This past weekend I attended the American Heroe's Day at Chicamacomico LSS in Rodanthe, NC. (Outer Banks)

One of the big events that took place was the Breeches Buoy Rescue or Beach Apparatus Drill. This was a reenactment done by Station Hatteras and Station Oregon Inlet of the United States Coast Guard.

How fitting to see the USCG to be doing these drills! Here they are rolling out the very heavy cart...


First, they inspect the lines and equipment


The "Keeper" has each "Surfman" sound off with his respective assignment...


The "Keeper" explains the breeches buoy to the audience


Moving the cart to the beach. Imagine doing this for a real rescue in the middle of a hurricane, and they haven't even reached the sand yet!




More pics coming

Judy

Rescue continued from post #!...

Here they are preparing the breeches buoy set-up. You can see the Lyle gun inside the cart. The wooden structure on the beach in front of them will serve as the "shipwreck".



Carrying the Lyle gun to position. The Lyle gun is loaded with gun powder and will shoot the line out to the "shipwreck".


Securing the front end of the line. Because there is nothing on the beach to hold the line, it's secured by burying it with weights deep into the sand.


The "Keeper" signals the "surfmen" stationed at the "shipwreck" that the Lyle gun is positioned and ready to fire.


At this point, we are all instructed to cover our ears- so no photo of the line actually being shot!

The line suceessfully reached the shipwreck and the "surfmen" there secure it into position.


More in next post...

Judy

Rescue continued fm post #2

The "Surfmen" at the "wreck" signal that the line is in place and ready.


Here you see the support pole and the breeches buoy being positioned, ready to send to the rescuers at the "wreck".


The breeches buoy is sent to the "shipwreck".


A survivor is being placed in the breeches buoy...


The victim is carried safely to "shore"!


The last photo, taken as the CG was packing up, after a very successful demonstration.


Hope you enjoy!

Judy

Great photos Judy!! It must have been really awesome to be there and experience it all first hand. Very neat to see everything being prepared and an actual survivor in the breeches buoy being transported safely to shore.
I can fully appreciate what dedicated surfmen must have endured doing their jobs from your presentation. They were true heros!
Thanks for sharing-excellent job!

Great pictures Judy. Thanks. Looks like you had a great day and some great weather.

Excellent Judy!

Thanks for thinking of those of us who couldn't be there, Judy. These are very descriptive pictures of the rescue - when I think of the job they had to do when there was a real shipwreck in the middle of a hurricane or other storm, it boggles the mind! Thank goodness for all the heroes who were there when they were so badly needed.

Judy,

These pics are AWESOME!!! Thanks for posting these...
I would love to attend the next one if at all possible.

Thanks Bob. Being there and actually seeing the reenactment in person was awesome, and I certainly hope you get the opportunity to see it too.

During the summer of '06, the Beach Apparatus Drill was a regular Thursday thing. I don't know if it's still going on, but the LSS closes for the season Nov. 24th. You can contact them at 252-987-1552 or chicamacomico@earthlink.net to find out when it's available.

Judy

For those interested in this rescue demonstration, I have seen it re-enacted at Mystic Seaport, CT during the summer months. The only omission is the actual metal projectile from the Lyle gun. It goes puff and then one of those young college students runs over with the rope. The tourists love it.

Bob Taylor

Great pictures Judy. Isn't it fantastic that the USCG keeps these old skills up!

I had to think about my father in law and some of the other lighthouse keepers in Stan's family.
They used the same kind of mechanism to change crews on lighthouses, when their turn for shore leave came. This kind of "seat" was used when the sea conditions did not allow for landing at the rock lighthouses.
Can you immagine "floating" from the top of a light tower to the boat, which is swaying in the swell? I don't think I could have done that.

We do the complete drill - including firing the 20 pound shot from the beach over the wreck pole. We will be doing the drill during the summer months every Thursday at 1400 (2 p.m. for the land lubbers). If you can make it out to the Chicamacomico Life Saving Station Historical Site in Rodanthe, NC, please say hello to the crew.
This is the ONLY Beach Apparatus drill in the entire nation (as far as we know of) being done by actual active duty Coasties. This is no longer the standard practice for rescues anymore, as the motor lifeboats and helicopters have taken their place. The crews from MLB Stations Hatteras and Oregon Inlet volunteer thier time, sweat, and a little blood to preserve our heritage as lifesavers and to keep the history alive. I will post some pictures of the drill - as soon as I get online at home (can't upload from the govt's puter). Please, come on out to paradise next year!! I will keep everyone posted on the drills as time gets closer.

Cool pictures Judy! I've never been able to get down to Chicamacomico during one of the actual drills, so it's cool to see how it happens. I should really get down there at some point...

I wish I would have been able to make it out to one of the drills. It would have been nice to have photos of it to go along with my description of the equipment and how is is used.

http://www.beachbum.homestead.com/Life-SavingStations/Equipment/BreechesBuoyRescue.html