NAV EX 2nd QTR 2018 NavEx 2nd Qtr 2018 - FINAL | Page 15

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Recently I accompanied the U.S. Coast
Guard inspection team, based
at
Sector Buffalo, New York as they sailed
aboard the ship Niagara out of Erie,
Pennsylvania. The Niagara is a 198-foot
wooden replica of the Brig Niagara that
was in the War of 1812. The ship’s crew
consists of five officers, 18 professional
crewmen and a host of volunteer sailors.
The Niagara operates as a sailing
school vessel and must undergo annual
inspections to maintain her Certificate of
Inspection (COI).
The Sector Buffalo inspection team
consisted of Chief Warrant Officer David
Baisden, Lt.j.g. Amanda Garcia, and Petty
Officer 1st Class Rebecca Newell. They
had arrived a day earlier to insure all of
the ship’s safety paperwork was in full
compliance with all safety regulations.
The Niagara safety officer, Fourth Mate
Sydnee Groenendaal proved this to be so.
Prior to our sail, I had spent the night aboard
the Niagara complements of Captain
William Sabatini. This provided me with an
opportunity to interview Chief Mate David
Goldman. David is a most competent first
mate and provided me with some excellent
historical data on the Niagara. She was
built in 1988 and had her first sailing
season in 1991. The ship can carry up to
100 passengers and regularly works with
various high school and colleges with their
students as it pertains to science, history
and seamanship programs. When sailing,
the ship has on board her own medical
officer, OS Ceci Weissert, an EMT trained
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