NAUTICAL LOG

In April 2016 we decided to republish NAUTICAL LOGand Post on and for special occasions due to issues not or not well covered, in our opinion, in other maritime blogs.  Since the end of 2015 we no longer comment to other blogs. 

Also we will again respond as appropriate to your comments.  Thank you and

Good Watch.

The following M-Notices have been published and are available at www.gov.uk/governmentpublications.Call 023 8032 9391 if you have any difficulties.

MIN 487 (M+F) Navigation: Safety of Navigation - Counterfeit Nautical Charts and Publications.

MIN 488 (M) Navigation: Safety of Navigation _ Amendments to SOLAS Chapter V and updates to various performance standards.

MIN 489 (M) Navigation: Vessel Traffic Services V103 and Local Port Services Course Dates 2014-2015.

MGN 477 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Seafarers Employment Agreements.

MGN 481 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Merchant Shipping (Maritime Labour Convention)( Crew Accommodation)

MGN 517 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Substantially equivalent accommodation standards for Large Commercial Yachts of 3000GT to less than 5000GT.

This will be the final publication of M-Notices from NAUTICAL LOG as we cease publication.

A final "Good Watch".

In the Florida Keys the search continues for a missing boater whose empty sailboat was found drifting near Dixie Shoal.  The person is the holder of a USCG 50 ton license, a pilots license, is an enthusiastic free diver and is a dive master.  It is reported that he was free diving on his own - amazing a person of his apparent experience would do this - so it is possible that this resulted in his going missing.

If unfortunately he is found deceased his will be the 8 death in this area this year.

Good Watch.

So far nothing - there has been no action taken by either the USCG, FWC, or the County Commission of Miami-Dade County, Florida regarding the boating accidents this year. 

Here is a summary:

August 03, 2014 - jet ski crash, result 1 death.

July 04, 2014 - three boat crash, result 4 deaths and injured persons.

May 05, 2014 - assisting grounded boat with its engines running running, result 1 death.

May 26, 2014 - boat crashed into anchored boat, result 1 death.

Total:  7 deaths.

According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) in 2013 there were 104 boating accidents resulting in 4 deaths and 50 injuries. 

According to the FWC spokesman Jorge Pino boating accidents occur due to personal responsibility, whether it involves alcohol or drug consumption, speed or just carelessness.  This is indeed very true and yet so far nothing has been done by any Authority involved in safe boating.

Good Watch.

After several years of publication, including a previous hiatus, NAUTICAL LOG has decided that the Blog has run its course.  For now we shall continue to re-blog some maritime items such as the M-Notices from the UK MCA now published under "government publications" prior to ceasing publication.  We shall also not be commenting on the Posts of other maritime blogs but may comment if there are other boating accidents in Miami-Dade County, Florida. 

This decision was reached due to an apparent lack of interest now in NAUTICAL LOG indicated by the lack of response to our concerns with safe boating particularly in the South Florida region. No responses to our e-mails from those captains supposedly interested in making a difference by changes in local boat operation regulations.  Recently no comments have been received on the Posts subject matter making our efforts rather pointless.

Good Watch.

The following M Notices are now available at www.gov.uk/government/publications (note this newe-mail address).  If you have problems call 023 8032 9391

MIN  479 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Food and Catering; Recognised Courses for Ship's Cooks foe Food Hygiene or Food Safety in Catering.

MGN 478 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Wages.

MGN 479 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Repatriation.

MGN 480 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Shipowners Liabilities including Seafarer Compensation.

MGN 485 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Seafarer Employment Agreements - Application to Trainees.

MSN 1838 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Minimum Age.

MSN 1839 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006 Medical Certification

MSN 1841 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Medical Care Ship's Doctors.

MSN 1844 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Crew Accommodation.

MSN 1845 (M) Maritime Labour Convention, 2006: Food and Catering: Provision of Food and Fresh Water.

MSN 1846 (M)…

Over the years NAUTICAL LOG has published many Posts about boating safety and the importance of the Nautical Rules of the Road with just an occasional comment.  Recently there was a series of ten (10) Posts on the Steering and Sailing Rules section which inspired not a single comment - disappointing and somewhat disheartening to say the least.  Naturally NAUTICAL LOG wondered if this was a waste of time as there was no apparent interest in boating safety either from most boaters, at least those in this area, or from the "Concerned Authorities" of our incompetent U.S. Administration which has left our Nation virtually leaderless and rapidly declining on all fronts at the Federal, State and Local levels.  So once again NAUTICAL LOG is ready to cease publication.

Recently in Biscayne Bay, FL we have had two catastrophic boating accidents resulting in deaths and these seem to have finally triggered a reaction from those who really count in all of this - the professional boating C…