GL: New York Harbor Security Zones

[Kevin Redden]

> -----Original Message-----
> My home waters are New York Harbor, where every law enforcement agency is
> all over the place.  I get busted regularly there.  Ya'd think after a few
> years they would know me, but they don't.  Here's a set of pictures I took
right
> after 9/11 and you see the coast guard boat coming up behind us intending
> to board us:

Fred,

Cruising around commercial traffic and taking photographs of them fits to a Tee
the activities that the Coast Guard has been warning commercial mariners to be
on the lookout for. Anyone who sees that type of activity is asked to call it
in, just like the crew of the Roehrig did.

The Coast Guard calls that program the "America's Waterway Watch", and even has
a web site devoted to it at www.americaswaterwaywatch.org.  If you look at their
"Suspicious Activity" page (www.americaswaterwaywatch.org/what_is.htm), you will
see they described you exactly!  It's no wonder that the Roehrig called you in,
and the boys in blue came over to say hello!

To minimize (but certainly not eliminate) that in the future, you may want to
call your photo target on channel 13 first and explain what you would like to do
with their permission. That can help remove the suspicion that causes the call
in to the CG. A phone call to the local CG Sector watch stander to let them know
you will be on a specific waterway taking pictures can also help.

Coast Guard Sector NY presently has a major push going on to spread the word
about the America's Waterway Watch, and recruit more civilians to call in
suspicious activity.

The America's Waterway Watch has had several high profile successes where tips
from the public have led to arrests of foreign national perps who were doing
surveillance with nasty intentions.

Kevin