More Right Whales Seen Off Martha's Vineyard

Two more rare right whales have been spotted off the coast of Menemsha, according to the Vineyard Gazette.

The Coast Guard warned mariners to steer clear after spotting two right whales off the coast of Menemsha Sunday, according to a report on the Vineyard Gazette. The whales, part of a highly-protected species marine experts say has dwindled to about 400 individuals, appeared to be feeding normally, according to the Gazette report. Right whales were spotted in area waters last month and in January as well: See Rare Right Whales Sighted off Martha's Vineyard and Right Whale, Calf Make Rare Winter Appearance. Click "Keep me posted" for automatic updates when we publish more news about whales. Stay Patched in! Follow Martha's Vineyard Patch on Twitter | Like Martha's Vineyard Patch on Facebook | Sign up for the daily email with links to the …

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Sequestration Budget Cuts Data for Dukes County

Dukes County has 14 federal employees; other Massachusetts counties have hundreds, according to a Washington, DC-based firm that tracks federal employment data.

The numbers here show the federal employees in Massachusetts by county in 2012, according to the latest figures from Eye on Washington, a DC-based lobbying firm that tracks federal employment. It compiles the data from the Office of Personnel Management, Federal Employment Statistics and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition to 14 federal employees, Dukes County also has 26 Coast Guard personnel stationed in Menemsha. While much has been made written on how the current sequestration battle in Washington could affect the national economy, these numbers are meant to give readers a sense of the sequestration at the local level. No one knows for certain what the sequestration cuts, some $85 billion, will mean exactly. Even if the March 1…

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Menemsha Coast Guard Station Faces Sequestration Cuts

But Dukes County's only Coast Guard station will remain open regardless of federal budget cuts, said officer in charge Jason Olsen.

The United States Coast Guard would see a direct impact if the automatic spending cuts under sequestration go into effect on Friday. But the Coast Guard station on Martha's Vineyard won't close its doors, officer in charge Jason Olsen said Thursday. "Station Menemsha will still be running," said Olsen, adding that there are 26 men living at the station. It is the only Coast Guard facility in Dukes County. Lt. Paul D. Rhynard of the Coast Guard Office of Public Affairs said he is being cautious in discussing what effect sequestration might have on the service. However, he said that local officers like Olsen will be given "a certain amount of flexibility" in implementing bidget cuts if sequestration takes place. "Nobody knows beter what …

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Man Found Dead on Boat off Woods Hole

Official says there appears not to be anything suspicious about the situation.

Coast Guard Saves Three Men near Nomans Land

The men were in the water for 15 minutes after their boat sank.

Three people were rescued after their 20-foot boat took on water and sank south of Martha's Vineyard Saturday. U.S. Coast Guard Sector Southeastern New England received a mayday call at 2:24 p.m. from the operator of the pleasure craft Cynthia Z stating the boat was awash with three people on board. The three men put on their life jackets and entered the water with a hand-held radio. During communications, the operator told the Coast Guard he was somewhere south of Martha's Vineyard near the 20-fathom curve, a reference to water depth on a nautical chart. The Coast Guard launched a 47-foot motor life boat from Station Menemsha and an MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Cape Cod. Watchstanders also issued a urgent marine information …

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Coast Guard Rescues Man off Lambert's Cove

A crewman became entangled in a line and fell overboard a lobster boat on Wednesday morning.

A U.S. Coast Guard crew transported an 18-year-old man to shore after he fell from a lobster boat off the coast of Lambert’s Cove on Wednesday morning. The man’s leg became entangled in a line and was pulled overboard, said the Coast Guard, who were notified of the incident at approximately 11:35 a.m. The man spent approximately two minutes underwater and was unresponsive when crewmembers aboard the Fairhaven-based Helen Irene vessel recovered him. The crew administered CPR and revived the man. The Coast Guard dispatched a 25-foot response boat and transported the man and his crew to the Woods Hole station. He was then taken to Falmouth Hospital. His condition is unknown. “Having someone on board who knew CPR may have saved this man’s life…

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Julie Wesolowski

9:48 am on Thursday, July 28, 2011

Oh that is so frightening! Thanks God for the Coast Guard!   more ›

President Obama: Coast Guard Mission Greater Than Ever

President addresses Class of 2011 at Coast Guard Academy commencement.

The cadets of the Coast Guard Academy will face a more complex range of challenges and responsibilities than ever when they enter the service, President Barack Obama told the Class of 2011 at the academy’s commencement on Wednesday. Obama praised the U.S. Coast Guard for its role in everything from stopping drug traffic to securing ports to search and rescue. He said the service played a key role in the response to the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, the earthquake in Haiti, and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. “While we can never predict what the future may hold, we know that the complex missions asked of our Coast Guard have never been more important,” said Obama. The duties of the Coast Guard have expanded along …

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