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Hawaii Ocean Safety Team

Advisory Board Meeting

Hawaii Yacht Club

May 12, 2011(3:00 pm)

Attendees

Robin Bond                                                  Kim Beasley

Brad Rimell                                                   Chris Woolaway

Naomi Wasano                                            Capt. Terry Rice

Bill Davis                                                       Capt. Tom Collins           

Bob Heidrich                                               Anne Stevens

CDR Jason Neubauer                              Michael Cantin

Randy Swindell                                          Roland Zwicky

Joyce Miller                                                 Jeffrey Raiford

Tim McKeague

1.    Call to order Robin Bond

2.    Approval of Minutes None at this time

3.    Treasurers Report  Chris Woolaway

      No income or expenditures.   The current funds on hand are $2,147.03.

4.    Topics for the June 23, 2011 General Membership Meeting

A.   Hurricane Season Preparedness Annual Presentation.

This may be an opportunity to revisit the Heavy Weather Plan.   It needs some review because we have had lessons learned.  

At the minimum we may need to review the plans in existence, what is being done to review them, where they are located, etc.

Brad suggested we bring up the point that depending upon the damage done by a hurricane, vessel operators may need to be prepared to stay offshore for extended periods of time.

We need to form a subcommittee to discuss this item as well as access to the Harbors by both boat owners and emergency response personnel.

B.   Chris Woolaway will arrange for a discussion on Tsunami Debris from Japan’s tsunami.

5.    Pending HOST Safety Issues

  1. Flare disposal project  –  Chris

Chris reported that progress is being made. We have demonstrated that H-Power can dispose of flares. The question remaining is how we gather them from around the State in a safe manner.

6.    Old Business

Falls of Clyde

The focus is to get her into dry-dock. We have found out that funds from “Save Americas Treasures” have dried up.  We have added some new mooring lines. We have been at work hardening up the water tight integrity by putting plywood on the deck and plastics drop cloths over the open windows. The committee is active.

2011 Joint Harbor Safety and Area Maritime Security Committee Conference

This will be held in June 2011.   At this point Robin is recommending that we don’t send anybody.   It is to be held in Houston.   It really doesn’t have a great deal of value for Hawaii.

NOAA Hydrographic Services Review Panel

These are the people from NOAA that do the hydrographic surveys and developing current data in traffic lanes and around harbors.   There was a vocal interest in tidal tracking infrastructure in the south pacific areas.  One committee reviewed the capability of NOAA to support the reopening of harbors after a heavy weather incident.  They have a websites that have hydrographic data including www.soest.hawaii.edu/pibhmc  or www.soest.hawaii.edu/hmrg.

They have a 25 ft. safe boat set up to conduct hydrographic data collection. They only use it about 30 days per year so it isn’t immediately available during an emergency.   NOAA Coast Survey is the emergency response arm of NOAA.

Robin asked whether we should try to plan up front to be able to have this asset ready to go.   Identify partners that would be ready to go when the emergency is upon.    It is a matter of planning now to be ready to respond.  It may be that the lighter “side sonar” would be better for the neighbor islands.   Where to we go from here.    The USCG has a subcommittee for reopening the harbors.   They need to be aware of this capability.

Harbor Range Light Upgrade to a PEL Sector Light.

Robin attended a demo of this new technology at Kewalo Basin.   Ed Enos is preparing a letter to be sent to the Coast Guard that suggests that the PEL light may not be a good option for Honolulu Harbor.   Ships coming into Honolulu Harbor tend to line up in a row with an offset that allows captains to see the existing light “around” vessels in front of them. It may be that the light wasn’t working properly.

7.    New Business

Stand up paddlers are starting to be a problem for DLNR harbors like Haleiwa and Waianae.   Unfortunately no one is here from DLNR so we will talk about this at a later meeting.

8.    Critique of the April 28 HOST Membership Meeting

The meeting seemed to point out the need for coordination of the various authorities to coordinate their response efforts.    There is a new State EOC located at Pier 2 that offers a view of the harbor and a common meeting location.   CDR Neubauer commented that the State has offered this location up where a Unified Command representing harbors reconstitution can meet.    They are having meetings and Robin has been invited.   The hope is that the State of Hawaii and USCG will be working in closer coordination.

9.    USCG Concerns

CDR Neubauer will try to present the Heavy Weather Plan at the next general meeting.   It is a commercial vessel plan primarily.

10. State of Hawaii Concerns

None at this time.

11. Coast Guard Auxiliary Issues

None at this time.

12. NOAA Issues

None at this time.

13. Power Squadron Issues

None at this time.

14. Next Meetings:

            Advisory Board Meeting: June 16, 2011

            Membership Meeting: June 23, 2011