied, the tug Sentry will tow the barge to its next port of call in Pennsauken, N.J.

source: USCG press release

The Coast Guard Exchange System has opened a new retail exchange in the Greenbrier retail corridor in Chesapeake Virginia.

The 43,000-square-foot store is located at 1589 Crossways Blvd. in the location previously occupied by Circuit City.

The exchange offers a wide variety of items in all price ranges at savings of 20-45% off mall prices. Popular categories offering savings to customers will include cosmetics, electronics, apparel, appliances, and sporting goods. Brands such as Sony, Bose, Sharp, Michael Kors, Tag Heuer, Oakley, Under Armour, Quicksilver, Polo, Nautica, and Kenmore will be available to customers.

The retail stores and many services offered by Coast Guard Exchange System are an added benefit for authorized military customers of all branches as well as Department of Homeland Security employees.