gress and the president expanded 

 the Coast Guard's authority to in- 

 clude enforcement of environmen- 

 tal, fishery conservation, pollution, 

 maritime defense and safety laws. 



And last year, Congress increased 

 the Coast Guard's duties again 

 when it passed the Commercial 

 Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act 

 of 1988. The act was passed to bet- 

 ter safety equipment and proce- 

 dures aboard commercial fishing 

 boats. 



When the act's regulations are 

 finalized in 1991, they should save 

 lives, standardize safety procedures, 

 decrease insurance premiums and 

 reduce liability suits. 



But the law's passage means 

 even more rules, regulations and 

 laws for Coast Guard officers to 

 know and understand. Even now 

 when the Coast Guard stops a 

 vessel, its boarding officers check 

 for safety offenses, fishing infrac- 

 tions, contraband and environmen- 

 tal violations. 



"You name it; we do it all on the 

 water," says Master Chief Petty Of- 

 ficer Wayne Gray, a fourth-genera- 

 tion Coast Guardsman stationed at 

 Oregon Inlet. 



Gray, an Avon native, enlisted in 

 the Coast Guard 31 years ago and 

 has seen the Coast Guard swing its 

 focus from search and rescue to 

 law enforcement. 



"Today we spend 60 percent of 

 our time enforcing laws," Gray says. 



Phillips says the Coast Guard's 

 emphasis to the public on proper 

 training, equipment and safety has 

 reduced the need for search and 

 rescue. Also the advent of sophisti- 

 cated navigation systems and better 

 weather information has helped 

 more vessels avoid mishaps. 



But that doesn't mean the Coast 

 Guard doesn't answer distress calls. 

 It does. 



But if neither boaters nor their 

 vessels are in danger, guardsmen 

 refer them to towing companies or 

 nearby boaters for aid. 



"By not answering non-emer- 

 gency calls, we save tax dollars," 

 Ward says. "We don't have unlim- 

 ited boats and personnel, so it is 

 best not to tie up our search-and- 

 rescue vessels unless there is an 

 emergency. 



"But let me emphasize," Ward 

 adds, "if commercial assistance is 

 not available or there's not a good 

 Samaritan nearby, we will respond 

 to a non-emergency call. We moni- 

 tor every call for help to its com- 

 pletion no matter who comes to 

 the boat's aid." 



Fortunately, the Coast Guard gets 

 a little help with its boating safety 

 program from some friends. Nearly 

 40,000 men and women— all volun- 

 teers—serve in the Coast Guard 



Auxiliary. 



These volunteers conduct free 

 courtesy inspections of recreational 

 boats, teach boating safety courses 

 and assist in search-and-rescue 

 operations. 



But for many coastal residents, 

 especially Outer Bankers, nothing 

 but joining the Coast Guard itself 

 will do. Many folks have family 

 members who served in the Coast 

 Guard or the old Lifesaving Service 

 (see story, page 3). 



"When I was growing up on the 

 island (Hatteras), you either went 

 to work on the water or joined the 

 Coast Guard when you graduated 

 from high school," Gray says. "To- 

 day there are more options." 



But nonetheless, Gray's son is 

 considering attending the Coast 

 Guard Academy in New London, 

 Conn., to become an officer. If he 

 does, he'll be the fifth generation of 

 his family to join. 



"The Coast Guard has been 

 great," Gray says. "I've served 

 three tours in Florida and been to 

 Vietnam. Now I'm back home 

 again. Today's enlisted men are 

 much better off. They have much 

 better equipment and facilities." 



But today's guardsmen aren't all 

 men. Approximately 2,600 women 

 serve in the Coast Guard. In fact, 

 the Coast Guard was the first mili- 

 tary service to admit women to its 

 academy and the first to assign 

 women as commanding officers of 

 armed vessels. 



All in all, more than 36,000 Coast 

 Guard men and women stand 

 ready— Always ready" their motto 

 says— to ensure our safety on the 

 water, mark our channels, clean up 

 our waterways, protect our natural 

 resources and stop the invasion of 

 drugs. 



Frying Pan light station keeps a 

 lonely watch off Wrightsville Beach. 



Photo by Gene Furr 



