Closure of San Miguel Island.

thataway · Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 9:02 pm Post subject: Closure of San Miguel Island.

This should be of most interest to those of you who live and boat in S. Calif.

http://www.thelog.com/Newsletter/Article/Community-questions-San-Miguel-Island-closure

cmetzenberg · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:50 am Post subject:

This came as a shock to all of us in the area. It doesn't really make much sense why to close it now when people have been roaming the island for years since it was bombed. Unless they are patrolling i'd say they will have a hard time keeping people off

mgarr682 · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 3:27 am Post subject:

Sounds like someone found some unexploded ordnance which would be quite possible if any part of the island was ever used as a bombing range. It's not uncommon for bombs or artillery shells to get embedded in the ground and be exposed years later by erosion. It's also possible that the military buried something there decades ago, explosives, chemicals, or just junk. Thousands of tons of stuff were often just buried on land or dumped offshore to get rid of it by the military with very little record keeping, particularly after WWII. Since the Navy owns the island most likely they made use of it for something at some time in the past so there really is no telling what might be there. I'm sure someone either found some item on the island, possibly revealed by erosion, or someone found some paperwork back on the mainland that revealed something that could be a problem.

Or, it could just be a conspiracy as the Island Foundation seems to think.

Captains Cat · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 5:28 am Post subject:

Don't understand the "conspiracy" idea! What could it possibly be? The only one I could think of is the Navy worrying about someone getting hurt on UXO and suing them, the NPS or the Fed Govt. If there is UXO there, it cold be a very legitimate concern! I can't believe it would take that long for a study though, get 'er done!

Folks are always looking for someone to "BLAME". The only thing the Navy buries is reactor cores in the high desert and everyone knows about those!

Charlie

mgarr682 · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 10:06 am Post subject:

Here is a news article on the issue that seems to cover many of the issues. It talks about the Foundation's (Daily's) concerns and the Navy's issues.

http://stage.independent.com/news/2014/jul/15/san-miguel-island-closure-irks-officials/

Captains Cat · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 3:41 pm Post subject:

Thanks Mike. Capt V may be a highly decorated leader but this kind of publicity will NOT get him looked at favorably by a promotion board. I was looked at a couple of times (early) by boards for flag before I was "in the zone" to be looked at "officially". At that point, having been in for 31 years and having been told that I and another Navy Captain friend who would also be in the zone that year, I decided not to wait and retire anyway. I think 31 years is enough for anyone and I had more fun as a Captain than many of my friends who stayed and did make Flag that year and later. I would have had to stay another 2 years at a minimum and probably go somewhere I didn't want to go.

Capt V may not be in that position, he apparently has had Command at Sea (the small device under his ribbons) could even have been an Aircraft Carrier and now has Command Ashore (the large device on the opposite side of his uniform. I had the latter as a Captain, the head of a Major Program in a Systems Command. As an Engineering Duty Officer, I could not be in Command of a vessel at sea.

Be interesting in any case to see how this unfolds. I'll ask some of my retired Flag friends if they know him.

Charlie

mgarr682 · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 5:03 pm Post subject:

thataway · Posted: Sat Aug 02, 2014 7:05 pm Post subject:

Mike, I don't know what your history is with the Island, but I first went ashore then in 1947, shortly WWII--and about when it was first practical for private boats to make the long trek up there. I was ashore there in the 50's, 60's on--the last time was in the early 90's. During this time there was no bombing or artillery practice.

The person who I knew, who lived on the Island never mentioned any Navy activity there. The National Park service--at least in the old days had minimal presence there. Often the ranger would be dropped for with supplies for a month--and he had no communication with the mainland. A number of times I relayed messages for the ranger, via marine SSB or ham radio. Today I would hope that the Park Service has some better communication. Once we "caught" the ranger with his girl friend there--who was not supposed to be on the Island. We promised to keep quiet. However, I had hiked over a fair portion of the Island without any escort thru the years.

I know that things are different now, with regular "packer" service to the Island. One has to remember that San Miguel can be a difficult journey--heavy seas and high winds at times.

Charlie--I don't see that Ventura County Naval Command is a premier assignment…but what do I know about the Navy:

Welcome to Naval Base Ventura County

cmetzenberg · Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 11:50 am Post subject:

w/e as soon as i take delivery of my tomcat i'm headed out there.

mgarr682 · Posted: Sun Aug 03, 2014 12:06 pm Post subject: