Why This Zig-Zag Coast Guard Search Pattern is Actually Genius - Smarter Every Day 268

Zach Wiggin

Man that's a cool intro drawing timelapse

B.Y.

It worked! I could never manage to get that whistle before and it worked on the first try! Thank you! 😆 I just started laughing as soon as it happened

Workbench

I had never been able to do the loud whistle. It took more more than the first try, but I got it. I then tried one-handed and did it on the second try. Thanks Justin and Destin! It only took me 37 years. 😂

I had a similar question -- like do each of the lookouts have a high-powered searchlight? No matter how they're doing it, it's got to be so tough...

Any chance they’d let you on the USCGC Eagle? It’d be REALLY awesome to learn about the operations of a tall ship under sail.

Great video Destin. As for a question to them.... I imagine they run into a lot of scenarios where folk think they're doing the "right" thing when they're really not. What are the most surprising, but still common, mistakes of that type which they encounter?

Greg Strike

Ok, Victor Sierra patterns are awesome. Thanks Destin. Also, Mustache to mustache...

Zachary Parrish

How do their specific duties and patterns vary area to area? What' different about acting between Biloxi and Panama City vs Savannah to Charleston, or somewhere on the west coast?

Halifax

I have never in my life been able to whistle like that and I've tried so many different times to learn how. I've followed all kinds of different instructions and you just did it on the first try.

ADAM VORE

Does the "Victor Sierra" stand for anything... VS in phonetic alphabet, but maybe Vector search, Single vessel? or something like that?

Gareth Patterson

You made a comment about how to tell the PORT / LEFT from RIGHT / STARBOARD.... How do you calculate which side is GREEN / RED. We all know the car coming from the right at a 4-way stop has the right of way. That's because they would see the GREEN light on the car to their left at the 4-way stop. The car on the left would see RED on the car to their right. GREEN = go... RED = stop Change CAR to BOAT, and there's the answer. So, GREEN is right.... RED is left. Cool?

Gregg Simms

What kind of sensors are they using to look for people and objects in the water? Are they using IR or Lidar to help search in the dark?

John Kha

Would love to see a tour of the big National Security Cutter and learn more about their maritime drug interdiction mission.