The Harbor Column -- Mike Whitehead

Ahoy.

Our coastline is being invaded.

First, it was the naked Chinese immigrants swimming ashore at Crystal

Cove. And now the FBI has sent warnings, which it is downplaying, that Al

Qaeda operatives aboard a boat are heading for Catalina Island. When I

heard the sonic booms from the Space Shuttle, I thought to myself: “There

goes my destination for lunches, as Al Qaeda has arrived on the island.”

What a mixed message from the FBI that only serves to scare tourists

away and put residents of the island on edge. The FBI received

uncorroborated reports of a mystery boat or ship heading across the

ocean, with Al Qaeda members onboard, to Catalina Island. Maybe they

heard about my lunch spot.

Yes, it is possible for a boatload of operatives to arrive by means of

the sea, but I would think that the residents of Catalina Island would

notice the strange group of tourists arriving as did the kids who noticed

the naked Chinese immigrants running ashore at Crystal Cove. The solution

seems easier than the amount of energy the government is spending to

backpedal from the uncorroborated report.

I have been many times a few hundred miles and further off our

coastline, and let me tell you, there is not much boating traffic out in

those waters.

This leads me to a very simple solution: radar.

If indeed the FBI was so concerned about a mystery boat heading our

way, with our Navy and Coast Guard presences and the excellent imaging

from surveillance photos, they could simply identify any vessel coming in

from the high seas.

It’s a much better idea than scaring the heck out of Catalina

islanders. Reminds me of the comic movie “1941.”

Still, it seems almost silly that the airports’ security personnel are

frisking grandmothers and even senators boarding planes, yet the nation

is leaving our coastline unprotected from the high seas.

Vessel Traffic Service has an excellent system of tracking ships

within their radar range of Los Angeles/Long Beach, and it seems if a

boundary zone was established seaward of the Channel Islands that

surveillance could identify any vessels. Once a ship arrives near a

harbor, then Coast Guard personnel could inspect the ship and provide an

escort through the port.

Of course, there is the possibility that a ship could drop off a

smaller vessel prior to the port of call, though the probability seems

remote as it would be much easier to drive up from Mexico with fake IDs.

I feel our area harbors are secure as the Orange County Sheriff’s

Harbor Patrol has been on alert since September, and the harbor patrol

officers are on the lookout for any suspicious activity.

As a boater or someone living on the waterfront, as a safety

precaution, keep your eyes open and call the harbor patrol if you see

something out of order.

I still wonder if anyone would have called the authorities if the

Chinese immigrants had been dropped off at a public dock and pretended to

be tourists to our area instead of swimming ashore at Crystal Cove.

***

The Marine Committee, of which I am the chair, of the Newport Beach

Chamber of Commerce is hosting a networking and speaker forum open to

every Newport Harbor marine business and those associated with the marine

industry.

The featured speaker is Tim Collins, who is the chair of Newport

Beach’s new Harbor Commission. Collins will discuss the commission, how

the commission is involved in this harbor and explain the top topics the

commissioners will address immediately.

Additionally, I will be your master of ceremonies and, along with Mark

Silvey, will address how the Marine Committee supports the marine

industry in Newport Harbor.

The meeting will be held on Thursday, July 11, at the Bahia Corinthian

Yacht Club. The reception starts at 5 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres and a

no-host bar.

Please call the Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce at (949) 729-4400

for reservations. There is a modest door fee of only $10 per person,

which includes a chance to win a $100 West Marine gift certificate.

Sponsors for the evening are West Marine, the Log Newspaper, Mark

Silvey’s Marine Services and my new show, “Mike Whitehead’s Boathouse

Radio Show.”

Safe voyages.

* MIKE WHITEHEAD is the Pilot’s boating and harbor columnist. Send him

your harbor and marine-related thoughts and story suggestions via e-mail

to o7 [email protected] or o7 BoathouseTV.comf7 .