Who to call in an emergency

[Divealot]

I am in Ensenada and waiting for weather to proceed further south.
My question is:
“How do I report an emergency situation. My Google search only gives a phone number to call. Nice if you have service. The other thing I do not like about a phone call is other boats cannot hear the conversation. If I can use my vhf what channel do I use and who is listening.

PS: I do not speak Spanish.

FYI - I have two cell phones and each with a different service. I also have IridiumGo and Starlink. Of course I have three VHF radios. No SSB. Maybe next year.

 

[GoneFarrell]

Useful linky
https://deo.cicese.mx/directorio_emerg.html

If in harbor there, ask at the harbor oficina.

Then try some of the numbers. They may appear as international numbers, requiring some additional mod for that. Starlink worked well all the way down for us.

 

[Shrew]

https://www.clubcruceros.net/CruisingBaja/VHF.html

16 International Hailing Channel

 

[Portage_Bay]

For true emergencies VHF 16 is recognized world wide as the distress channel as is the phrase mayday. I've never had to declare an emergency. I have had occasion to hail Mexican authorities. You've been provided some good links on who to hail. I also don't speak spanish so I keep Google Translate open. After the hail I next say in a polite voice "Lo siento. No hablo espanol." Which translates to "I am sorry. I don't speak spanish". I have found the polite request for assistance goes a long way. Generally that will get me someone with passable, sometimes excellent english. On the rare occasion I must continue in spanish it can be slow and frustrating but it works.

 

[Hippocampus]

I’ve not looked at this recently given I’m no longer doing international cruising.

However, before leaving on passage would write down the phone number of each regional headquarters of the USCG. Via Satphone if necessary would call them. For the Caribbean it was PR. My understanding is the CG would contact whatever local agency could provide rescue but also ships at sea if necessary.
Also throughout the Caribbean there’s SAR which monitors VHF. The above links offer some choices. In some places it’s volunteer staffed. Listening to the occasional traffic possibly shaky as to availability.

Don’t know details for western Mexico but suspect there’s local SAR you can get on vhf. Also suspect a call to San Diego CG via cellphone or Satphone would work.
Although the CG continuously monitored the emergency channels of SSB in the past I believe that’s no longer the case. Depending upon your SSB setup you can call via it. Our fallback was to reach our weather router and have him coordinate rescue.
Not feeling good about that put in a KVH fleet one. Think at this point Satphone is the best way to get help.

We put

 

[Shrew]

I've found that, in most cases, if the destination is worthwhile, it's popular. If It's popular and a lot of people go, needs for services will arise. When needs arise, there is almost always an enterprising individual out there to profit on rendering the needed services.

Example, every popular anchorage I've been in has some kids come around offering to take trash for $1/bag. I never even knew that service was needed. But it's there.

 

[PennBruce]

Garmin offers an inReach device that offers two-way verbose text messaging via satellite. They also have a 24/7 emergency center to respond to SOS situations. Coverage is global and the price is reasonable.

Here's a reference to Garmin's SOS support:

https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=dENvi0yoo51ib0Zh8L4El6

Here's the Garmin info for their inReach product:

https://discover.garmin.com/en-US/inreach/personal/

Some of their devices are compatible with Garmin chart plotters or they can be used as standalone or via an app on your smartphone.

This is their least expensive satellite communicator:

https://www.garmin.com/en-US/p/793265

You also need a subscription plan. Again the prices are reasonable and there is no long term commitment.

And no, I do not work for Garmin nor own stock in Garmin.

BTW, Garmin has had this product/service for several years.

Bruce

 

[Portage_Bay]

inReach is a good device. Been using an inReach for years. I have used it for very urgent comms, fortunately not yet for an emergency.

 

[Larry M]

I spent 5 years cruising in Mexico and found the vhf channel 16 was the go to for boating emergencies. There are usually other cruisers, clods (cruisers living on dirt) and expatriates who monitor the radio. Short of that, learn a little Spanish and/cruise with a buddy boat on your way south.

Typically, the local Mexicans don’t monitor 16 or if they do they don’t understand English and if they do, you won’t be able to understand their response.

It’s a great trip. Have fun.

 

[mvweebles]

Good question - Latitude 38 has an answer in their "First Timer's Guide to Mexico." HERE From Page 22:

If you have a life-threatening emergency, you can call or text
Coast Guard Search & Rescue in Alameda at (510) 437-3701.
It’s smart to post this number near your inReach, Iridium
satphone, or another two-way device.
In life-and-death cases, the US Coast Guard doesn’t hesitate
to go south of the border — and much farther — to save lives.
In a more extreme case, one of the crew on a boat was
nearly choking on his tongue far into the Pacifi c on the way
to French Polynesia, so the captain put out a distress call.
The Coast Guard sent out a C-130, from which a boat and
two Coast Guard swimmers were deployed! In the middle of
the night! The Coasties got to the stricken crew and took care
of the medical business. Coast Guard SAR rocks.
There are also 20 ENSAR — Mexico Search & Rescue
bases — on the Pacifi c Coast of Mexico, from as far north as
Ensenada to as far south as Chiapas. Contact the National Coordination Center for Maritime SAR at 800-627-4621 or email
cc2_emga@semar.gob.mx or sarmarina@semar.gob.mx.
In a serious emergency, we would first call the US Coast Guard,
and if necessary, have them initiate contact with ENSAR​

 

[Simi 60]

406 EPIRB - mandatory here if going outside protected waterways.
To be used if an actual emergency like stepping off boat.

In waters where our VHF or cellphone won't work, Starlink will and I have Skype credit to call 000 our version of 911.

AMSA (Australian Maritime Safety Authority) says on their website...

If this is an emergency, please call 000 for help.

For assistance with search and rescue services, please call us.

Aviation
24-hour helpline
Within Australia: 1800 815 257
Outside Australia: +61 2 6230 6899

Maritime
24-hour helpline
Within Australia: 1800 641 792
Outside Australia: +61 2 6230 6811

 

[Portage_Bay]

When venturing away from quick rescue I want sat comms and EPIRB. EPIRB is the best in a quickly developing emergency, nothing beats it. Trigger the EPIRB and tend to you and your crew's well being. But it's only one way comms. No confirmation help is on the way. No way to provide details. No way to begin communication when the situation is urgent before it becomes a full on emergency.

 

[Hippocampus]

In the past we carried a ships EPIRB mounted next to the ditch bag and had personal epirbs attached to each harness/pfd. We also had a KVH Satphone and a 802 SSB with a modem. Along with a Go. Now this is overkill for a coastal/near shore boat. So we have multiple VHFs including handhelds, two personal epirbs, and innumerable cellphones/pads etc. Also got rid of the Winslow ocean rated raft and bought a coastal raft.

You need to define “emergency “
Health
Sinking
Fire
Loss of propulsion

Who you want to show up and how rapidly will vary depending on the above. If offshore beyond helicopter range (currently around 200nm) for sinking or fire you are likely on your own unless there’s an asset within vhf range. You will need to stabilize the situation sufficiently to allow time for outside help to arrive. Not unlikely you will need to plan for being in a raft. So regardless of what communications you have on the boat a epirb (or several) is necessary. The ships one gives you 48h. The personal ones 24h. Most coastal/nearshore rescues are within 24h.
Coastal or near shore 24h is more than enough so we felt a 408 not needed.

For medical often when coastal or near shore domestic or international you need to be self sufficient. Again adequately so to at least be able to stabilize sufficiently to allow help to arrive or the boat move where help is available. In my experience this is a more common occurrence than fire or sinking. I’ve had one near sinking and no fires not controlled by a fire blanket over the pot. But I’ve had sick crew and injured crew. I’ve been sick myself. My experience is when international when help arrives or becomes available it’s no help at all. Would strongly suggest wilderness or other relevant training back upped by a well stock medical kit. I would further suggest some form of medivac insurance with a telemedicine support.

Loss of propulsion is a problem of varying acuity depending upon where you are. If in open ocean you may have time to sort yourself out. If on a leeshore not. Here knowing local SAR and having a way to communicate with them may be helpful. But again self sufficiently beats all.

Communications is only one aspect of safety and in practice perhaps the easiest to solve. Peter’s post tells you what need. As usual he’s spot on having been there done that and has the t shirt. It’s the rest you need to think about when off cruising.

 

[heysteve]

Starlink is certainly a great safety enabler in Mexico. Just make sure your phone has WiFi calling enabled so you can place calls without a mobile signal.

Channel 16 usually works in Mexico but I recently had a case where I was trying to relay a Pan Pan to the Loreto port captain at about 7:30 AM and nobody answered. In a true emergency, having the USCG info above seems like a good idea.

Also, why has nobody suggested using the DSC Distress VHF function? I understand it's range limitation but once activated it would continue transmitting while you're busy dealing with the emergency and possibly catch the attention of a passing boat.

SSB seems to be going the way of the DoDo in MX. I'd definitely try a Starlink WiFi call or sat phone before resorting to it. Is the USCG even monitoring it anymore?

 

[Hippocampus]

As mentioned above I believe USCG no longer monitors SSB. We had to decrease Satphone hours. It was especially helpful to get weather routing from chris parker. If I was using commanders probably wouldn’t have it. It was also an excellent way to talk to others members of the Salty Dawg rally and to cruising friends. Chatting on the various nets was fun and the email function was very helpful. It’s an excellent way to decrease hours you pay for.

As regards satellite communications not infrequently our handheld Satphone would drop calls or halfway through a download even if low baud but the KVH was flawless. If I as going voyaging again would have a handheld device for the liferaft and a second device with a fixed antenna (starlink, KVH etc.) on the boat.

 

[ksanders]

I am in Ensenada and waiting for weather to proceed further south.
My question is:
“How do I report an emergency situation. My Google search only gives a phone number to call. Nice if you have service. The other thing I do not like about a phone call is other boats cannot hear the conversation. If I can use my vhf what channel do I use and who is listening.

PS: I do not speak Spanish.

FYI - I have two cell phones and each with a different service. I also have IridiumGo and Starlink. Of course I have three VHF radios. No SSB. Maybe next year.

Another question, your city shows Whittier.

What state??? Whittier Alaska??

 

[Simi 60]

Just make sure your phone has WiFi calling enabled so you can place calls without a mobile signal.

Not all carriers, or phones have that capability.