Humboldt Bay Coast Guard Member Gets Surfman Designation

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ruben Colon and family

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ruben Colon and family.

Press release from the US Coast Guard:

A Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay crewmember earned the prestigious surfman designation during a ceremony at the station, Friday.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Ruben Colon, a boatswain’s mate assigned to Station Humboldt Bay, became the service’s 543rd surfman, authorizing him to lead crews and operate surf boats in extreme weather and sea conditions.

The surfman designation is the highest qualification a coxswain can achieve in the Coast Guard. Qualified surfmen are authorized to operate the 47-foot Motor Lifeboat at the edge of boat’s operational limitations of 20-foot breaking surf, 30-foot seas and 50-knot winds. 

“This has been a career goal and I’m excited to have made it,” said Colon. “I could not have achieved it without all those who mentored me and the crews I rely on to operate the boat.”

Coast Guard Station Humboldt Bay is one of the service’s 21 surf stations, where surf conditions greater than eight feet occur at least 36 days each year. Heavy surf often contributes to search-and-rescue emergencies along the Northern California coastline. 

The surfman designation dates back more than 200 years to the U.S. Life-Saving Service, a predecessor of the Coast Guard. 

More information on the register of surfmen can be found here

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7 Comments
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Guest
Guest
Guest
5 years ago

Congratulations on your achievement. Lucky us here too that you chose Humboldt in which to do it. May you have have much success always.

Willie Caso-Mayhem
Guest
5 years ago

Yes we are very lucky you decided to dock your boat here,congratulations.

Grammar po po
Guest
Grammar po po
5 years ago

That’s just plain bada**, imho. Congratulations!

Muddy Black Dodge
Guest
Muddy Black Dodge
5 years ago

Good for you sir, congrats. Heads up Scrabble players… Coxswain and Boatswain are some good words.

Central HumCo
Guest
5 years ago

Yes sireee, good words.

You seem to be converted to that belief, for you have a brace of them, as the Boatswain says.
The Fall of British Tyranny -John Leacock

”The Fall of British Tyranny ”- i hear choirs of angels.

What a beautiful family – Made in Humboldt.

Seamus
Guest
Seamus
5 years ago

Well done and good luck!

TJ
Guest
TJ
5 years ago

Gotta love our local Coast Guard men and women. So many great people that do so much to help our community. They do it for the right reasons too, helping the community and saving lives.