when the waves turn the minutes to hours

The Coast Guard AST program was born out of the tragic loss in 1984 of the Marine Electric, a cargo ship carrying thirty-four crew members that sank in freezing waters enroute to Massachusetts.

Only the calmest, most focused AST’s are capable of saving frightened, drowning people in the maelstrom of a violent storm. Next comes “water confidence” drills ranging from practice saving downed pilots to instructors playing victims thrashing madly against their rescuers. The most elite unit in the Coast Guard, AST’s must pass a rigorous 18 weeks of relentless conditioning and psychological training to accomplish daring sea extractions under horrendous weather conditions.Ī typical day for recruits starts on land with endurance training, push-ups, rope climbing, kettle bell workouts and long runs to increase stamina followed by water-based drills including 2000-yard laps, swimming with weights and treading water exercises. Officially designated “Aviation Survival Technicians or AST’s,” these “Rescue Swimmers” undergo the most grueling training imaginable, and their graduation rate hovers around 50 percent. SITKA, ALASKA - APRIL 29, 2022 - Is there anything more terrifying than being caught in a violent storm at sea, tossed by angry waves as your vessel is slowly sinking? Fortunately for American mariners, there is always someone to turn to in such a predicament, the United States Coast Guard.

When the waves turn the minutes to hours