U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers

07/26/2019

Please wear a life jacket and be mindful of weather conditions that can change very quickly on the Great Lakes.

We have had 64 drownings on the Great Lakes since January 1st. We share this tragic statistic to bring awareness to the potential dangers of the lakes. Cold water, rip currents, boating under the influence, boating without a lifejacket, not filing a float plan with someone on shore, not having signaling devices/EPIRBs/VHF radio are all contributing factors in these deaths.

On Monday morning a 57-year-old woman was rescued after spending more than 14 hours in the water after falling off her jet ski the night before. She likely survived because she was wearing a lifejacket.

Friday morning, two men were rescued from their capsized boat. They were stranded for nearly 16 hours. Luckily, they were both wearing lifejackets and had a flashlight to signal to the helicopter crew.

We need to be aware of the danger and then know what we can do to prevent or lessen it. Know the conditions of the lake. Know the water temperature. Know the weather. And when you learn, share that knowledge with others! We can all contribute in saving lives by spreading information. One person might decide to wear their life jacket this weekend all because you shared a post!

06/08/2019

Unbelievably proud of this crew for their professionalism and poise in the safe removal and relocation of these priceless and historic beacons.

Crew members from Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers, Wisc. helped replace Fresnel lenses in two lighthouses on the western shores of Lake Michigan, Thursday. Members assisted a trained and experienced Lampist, Kurt Fosburg, contracted by the Coast Guard, with the delicate removal of the lenses from the Algoma and Kewaunee Lighthouses in Wisconsin. The lenses were replaced with modern, energy-efficient LED lights and will be on loan to nearby museums for viewing and educational purposes.

05/11/2019

Day in and day out our Petty Officers, Firemen, and Seamen are the backbone of unit operations- whether the task be extraordinary or mundane- they work together to make sure that the mission gets done right.

Pictured from the left are Seaman Maxwell-Flores, Fireman Perry, MK3 Angelucci, BM2 Picotte, BM2 Thomas, and Seaman Samartin.

05/11/2019

Admiral Karl Schultz

A Huge THANK YOU to all who support and stand by us each day we head out to accomplish our tasks. We are truly grateful.

Today, and every day, is Military Spouses Day. When a U.S. Coast Guard cutter sails over the horizon or a helicopter launches into a storm. When the call comes in the middle of the night. Whenever a child goes to bed not knowing where mom or dad is deployed. When the moving truck shows up or a spouse changes jobs again.

Military Spouses Day is every day you support us through the burdens and achievements of military service. You didn’t take an oath to serve, but your dedication to your servicemember and our Nation is steadfast. You deserve the world, but all we can give is our love and admiration. Thank you for all you do.

I’d personally like to thank the military spouse nearest and dearest to my heart, Dawn Schultz, U.S. Coast Guard Ombudsman at Large, for her unwavering support over the past 36 years of service.

If you want to recognize the military spouse in your life, share this post or tag them in the comments below with a special note.

#MilitarySpousesDay

04/09/2019

Officially kicked off Operation Spring Restore today by commissioning the six Manitowoc Harbor buoys. Each Spring we set 53 seasonal buoys marking various waterways from Chicago, IL. to Escanaba, MI. We also conducted an ATON crew member checkride for MK3 Angelucci who performed flawlessly. Pictured are BM2 Picotte as Buoy Deck Supervisor and MK3 Angelucci rigging the deck.

02/11/2019

U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes

U.S. Coast Guard Great Lakes

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.

09/06/2018

Summer Island Light is by far the most remote Aid to Navigation we maintain. It’s a nearly 25 nautical mile transit from Washington Island and very weather dependent; no docks to moor up to- beaching our boats the only option to access. Thanks to BM1 Faulkner, EM1 Schumann, BM2 Thomas, BM3 Picotte, and Fireman Tork- they conducted a routine inspection and brushing to keep this Aid to Navigation watching properly.

Photos courtesy of EM1 Schumann.

09/05/2018

Responding to a report the sound signal at Manitowoc Breakwater Light was inoperable... turned out to to be a bad Oscillator and got it functional again. Got a great photo of the S. S. Badger arriving just as we finished up.

Much thanks to BM2 Thomas, SN Maxwell-Flores, EM1 Schumann, BM3 Picotte, MK3 Angelucci, and Fireman Tork.

Photos by BMC Olson.

08/20/2018

Routine maintenance and inspection of our assets keep them ready to perform the mission at all times. Our Engineering department recently removed both lower units from one of our boats to inspect and clean the water pumps. Here you have the EPO, MK1 Stevens, with MK3 Angelucci and Fireman Tork working hard to keep our small boats Fully Mission Capable.

08/10/2018

Come on down if you’re in the area and visit the Sailing Vessel Denis Sullivan in Two Rivers this Sunday at 3 PM. We’ll have our gates open right next door- come visit our unit and talk about the multitude of missions that the Coast Guard conducts right here out of Two Rivers. See you there!

08/09/2018

Eagle Bluff Lighthouse Museum

Working together towards another 150 years of preservation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Two Rivers, Door County Historical Society Board Members, and Eagle Bluff Lighthouse Museum Staff celebrate the first 150 years!

08/09/2018

Thanks to the hard work of EM1 Schumann, BM2 Thomas, BM3 Picotte, and our newest member of the team, MK3 Angelucci, we serviced three major Aids to Navigation in Milwaukee Harbor today finishing off our routine services for the southern portion of our scheduled maintenance. Next up- headed back north soon for the islands of the Door Peninsula.

08/08/2018

Today we were fortunate enough to be invited to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Eagle Bluff Lighthouse in conjunction with National Lighthouse Day. It was on this day in 1789, that Congress approved an Act for the establishment and support of lighthouses, beacons, buoys and public piers.

06/29/2018

Making the most of good weather days in Chicago; set a lighted buoy, conducted four routine inspections including Chicago Harbor Light, and painted a few structures for better day mark visibility.

06/14/2018

Coast Guard veteran dedicates 43 years to keeping mariners safe

Coast Guard veteran dedicates 43 years to keeping mariners safe

Chief Petty Officer Trainor reenlists on “PA” Lighted Buoy in the Straits of Juan de Fuca, while stationed aboard Coast Guard Cutter Fir (WLM-212) in February 1986. Photo courtesy of Bob Trainor.

04/24/2018

So far, so good. Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers has set all seasonal buoys from Manitowoc south; now we just wait on the ice to melt up north. Meanwhile the crew got in some great training, servicing shore aids, and rolling on some fresh paint.

04/11/2018

We kicked off Spring Restore by commissioning the fog signal at Kewaunee Shoal Light last week and started setting buoys this week in Chicago.

All photos by the unit's Engineering Petty Officer, MK1 Stevens

04/11/2018

U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers's cover photo

02/15/2018

Very grateful to U. S. Coast Guard Air Station Traverse City today for providing support to continue our Aids to Navigation mission even during a fairly arduous ice season. We got a perfect weather day for a ride in their HH-60 Jayhawk so that ANT Two Rivers' MK1 Stevens and EM2 Schumann could respond to a reported ATON discrepancy at Minneapolis Shoal Light near Escanaba, Michigan.

11/03/2017

Operation Fall Retrieve is well underway. Today this stellar crew battled through Chicago traffic to launch at first light, seasonally decommission three buoys along the Chicago waterfront, repair two damaged dayboards, retrailer and pull two more buoys near Great Lakes Naval Base. Nice work! On the crew from left to right: BM3 Picotte, BM1 Bichsel, SN Maxwell-Flores, MK3 Harsvick, and MK1 Stevens.

10/25/2017

A great mid fall weather day allowed the crew to replace dayboards and complete an inspection at Green Island Light, centrally located in Green Bay off of Menominee/Marinette. With no suitable place to moor our boat, the crew beaches on the island for the 80' climb.

Photos by BM3 Picotte and EM2 Schumann.

10/20/2017

Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers had another great week, knocked out some buoy ops training, serviced all the Range Lights in Green Bay and performed an inspection of Green Bay Channel Entrance Light. Bring on Fall Retrieve!

10/12/2017

It's been a busy couple of weeks at ANT Two Rivers... knocked out some boat crew training, converted a few lights from incandescent to LED, and serviced one of our more weather dependent lighthouses at St. Martin Island. Plus we got quite a few more certifications done and are ramping up for Operation Fall Retrieve where we begin pulling all of our seasonal buoys out before Winter.

Photos provided by EM2 Schumann and BM3 Picotte.

09/11/2017

Newly certified members of ANT Two Rivers, BM3 Picotte, MK3 Harsvick, and SN Maxwell Flores worked extremely hard to obtain their qualifications. Great job!

08/30/2017

Another great day. Grabbed a calm weather day to recharge Kewaunee Shoal Light, repainted the Breakwater Light, and serviced Kewaunee Pierhead Light. Even had some time to conduct some Boat Crew Training.

08/30/2017

U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers's cover photo

08/30/2017

Good day servicing Aids to Navigation in Death's Door, one of the major entry points from Lake Michigan into Green Bay.

08/10/2017

Today the crew installed an 8 tier LED in the Milwaukee Breakwater Light, replacing the rotating VRB-25 beacon with a more efficient and reliable optic and got some extra help for the mission from Chief Warrant Officer Porter and Commander Webb from Sector Lake Michigan's Prevention Department.

Photos taken by EM2 Schumann, master electrician and overall ATON ninja.

08/06/2017

Last week we upgraded Chicago Harbor Light from an incandescent VRB-25 rotating beacon to an 8-tier powerful LED. The nominal range increased to 15 nautical miles and the LED light will be a much more efficient and reliable beacon for this historic, treasured landmark.

07/25/2017

Busy week at Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers; started off repelling down a range tower in Green Bay to replace missing boards recently blown off in high winds, installed a Port Entry Light in Sturgeon Bay to assist larger vessels ensure they are within the navigation channel, and completed routine maintenance on a few other aids while training up our newest members. Life is good!

06/07/2017

Had a great day conducting towing and engineering casualty control training. Huge thanks to Station Two Rivers for lending a hand. Pictured are Seaman Maxwell-Flores setting the deck, Chief Jones as Coxswain, MK1 Stevens working the tow bitt, and EM2 Schumann in a text book delivered heaving line throw. Behind the scenes as safety supervision were BM1 Allen and Fireman Ozog.

04/25/2017

Between Monday and Tuesday ANT Two Rivers trailered boats more than 500 miles to commission six more buoys for Spring Restore 2017. It's no wonder that the crew has proclaimed the unofficial unit motto as "On The Road Again."

04/20/2017

Wednesday training day this week was search patterns and man overboard recoveries. Congrats to Seaman White who completed his Boat Crew PQS and now awaits his board and checkride. Seaman Maxwell-Flores got into the action with some heaving line throws capping off the day.

04/19/2017

Today EM2 Schumann, BM3 Picotte, Fireman Ozog, and Seaman White performed an inspection on Waukegan Harbor Light in Waukegan, IL. While there they applied a fresh coat of paint; not only to cover graffiti but also to help the lighthouse retain the community's love of this iconic entry structure. Great job crew!

Photos by BM3 Picotte.

04/18/2017

Shout out to one of the hardest working and most resilient crews in the Aids to Navigation fleet- their efforts keep shipping lanes open for commerce and assist in countless waterway user's safety.

04/13/2017

We'd like to introduce you to the newest member of the Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers crew, Seaman Maxwell-Flores. This young man hails from Bronx, NY and has hit the ground running at his first unit out of Basic Training, beginning his vital indoctrination process with basic boat crew skills and survival training. Welcome aboard shipmate- happy to have you!

04/13/2017

HUGE congratulations are in order for our Executive Petty Officer, Chief Boatswains Mate Paul Jones who received his Officer In Charge certification to command Aids to Navigation Ashore last week from the District 9 review board. His leadership and consummate professionalism are vital in ANT Two Rivers’ many moving parts and we know he will only find continued future success. Proud of you Chief Jones!!!!

04/09/2017

The Windy City of Chicago lived up to her name all week with storm force winds and twenty foot waves Wednesday night and Thursday. Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers was able to grab a quick lull in the weather Saturday and continue Spring Restore; commissioning three buoys along the Chicago waterfront as well as the Fog Signal for Chicago Harbor Light. Still a little sporty out but all in all a great day to be working ATON.

Photos taken by Fireman Ozog.

03/30/2017

Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers is poised to begin Spring Restore, placing all of our 51 seasonal buoys back on station for the 2017 boating season. Like a well oiled machine, here the crew measures out new mooring chain, replaces each swivel and shackle with new hardware and uses mousing wire to ensure all attachment points stay connected.

Pictured are BM1 Allen, EM2 Schumann, MK3 Parks, Fireman Ozog, and Seaman White.

Photos by BM3 Picotte.

03/27/2017

With Spring weather just around the corner, ANT Two Rivers took advantage of a calm weather day to correct a discrepancy and commission our first fog horn of the season at Kewaunee Shoal.

03/27/2017

U.S. Coast Guard Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers's cover photo

03/19/2017

The sun is shining and the snow is melting! As we gear up for Spring Restore (where we put all of our seasonal buoys back in the water for the boating season) morale is high and everyone is looking forward to warmer days. Here we complete an inspection and service of Rawley Point Light. Standing at 111 feet, Rawley Point is the tallest lighthouse in the Great Lakes.

Photos by BM1 Allen, BM3 Picotte, and EM2 Schumann.

02/23/2017

What's a good cure for a solid case of the Mondays? Well if you're at ANT Two Rivers its volunteering to be a part of something much larger than yourself. Thanks to Chief Simms for organizing the event, members of the crew were able to give the gift of life during a recent community blood drive. Pictured are SN White, EM2 Schumann, and MK3 Parks.

02/14/2017

Congratulations are long overdue for Seaman White who was recently advanced to E-3. This hard charging Coast Guardsman is bound for infinite success and we are certainly lucky to have him.

12/22/2016

Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers recently relit Menominee Pierhead Light 4 after the City of Menominee contracted an extensive renovation to the iconic lighthouse. Both the exterior and interior of the lighthouse were blasted and repainted, ensuring not only the continued service to the mariner but also the beautification of a treasured landmark for the cities of Menominee and Marinette.

Photos by MKC Simms, Engineering Petty Officer of Aids to Navigation Team Two Rivers.