MONSOON SEASON in the South China Sea? Believe it or not, pictured is the N. Wildwood shoreline Sunday following the weekend’s heavy rains. The heavy cresting seas bore a striking resemblance to

hurricane weather.

Coast Guard Auxiliary

Storm Wallops County

Cape May County’s steariibath weather of past weeks came to an abrupt Saturday evening this ^weekend when strong northeastern winds, full moon tides, pelting rain and violent lightening

pommeled the Cape.

A record 5.09 inches of rain in a 24-hour period ending 9 a.m. caused massive flooding, power outages and loss of some telephone and cable television services

throughout the county. Winds gusting up to 60

ih.p.h. according to police ripped off the roof of Harvey’s Port-0-C»ll marina boat storage building on 9th St. and Ocean Dr. in Avalon and sent it whirling into the Borough’s nearby municipal tennis courts. Tennis court fencing was

flattened by the roof.

Power lines along Ocean

Saviours Of The Sea

Drive were tom down, leaving most Borough residents without power most of Friday, night. ' A severe lighting and rainstorm Saturday flooded Dune and Ocean Driyes, cutting power

again.

The massive flooding was reported in Wildwood snarling traffic and

stores.

The storm was caused when a cold frontclashed with the muggy hot air this area has been experiencing for the past three weeks. When the storms subsided Monday, the temperature remained cool with brilliant sunny, clear

skies and clear air.

WATEftY PASSAGE. Many landlubbers were forced to play the waters Sunday after the weekend heavy rains left standing water deep in many areas of the county.

To boaters stranded on a suddenly vast and unfriendly sea they’re the most welcome sight a man could ever hope to see. The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, a dedicated and benevolent corps of civilian boaters skilled in lifesaving and seamanship often constitute the difference between life and death. Formed in 1939 by an Act of Congress, the Coast Guard Auxiliaries are dedicated to making recreational boating safer and more enjoyable for all who share the waterways. Divided into flotillas at the local level, divisions and districts at the regional level there are now more Coast Guard Auxiliary

members than there are enlisted Coast Guardsmen*. William Dischert of the Wildwood Flotlla said. In the South Jersey area there are six flotillas including Wildwood, Avalon, Cape May, Ocean City, Absecon ' Island and Brigantine. Auxiliary members participate in active weekend patrol of -icarby waters using their own boats which are considered government vessels while on patrol, search and rescue missions and radio-watch-momtoring boat radio communications for Save Our Ship (SOS( calls. In addition, all members can be on call 24 hours a day for special emergency

missions, Dischert said. Auxiliary members are alloted fuel and subsistence payments for operation of the boats while on Patrol

duty but all other expespes are paid by the membeft of

the flotilla themselves. The flotilla can do "anything the Coast Guard can do" but they do not have law enforcement powers, Dischert said. Safety and education in boating are the main emphasis of the flotilla. To accomplish its purpose the Auxiliary carries out three basis programs: the Courtesy Motorboat Examintion (CME), public education and operations. Specially-trained members of the Auxiliary are

-* authorized to conduct a courtesy examination of motorboats and sailboats upon consent of the boat owner or operator. This is a check of the boat’s safety equipment covering both the requirements of Federal and State law and certain additional criteria for safety which have been adopted by the Auxiliary. Boats meeting these criteria are awarded the respected Auxiliary CME decal "Seal of Safety." If a boat does not pass the Courtesy Motorboat Examination, the owner is advised of deficiencies and no report is made to any law enforcement official. This examination is in effect a form of boater education - a one to one exchange of boating safety

information.

The Auxiliary offers to the public a wide array of boating safety courses, each tailored to a specific need. Whether 1,3,7, or 13 lesson courses, they are . ' taught by experienced boatmen using slides, movies, and practical demonstrations. The most comprehensive is the multi-lesson "Boating Skills and Seamanship" course which covers basic knowledge of Aids ot Navigation, Rules of the Road, Charts and Compasses, Boating Laws, Marine Engines, Sailing, Marlinspike Seamanship, Radio-Telephone. Weather. Locks and Dams;: plus maneuvering and safe motorboat operations. The Auxiliary meets the new enthusiasm for sailing with a short one lesson "Star-

ter" course and the more detailed "Principles of Sailing,” a 7 lesson course. Among the other 1 lesson courses offered are "The Skipper's Outboard Special," (SOS); "Young People’s Boating Course” (ages 11-1$); the "Water and Kids" Presentation (ages 5-8); and "First Aid for the boatman," developed in cooperation with the American Red Cross. To assist the U.S. Coast Guard, members of the Auxiliary perform rescue and assistance missions patrol regattas and marine events, and add a large measure of safety to the nation’s waterways by their safety pprtols. These Auxiliary operations are often performed in conjunction with regular Coast Guard units. With the ever-mounting increase in recreational boaters waterways are becoming crowded, making potentially dangerous situations more likely to occur without proper boating education. "Most accidents are caused by reckless and careless operation of the boat," Dischert said. About 15 percent of all boating accidents involved boaters that are intoxicated to some degree, slowing down their reactionshe added. "The way boats are becoming so numerous it is getting as bad as it is with cars on the highway," Dischert’s wife Laura, flotilla publicist said. •'Some people just buy a boat, put a cap on their

head and go out - some don’t even take an anchor," she added. Boaters are generally more aware of potentially dangerous situations today, the Disc her ts said. The most frequent calls for help involve boats that have broken down and need a tow-in or boats i that are out of gas, Mr. Dischert said. The Auxiliary is open to any U.S. citizen, 17 years of age or older, who owns at least 25 percent interest in a motorboat, yacht, aircraft or radio station or who possesses special qualifications required by the auxiliary. The Auxiliary is one organization in which women members are not just an auxiliary to the auxiliary. Mr. Dischert said. All members must be fully qualified in all boating and operational skills. Potential members need not be boating experts to join. The Auxiliary provides training which takes about four months to learn all the basi s, Dischert said. The Dischert first became involved with the Auxiliary 22 years age. Mrs. Dischert. a member of the regular Coast Guard during World War II. has a special fondness .for the sea. "I love boats. I made a bargain with my husband that I would do all the hard work and let him run tho boat if he would buy one." she said The Auxiliary provides not only, an opportunity to (Page J7 Please)