Breaking ground, on the high seas
Chief Petty Officer Beth Slade checks the steering and motor controls on a Coast Guard 47-foot motor lifeboat at the start of a training mission in Yaquina Bay Monday. Slade was the first female in the Coast Guard to qualify as a surfman on 47- and 52-foot motor lifeboats. “I’ll ding the boat in a second or even run it aground to save a life, but I'd never compromise my crew," she said. (Photo by Larry Coonrod)
By Larry Coonrod Of the News-Times
NEWPORT--Chief Petty Officer Beth Slade planned to follow her father's footsteps and join the Air Force after high school, but in a lucky bit of happenstance for the Coast Guard, its Spokane recruiting office was located next door to the Air Force recruiter.
"I grew up driving boats out on Lake Coeur d'Alene , so I thought what a better thing to do than go drive boats for a living," she said.
Her first assignment found her onboard the 378-foot high endurance cutter "Mellon," patrolling from Alaska to Mexico. But it was the small boat units that held her interest.
"It really intrigued me to operate the boats in heavy weather and extreme conditions," Slade said.
Transferred to Cape Cod, Mass., she qualified as coxswain on a 41-foot utility boat. The coxswain drives and is in command of the boat.
For Coast Guard small boat operators, few places offer more of a challenge than the Columbia River where it meets the salt. In winter, seas can reach 30 feet with sustained winds of 40 to 60 knots. Slade paid her own moving expenses to swap duty stations with a person at Station Cape Disappointment , situated at the mouth of the Columbia , where she became the first female to ever qualify as surfman on 47- and 52-foot motor lifeboats (MLB). Surfmen operate motor lifeboats at the their extreme limits.
The Coast Guard surf units, 15 on the West Coast and five on the East Coast, were tough duty for females a decade or so ago, but Slade says things have gradually improved.
"The surfman has always been a boys club, it was tough at first," she said. "I had to break through a lot of male egos and some stereotypes, but it's a lot different now than when I first got to a small boat station."
One other woman holds a surfman qualification on the 47-foot MLBs, and Slade remains the only female 52-foot MLB surfman in the Coast Guard.
Slade admits the conditions the Coast Guard operates in can be daunting at times, but as a leader, she has to stay calm in front of the crew.
"You harness it and trust what you've learned, your experience and that you can make good judgment calls," she said. "I'll ding the boat in a second or even run it aground to save a life, but I'd never compromise my crew."
On a recent training mission aboard a 47-foot MLB, BM3 Robert Norris, 20, said the only thing that matters to the crew is the skill of the surfman.
"She (Slade) treats the crew well and is a very good leader," he said.
Newport is a top pick among the Coast Guard's 15 West Coast surf units because of the community, Slade said.
At Cape Disappointment, some of the boats in the fishing fleet were in poor shape and it wasn't uncommon to see fishermen headed out to sea in poor conditions.
"The fleet here is good. When it gets really nasty, they all come back into port," she said.
In Newport, either Slade or the commanding officer sets the bar restrictions each day. During rough conditions, a MLB is standing by to assist boats across the bar. The most common rescue performed is towing boats back to port that have become disabled. During tuna season, when the fleet is 100 miles offshore, that can mean a day-long voyage. When an emergency call comes in, crews can have a boat underway in three to five minutes.
"Whether it's a simple tow case here in the harbor, or going out on a 23-hour search and rescue case, it's all very rewarding," Slade said. "It's instant gratification for the job when you go out and help somebody."
Slade says the local Coast Guard auxiliary - civilian volunteers who check to make sure recreation boats are properly equipped - have reduced the number of search and rescue missions needed during the busy summer months.
While at Cape Disappointment, Slade met her husband and fellow surfman, Scott. She transferred to Newport three years ago after seven years at Cape Disappointment. Scott is assigned to Coast Guard Station Depoe Bay. The couple has three children, Sara 5, Emma 3 and Scotty 6 months. Sara's already driving boats, and Slade said while she wouldn't push it, she wouldn't be disappointed if any of her children followed her into the Coast Guard.
Slade plans a 30-year career in the Coast Guard and has her sights set on becoming a chief warrant officer.
"My ultimate goal is to take command of this unit," she said.
Reporter Larry Coonrod can be reached at 541-265-8571 ext. 211 or larry@newportnewstimes.com.
