Painter Flotilla Boating Safety Course this weekend

As the weather turned arctic last week, many residents on the Eastern Shore’s minds have turned from boating despite the nice bounce back in temperatures.

The Painter Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 12-02 is once again hosting a Boating Safety and Seamanship Course during the slow winter months, and it will begin this Saturday.

“We will be teaching a Boating Safety and Seamanship Course this weekend at the Exmore Fire House from 8-4 on Saturday and 12-4 on Sunday,” said Russell Vreeland, a Coast Guard Flotilla Member on Shore Talk Tuesday. “For boaters, this is the best class on the market. We are nationally recognized. The cards you get are accepted all around the country. I think personally it’s better than taking the online course. The online course is free, but you don’t get the instructors or the local experience.”

Following the dissolution of the Chincoteague Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Painter Flotilla is the only one left on the Eastern Shore, which has the most water to patrol of any other counties in the Commonwealth.

“I’ll be really honest with your listeners, we need your help. Right now there’s one flotilla that covers every part from Maryland half way down the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. We take care of and help three different Coast Guard Stations. The Painter Flotilla has the largest area of responsibility in the nation, but there are only 19 of us. ” he added. “There are only two of us who are able now to take patrols out, to get orders from the coast guard, to maintain a patrol, and only three boats from Chincoteague down to Cape Charles that can actually do patrols and help people if they need it. We can take people from 17 years old and up who can carry out the functions.”

Every three years, the local Coast Guard Stations get an entire new slate of personnel and the local Coast Guard Auxiliary is responsible for familiarizing the new Coast Guard members with the local water ways.

If you are interested in attending the BSS class or joining the Painter Coast Guard Auxiliary, please call 757-442-7029.

The full Shore Talk interview can be heard below: