Honoring a life-saving heritage one stroke at a time
The U.S. Life-Saving Service, the precursor of the U.S. Coast Guard, had two main means of rescuing people aboard distressed ships stranded near shore: by small boat and by a strong line stretched from the beach to the wrecked vessel. Each vessel was a 700 to 1,000 pound, self-bailing, self-righting surfboat pulled by six surfmen with 12 to 18- foot oars, or a two to four ton lifeboat. These sturdy...
Coast Guard rowing teams lead in Whaleboat Challenge
Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Sarah B. Foster
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Bay Area whaleboat rowing teams converged on Coast Guard Island to compete against each other in the Coast Guard Challenge April 30, 2011.
Twenty-one teams rowed approximately two miles circling Coast Guard Island in Alameda. The Coast Guard men’s team won first place, the women’s and co-ed teams took third. The Coast...
