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Court Trial Footage of Exxon Valdez Tanker Captain Joe Hazelwood Part 1 (ASL-AV25-33-1) — Transcript

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0:14list of the VPC is to aid and assist in
0:20the navigation of vessels in Prince
0:22William Sound and port fell DS to
0:25prevent drownings and accidents yes
0:30that's that's true we give them what
0:32information that we received from
0:34participating vessels in the traffic
0:36center or in the traffic system pass
0:38that on to the vessels and certainly
0:42read our coverage process or means to
0:47ensure that there's no groundings are
0:49collisions right for the area that the
0:53radar can handle the essence let me ask
0:56you this sir prior to the last Thursday
0:58did you have any discussions with any
1:01Coast Guard personnel or Justice
1:02Department attorneys regarding your
1:04testimony here I only asked if there
1:13were discussions Your Honor the content
1:15of sustained
1:22with regard to that radar coverage sir
1:25the manual which I think you said you
1:28were familiar with there because of your
1:29job at the time right you were familiar
1:31with the yes man yes
1:33it states does it not that Valdez arm is
1:38being continually continuously monitored
1:41the entire the entire system has been
1:45continuously monitor the area I was
1:48talking about is being continuously
1:50monitored by radar according to me as
1:53best as the radar can do at the
1:55particular time yes that is correct the
1:58manual doesn't say as best the radar can
2:00do the manual says does it not it is
2:02being continuously monitored who you are
2:04being continuously monitored in Valdez
2:06are as best the radar can do it is
2:10continuously monitor I agree with your
2:14but I'm only asking what you recall the
2:17manual itself saying you're okay yes and
2:23that manual is required to be on the
2:25bridge of every vessel that's also
2:26required to be part of the ETS system
2:28right yes so if someone were on the
2:33bridge of a vessel that's required to be
2:35part of the system they picked it up it
2:37says they read it you are being
2:40continuously monitored in Valdez armed
2:42by the radar at the VTC
2:46is there and they were if they were to
2:50read that yes that's what it would say
2:53no getting to your point you're saying
2:57that the radar does not provide
2:59continuous coverage in all situations in
3:01right it's it's possible that it cannot
3:05well did it provide generally provide
3:09coverage say down to Buzzbee Islands
3:12generally yes generally
3:19what about Larry that depends on how
3:23well the gars working weather conditions
3:26and such can you give the jury any idea
3:31about what kind of percentage of time
3:33you could see at anchor let's see and
3:36you say in the vicinity of lie reef
3:37between Busby and Larry's I couldn't
3:40give you a percentage that would be
3:41speculation on my party sometimes dozens
3:44sometimes it doesn't right
3:48when it it doesn't cover that area is it
3:55not true sir that you don't notify the
3:56master of a vessel that's in the area
3:58you'll tell them get on the radio and
4:00say you are now outside our radar
4:02coverage we cannot see you is longer
4:03that's correct I do not tell me when
4:08there is coverage part of all these
4:14armed and on your radar you notice that
4:17the vessel is straying outside the
4:19designated yes late would you get on the
4:24radio and say your little off course
4:26direct you to take course back in the
4:29lanes no I would not I would not direct
4:31any vessel that could take any courses
4:34because I'm not there I can't tell why
4:37they're going out of the lanes my
4:38response would be my radar shows you out
4:42of the lanes what are your intentions or
4:44take please take corrective action
4:46you've never directed a vessel to return
4:49to the lanes when they were outside
4:50never directed them you can't really I I
4:57can't if they were outside the lanes and
4:58I would call the OD who would would
5:01would give me the answer or would call
5:02the cap from the port and then he would
5:06tell me what he would like to do and
5:08then I would come back and say by
5:09authority of the captain the port I am
5:11directing you let's back up to the whose
5:15EOD the officer of the day what was your
5:19designation
5:20we're just watched Anderson yes sir
5:22where would the OD normally be he would
5:27you normally be below not not in the
5:31traffic center at that at the time he
5:35would be in the vicinity and if any day
5:38hello does that mean one he would be
5:41outside it could be one level down he
5:44could be a level up and we're with the
5:49then you said that they'd have to go to
5:51him and then he'd have to go to somebody
5:52else he would go directly to the to the
5:54captain the captain of the poor at the
5:58captain of the station okay that's the
6:01Coast Guard captain of the port we mean
6:02port valdez right overall commander
6:05right and he could be anywhere right
6:09that's true so this would take some time
6:12is that what you're saying all these
6:13well it's not five or six people it's
6:18one other person who are the eyes and
6:19ears of the of the commanding officer
6:21and then they would contact him and
6:24usually he's always in contact or he
6:26tells you where he's gonna be if he's
6:28out of the out of out of town and the
6:31executive officer becomes the acting
6:33captain of the port so there's always
6:35something there's always somebody there
6:36tracking whether or not you actually
6:38direct him to return the lanes or not
6:41it's a fact is it not that you would at
6:43least notify him that he is not where
6:45he's supposed to be if I could see him
6:47on radar yeah I would
6:49making that assumption of course yes
6:51that's all of this is an assumption now
6:56on the 23rd of March last year during
7:02the latter part of York particular watch
7:05they have around eleven o'clock of their
7:06boats was her who else was on duty
7:10beside yourself I was the only one on
7:13duty on my a mice part of the why on the
7:17radar watch I was the only one
7:18the manual said there's supposed to be
7:20two people on duty at all times
7:22correct there's two people in the
7:24traffic center one of them is Valdez
7:27radio and the other is Valdez traffic so
7:31there were two of us there the other
7:32person's name was a lowlife what was his
7:35function he was there - Valdez radio he
7:41responded to search and rescue he gave
7:43weather broadcast at specific times and
7:46he just listened in on the his part of
7:49the radio if I understand correctly then
7:52he's not the guy that is on the radio to
7:54the vessels he's just doing some other
7:56kind of radio right I'm the guy that's
7:58on the vessel you're on radio and also
8:00on the radar that is correct
8:06no in fact let's assume that the
8:11hazardous condition arises then is there
8:17any changes that occur as far as how
8:19many people are supposed to be there or
8:20on duty if there's say a hazardous if a
8:24hazardous condition came up I would call
8:27the OD who would instantly be there on
8:31this evening at that time you know where
8:36the Oni was at that time uh I know
8:39exactly where it was nobody was he at
8:40the building I don't I don't recall he
8:43was close by could have got hold of him
8:45instantaneously I don't know if he was
8:46in the building
8:51I the soul you never contacted in on
8:55your watch prior to midnight for any
8:56reason involving potential hazardous
8:59provision no ice I think that you
9:02described from the ark Oh Juno report
9:05was not a hazardous condition it could
9:08be a hazardous condition at the time it
9:11was four hours earlier I had that's the
9:13only ice report I had was four hours
9:14earlier so I didn't know what the ice
9:16conditions were at that time the ice
9:18flows in and out with the tide by the
9:20time the Exxon Valdez got down there it
9:23was it's possible there could have been
9:24ice clean across the lanes that could
9:27have been ice not in the lane the radar
9:30doesn't know you have to rely on
9:37basically people that are coming through
9:39the area that is correct
9:41was there any other reports from say the
9:44motor vessel system I don't I don't
9:48recall him calling me up with any ice
9:50cream ports they when they come up I
9:53believe they're coming from Cordova that
9:57they didn't give me any master personnel
9:59they normally when they come up with
10:01there's ice they just kind of skirt fly
10:02wreaths I'm really not familiar with
10:08their routes he came up through that
10:09area there but I couldn't tell you of
10:11course of course is if we come up
10:12through
10:35oh when the radar is capable of seeing a
10:44vessel how accurate would you say it is
10:46to a given point I mean can you give me
10:49an idea in terms of yards or feet or
10:51something as to where it actually is um
10:55what's supposed to be accurate I'm not a
10:58technician I'd I thought them you know
11:02it's what what what that tells me I only
11:04have one one way of doing that's what
11:07the radar well I don't understand your
11:14question
11:14well I think what my question is if if
11:17it's infinite vessels in a particular
11:18position and you can see it's outside
11:21the link is it outside by a hundred
11:24yards you know from the point where a
11:26given point let's put it back
11:28you could you could tell it's fairly
11:30close where it's at yeah what do you
11:34mean by very close well with I within
11:38200 yards going back to my other
11:42question about the the motor vessel
11:47Department if you recall making a
11:49statement to a state investigator Paul
11:53Burke this would have been on April 10th
11:551989 I've made a lot of statements to a
12:01lot of people did you refresh me with
12:03that sure I don't want it I'm not trying
12:06to trick you remember the question page
12:1413
12:16and there was a Julia Grimes there to
12:19another state investigators at the same
12:20time barely a woman you remember that
12:22I've talked to hundreds of people
12:24okay well if you remember the question
12:27being asked to you did they tell you not
12:29referring to the motor vessel Bartlet
12:34they tell you anything about ice in the
12:37lanes
12:37remember that question no you remember
12:40your response I don't remember I don't
12:43recall they were coming out of Cordova
12:44they skirt right around Bligh reef so
12:47really you know unless the unless the
12:48ice is really thick over there that they
12:50do not you know the ice will be over in
12:53here but they just shoot around Bligh
12:57reef and come on up you recall making
12:59that statement that's did they do that
13:01from time to time
13:02yeah tomorrow it does that by the way
13:09who was the officer that night yeah I
13:16don't call how many are there well it
13:21depends there's usually four or five but
13:24that swap off that standing different
13:26different night duties there are four to
13:29five officers a deck and then there what
13:31for watch standers four depending on you
13:35know in incoming guy that the guy's gone
13:37and there's only four there's five to
13:38six you know dealing between four and
13:43six watch standers know when you control
13:56center according the manual heat is
13:58operated like the bridge of a ship is it
14:00round is just loose if you're on a on a
14:02ship on the Europe
14:07what what do you mean by that well
14:09according to the manual as I read it sir
14:12it says let me ask you few questions in
14:44the meantime yes sir you've indicated
14:50earlier that you cannot tell a master of
14:53a vessels what force to take is that
14:56correct that's correct the reason for
14:58that is is it not that you're not there
15:01you're you're some distance away and you
15:03have read radar sometimes and say the
15:06radar is available you also radio
15:08communication but you can't see with the
15:10captaincy that's correct so there has to
15:13be I would assume a little flexibility
15:15between your ability to do your job and
15:19the captain of a ship to do his getting
15:24back another question is that a question
15:27I don't state is that correct well
15:30there's some flexibility well what do
15:33you mean by flexibility well you can't
15:35tell him everything to you that he can
15:37do right no but the same time your
15:40function and your purpose is to aid and
15:42assist to see that he doesn't get into
15:44trouble that he doesn't drown the vessel
15:46there's no collisions right that's what
15:49we try to do yes
15:58I want to call your attention to the
15:59vessel control manual chapter 2 and it's
16:03called to point to general watch
16:05procedures the btc-e shall at all times
16:10be conducted on the ficient professional
16:12manner judge I object
16:14it's mr. Matson asking questions you're
16:16reading us into evidence is he asked in
16:18the room suppress the recollection I'll
16:19do that because it is a document in
16:22evidence I don't know would you read
16:31this paragraph sir
16:33watch conduct standards if he pleased to
16:35meet it yourself okay sure at last I
16:37just want to refresh your recollection
17:04six minutes outside the narrows every
17:06three minutes through the Narrows a data
17:07logger will will give me this
17:09information
17:10I don't manually fraud it but I have
17:15that information there and historical
17:16information so that if anything goes
17:18wrong I can go back and I can plot that
17:20vessel I can go back if anybody anything
17:27goes wrong but anybody wanted to say
17:28plot this vessel for me then I go back
17:31to the vessel data sheet I'd have the
17:33look the data logger output piece of
17:38sheet of paper and I'd go back to my IDE
17:40manually plot it on there so that you
17:42could look at it and say so what you're
17:43doing with the data loggers we're not
17:45actually putting on a chart you can
17:47follow the course of the vessel do that
17:51yes you aren't doing it doesn't matter
17:53at the time no well maybe I'm just
17:57confused but what what really is the
17:59purpose then of doing this that data
18:01longer if you just somebody asked you
18:03where was its vessel at that times a
18:07month or two later said you know what
18:08was its course you go back and resurrect
18:10it is correct right it's only purpose
18:13its historical data it's and it's it's
18:16there to uh so that you can tell where
18:20the vessels at and and have it
18:23documented and that's that data loggers
18:26still exist for the Exxon Valdez doesn't
18:29I would hope so
18:31I would hope so on I don't have no idea
18:35but I would really think that it is yeah
18:39when would it end if you know as far as
18:42Exxon Valdez was concerned this night
18:44where were the data logger in were you
18:46later well I could have ran it till then
18:51I don't believe I did I think you can
18:53turn the data logger as soon as it gets
18:54through the through the Narrows I
18:56usually give it three or four more plots
18:59and then shut the data logger down
19:01because you've got your information
19:02through the narrow so you're really only
19:05interested in the portion through the
19:07neurosis
19:08that's right but you could if you had
19:15the means and the capability you could
19:18continue to you could you could with
19:22that data logger as long as you have a
19:23contact on the scope and you have have
19:26it acquired which means that your your
19:29radar has acquired it and knows knows
19:31this contact is it will as far down as
19:35it can see until you lose a contact it
19:38will keep giving your 6-minute position
19:40reports
19:40now let's regard the radar for people
19:43who may not understand how it works
19:45could you describe it in layman's terms
19:46you know with how this what you look at
19:49and what you really have to think you do
19:56a sketch on the board I could all I
20:00would be drawing you as a circle can you
20:03describe what it looks like what you're
20:05actually looking at it's like what I'm
20:10actually looking at it's a circle and in
20:12this circle as a sweep goes around which
20:15it you have a you have a line it sweeps
20:17around just keeps going constantly
20:19around a circle takes a few seconds to
20:21make a complete sweep and in that time
20:23it will give you a graphic outline of
20:25outlying areas of a vessel of the the
20:30shoreline and it'll if you can look at
20:35the chart and then look at the radar it
20:39would draw you the same picture green
20:49yellow whatever color they have up there
20:51at the top what it is a blip if it's a
20:53long vessel then it's elongated you know
20:55if it's a short vessel then you only see
20:58your ear blip will depend at which
20:59direction you're you're looking this was
21:03going away with you from you sometimes
21:06yes sometimes no the closer it is the
21:08better you your radar works for you how
21:11far is lightly from the BBC
21:15statute miles if you know top my head I
21:18don't know uh
21:19I could roughly save 15 16 miles Robin
21:25can you determine the you the position
21:27that is the hitting of a vessel at that
21:29distance radar at 15 or 16 miles if I
21:34can pick them up on the radar I could
21:36determine their their hitting no with
21:40regard the radar again is there
21:41different skills you can use yes there
21:44are different scales what to do us if we
21:49have like a 1.5 mile scale which just
21:53makes it the entire the entire screen
21:56large you see a smaller area but it's
21:57larger you have a three-mile scale which
22:01gives you a three-mile range from the
22:03center of the screen out to the edge of
22:05the screen now you have a six mile scale
22:07which it's the same thing from the
22:09center of the screen outwards and that
22:12it just has different radars have
22:14different ranges 24 mile scale 48 mile
22:18scale if you've got a powerful radar
22:20what that does is it gives you a very
22:23small a very small picture but it's
22:25larger you see more area it was covered
22:28more area right the radar you had on
22:31this particular evening 23rd of March
22:34what scales did you have one point 5 3 6
22:3912 24 48 if you turn up to 48 and you've
22:45got a we've got a huge picture but you
22:48only you only see about this much of
22:49your entire screen because it's it's so
22:51small we rarely use that and never use
22:53it I mean if you're gonna if they techs
22:56are tuning it up they'll go up to the 48
22:58mile scale but I've never used it for
22:59for tracking purposes I've never used a
23:0224 mile scale for tracking purposes
23:04mainly used a 3 the 6 and the 12 12 is
23:07the one that is kind of limited you
23:09might say right was the radar on this
23:17particular night working is or tuned up
23:19as well as you thought it could be
23:24it was working as well as it did I'm not
23:26a radar technician I couldn't really
23:29tell you it would be just I'd just be
23:32speculating you know so I don't really
23:34know I don't see anything obviously
23:36wrong with it no no now one of the radar
23:40sites is a place called potato point is
23:42it not correct you know how far that is
23:45from blankies 10 miles 13 13 miles 13.2
23:55now lastly then sir I want to ask you
23:59two more questions about the night and I
24:00think you may have answered this already
24:01but the article Juno did give you a nice
24:03report earlier but approximately four
24:06hours earlier yes you could call the ice
24:11report what it said I don't think
24:17exactly not verbatim what he actually
24:19said there are numerous small pieces
24:20extending across the lanes over towards
24:22why wreath glory and the article Juno to
24:25your knowledge deviated or went around
24:27the ice yes by then they were they were
24:30out of it yeah they were off my scope
24:33I saw him turned make their initial turn
24:37to skirt the ice and then I lost him off
24:39the scope so I just took their word for
24:42it as to what their intentions what they
24:45were gonna do that would be the normal
24:47situation if you couldn't see him on the
24:49scope right right the master says I'm
24:51gonna deviate to go around ice you
24:53assume that's what you do that's correct
24:57and when you were watching the Exxon
25:01Valdez this evening you said it
25:05disappeared from your radar a six mile
25:08scale and above what point where'd you
25:10lose it says southern tip of Rocky Point
25:13rocky and Busbee yes sir I did
25:21I sought for it would take a sweep and
25:24the vessel would be there and it would
25:25take four or five sweeps and it wouldn't
25:26be there and I totally lost it all
25:27together so I switched back to the six
25:30mile scale at that time six mile offset
25:34to ten which means I can move move my
25:37radar from the very center of the screen
25:39I can switch it up so that I have
25:41instead of six miles on his six mile
25:44scale I have approximately ten miles to
25:45see I switched it over if I switch it
25:49back to the six mile scale from the
25:50twelve mile scale because I saw it on
25:52the six mile scale I didn't see it on a
25:5312 mile scale so it was pretty obvious
25:56that I would switch it back I still had
25:58on the six mile scale approximately an
26:01inch to go on the scope of which I saw
26:03the vessel you know I watched it till it
26:08went off the screen switchback still
26:09nothing
26:11switch back to twelve mile scale still
26:13didn't see it
26:14I had the target stretcher on which
26:16target stretcher stretches your target
26:18makes it larger by let's say a third
26:20it's just easier it's easier to see if
26:23you have a small blip turn your target
26:25stretcher on it'll sometimes it'll
26:27double this size it just makes it easier
26:29to see had the gained turned all the way
26:30up so you were stretching the capacity
26:34of your to this that's right yeah I went
26:40out there and weather conditions is a
26:42factor to be considered whether you can
26:44see that is definitely correct anything
26:49like that if you get say about a vessel
26:52down by Rocky Point and I have a weather
26:54cell or a snow snow squall move through
26:58you can actually see it on the radar you
27:00can see it moving in it'll it'll uh
27:02you'll have your your shoreline going
27:04down and then at this as this moved in
27:06it'll be a steal a big yellow mass
27:08coming across the screen usually if this
27:12mass goes into the vessel you know
27:15covers the vessel you're gonna lose a
27:17vessel completely if it's between you
27:19and the vessel and you're probably going
27:21to lose lose your contact also so
27:23whether it is about major you be call
27:26any schools really
27:28screaming that you concluded might be
27:30interfering with your ability to track
27:32the Exxon Valdez this time not my head I
27:36don't I know that see I'm gonna I'm in a
27:40dark dark room I can't see what the
27:42weather is outside
27:44I learnt recall if I did or not
27:49of course the weather could be different
27:51at your location as opposed to Terry
27:53Charlie right right true you're you get
27:57off duty normally then at midnight
27:59quarter quarter till quarter till
28:05Bruce Blandford what time did mr.
28:07Blanchard show up I believe he showed up
28:10at approximately between 11:30 11:35
28:14that evening
28:15it's a normal that he would show up a
28:18little earlier right is part of your
28:24duties and when you go off duty to
28:27explain to the person replacing you
28:29what's going on that is correct
28:31did you tell mr. Blandford that the
28:34Exxon Valdez was outbound that's correct
28:37did you tell them any chips were coming
28:39in yes I did
28:40what was that I told him that there were
28:42two ships approximately an hour out from
28:44Cape Inchon Brook Chevron California
28:47Oracle asked if I remember correctly I
28:49told him that the Exxon Valdez was
28:52outbound they were deviating around the
28:53ice they were a200 12 knots they'd call
28:55us when they got through the ice with
28:56updated ice report an updated ETA to
28:58make it island and from your experience
29:01sir of the vessel her master indicates
29:03he's going to DV through the ice or wind
29:06his way through the ice that means he's
29:07gonna have to make course changes does
29:09it not yes and did you tell mr.
29:13Blandford that you could not see me
29:15longer in the reader that's correct it
29:17approximately what time was that you
29:19know what was before 11:45 between 11:30
29:2211:45 what time did you leave
29:25I believe I walked out 11:45 11:46
29:31then with the information mr. Blandford
29:34had then he could have gone to radar and
29:37still tried to locate the
29:39the Exxon Valdez and if a snow squall or
29:42something to disappear this likely
29:44impossible let's put it that way
29:45possible you could have seen them
29:46yeah Yeah right it's the snow squall and
29:49moved through it's possible so when you
29:53left in any event it was off the screen
29:55and you didn't see it anymore as correct
29:57thank you sir I don't have any other
29:59questions
30:22I'm sure anyone's been marked for
30:24identification as plaintiffs exhibit
30:25number 75 do you recognize that yes sir
30:29I do
30:29what is that its Prince William Sound
30:31user's manual vessel traffic service was
30:35required to carry that manual all
30:38vessels participating in the traffic
30:40system and that would include tankers
30:42that's correct sir this is a fair and
30:45accurate copy of the vessel traffic
30:48service manual yes sir that's one
31:24very no objection a little gesture
31:26that's perhaps right mr. Taylor can you
31:33uh read the disclaimer that's on the
31:36first page of that manual out loud or is
31:40that my cell block says here the
31:42Mariners caution that information
31:44provided by the vessel traffic center is
31:45to a large extent based upon reports of
31:47participating vessels and can no more
31:49and can be no more accurate than the
31:52information received period the
31:54coastguard may not know all along
31:56hazardous circumstances within the
31:58vessel traffic service area period
32:00unreported hazards may confront the
32:02Mariner at any time period any
32:04conflicting circumstances or hazardous
32:06conditions should be reported to the
32:07vessel traffic center immediately period
32:21who has control over the tankers as far
32:25as their navigation when they're in the
32:28best of traffic captain of a vessel to
32:32vessel can you give them any orders to
32:36turn one way no I cannot not without
32:40contact and cap of the port and having I
32:43have to say by authority of the cap of
32:45the port I can't make any decisions of
32:47that nature on my own now
32:53mr. Matson asked you a lot of questions
32:56about warning tankers if they get off
33:00course can you do that if you can't see
33:06them on the radar I have no way of
33:09knowing they're off course I can't see
33:10them on the radar once they're off the
33:12radar then it's totally radio contact
33:16and do you keep track of the tankers
33:20after you lose them that's correct with
33:23ETA s to their specific check-in points
33:27and that's the only way we can keep
33:30track of them give the jury I mean what
33:32do you mean by that
33:33Oh estimated time of arrival if they
33:35tell me that they're gonna be at say
33:37naked Island 5 o'clock then I'm
33:42expecting a call from them and make
33:44$1.00 at 5 o'clock and at that time they
33:46would give me another estimated time of
33:49arrival at their next check-in point do
33:51you mentally plot their course in
33:53between the time they call and the time
33:55they arrive at the place just to keep in
33:57your mind where these takers are I
33:59wouldn't say a mental plot I keep in my
34:02mind you know that it's gonna take
34:04approximately an hour and a half to get
34:06down to naked Island a couple hours
34:08after that to get their next check-in
34:10point if they don't check in by that
34:11specific time then you start wondering
34:13well where they're at and at that time
34:15I'll probably give them a call ask them
34:17what's their location
34:20they tell me they're a little a little
34:22behind time a little ahead of time they
34:23forgot sorry and give me the next CTU
34:26would you tell the jury you have a chart
34:28board in the VTC center what's that used
34:32for the large one isn't we talking about
34:34it's approximately seven by eight itself
34:37it's used just to keep track of the
34:40vessels we have vessel tags magnetic
34:42vessel tags of all the vessels that
34:44participate and as a vessel leaves we we
34:48just grew up there manually just slide
34:50them down as they do their check-in
34:52points just slide them slide them down
34:54so we know where they're at so if you
34:56have five or six vessels into the system
34:57it's easy that way you can just visually
34:59look over at a glance tell where they're
35:02all at if you keep it up to date and
35:04it's very helpful piece of office gear
35:21the accuracy of the radar mr. Matson
35:24asked you some questions about the
35:25accuracy of the radar does that as to
35:29where it's located does that depend on
35:31how far it is away from your radar I
35:36would say yes the farther away i I think
35:40the greater degree of inaccuracy but
35:51that you talk to a radar technique might
35:54tell you just the opposite that's just
35:56what I've found over the years now why
36:00is it that you don't plot after the
36:05vessel leaves the Narrows well basically
36:15because we're required to do it through
36:16the Narrows by law outside the Narrows
36:19that widens up to a larger area and we
36:25figured that they yeah so they can
36:28navigate their vessel down through there
36:29without you they figure out that they we
36:32figured that that they can navigate
36:33their vessel down through that area by
36:37themself yes
36:42now how long have you worked in the BTS
36:44center as a watchman altogether
36:50approximately seven half years have you
36:56ever in the course of that time had a
36:58tanker captain tell you that he was lost
37:00and asked you first where he was no not
37:06that I can recall No
37:17can you tell the jury why you don't use
37:20the 24 and the 48 mile scale on the
37:23radar well if it makes it so small it
37:27makes your what you're looking at on
37:29your screen so small that actually your
37:34your bearing marker which you electronic
37:38bearing marker which is a line that goes
37:40from your say potato point down if you
37:43if you laid that on 24 mile scale put
37:45that over top of a vessel you totally
37:48cover it and it makes it so small that
37:50it's it doesn't it doesn't help you at
37:52all so that's why we try and keep them
37:54up on the 12 mile scale we have a better
37:56a better picture on the scope
38:24I've shown you what's been marked for
38:26identification as plaintiffs exhibit
38:28number 79 do you recognize that tape yes
38:41I do
38:41why do you reckon I initially and have
38:46you listened to that tape yes sir I have
38:49and the taping procedure at the at the
38:56VTC centers how is that done it's done
38:59on a double reel-to-reel tape it works
39:0224 hours a day it's running 24 hours
39:04it's running constantly does it record
39:07the messages that you receive and the
39:11messages that you give that is correct
39:13on the VHF channel 3 channel 13 16 and
39:18is there a clock on it yes sir yes keeps
39:21track of time a chronometer and is that
39:25done in the regular course of business
39:26is recording of these conversation yes
39:29it is have you listened to this tape and
39:33does it provide a fair and accurate
39:35representation of the conversations that
39:38you had with the exxon valdez from the
39:39time the exxon valdez left the dock
39:43until you went off duty yes sir I
39:45believe it does and yes I did and is
39:53that transcript of fair and accurate
39:55representation of the conversations yes
39:57it is and where that says dtc whose
40:00voice is that mine for a good portion of
40:04it and that's up to the point where you
40:06were on duty are you left right and do
40:11you recognize any other voices on there
40:13I recognize the pilots would that have
40:16been at the beginning of the yes
40:24we go to the best of your knowledge are
40:27the times on the transcript accurate
40:28also yes
40:37mr. Taylor just a few more questions yes
40:40not the manual exhibit number 75 which I
40:48think you have in front of you there
40:49that you've identified yes sir
40:50has a Coast Guard disclaimer and it
40:52doesn't not yes again okay basically it
40:56says does it not that the information we
40:59are providing you as only as good as we
41:01can get in other words if there's a nice
41:04report from another vessel
41:05we're just relaying that information
41:07that's correct sir right on the other
41:10hand a vessel in the EPS system doesn't
41:14rely on radar from any other vessels
41:16does it you're not getting radar reports
41:19from other vessels are you oh no the
41:23only radar coverage is by the Coast
41:26Guard BTS that's correct you also
41:30indicated now about the authority to
41:33give orders and give directions to
41:36captains of tanker vessels the Narrows
41:40is one way traffic is it not that's
41:42correct if there's a vessel coming out
41:46let's say it's in the middle of the
41:48Narrows as a vessel it's going to go in
41:51you get on their radio don't you and you
41:53say you cannot go in there now words
41:56that affect you are directed to slow
41:57down and do not enter until what was 700
42:00or something like that right I would say
42:02that they're not cleared until the other
42:04vessel clears the Narrows so there are
42:05certainly directions and controls that
42:07you can't give up SVT SS look further
42:10one-way zone right no weather just for
42:14the one-way zone other than that you
42:17don't tell them what to do but you can
42:19certainly tell them that they're not
42:21where they're supposed to be right
42:22they're not doing what they're supposed
42:24to be doing I can tell them that that's
42:25correct and you can take it I want me to
42:28say you you can take it one step higher
42:30in the authority scale that's right and
42:32that person may do something about it
42:34that's right
42:36exhibit number 79 you have there in
42:38front of you sir I just want to clear up
42:40one thing is that the tape of the
42:42outbound conversations
42:44how about that okay and even if you
42:50don't have radar contact with a vessel
42:52you still have radio contact that's
42:55correct
42:56how far does your radio contact extend
42:59well it extends out it extends outside
43:03of Cape Hitchin but extends completely
43:04through Prince William Sound
43:06when I say completely I mean in the area
43:08of the vessel traffic system and I would
43:12say maybe four to five hours outside of
43:15of Cape engine hood so certainly you
43:19have good radar radar
43:21excuse me radial contact between
43:24yourself and vessels say in The
43:26Descendants reply brief yes excellent
43:30and you could even without radar contact
43:33of us will say how are you coming
43:34through the ice
43:35what's the conditions things like this
43:37that's true I could do that the Exxon
43:44Valdez between say 11 o'clock the
43:49grounding was the only vessel that you
43:51were really you really had to monitor
43:53did you not right other than the
43:56Bartlett that came through earlier but
43:57right that's correct
43:58was it his Department is it required to
44:00be part of ETS system mm-hmm if you say
44:04monitor i mean i'm maanna i'm still
44:06monitoring the the inbound vessels out
44:08of Cape Hinchinbrook by regional by
44:11radio okay but by radar the Exxon Valdez
44:14was the only one that you could even try
44:16to monitor at my radar my reader yes and
44:20on the 12 mile scale for instance that
44:23doesn't limit you this is 12 miles is it
44:25you can actually I can offset it to
44:26approximately 15 to 18 miles out thank
44:30you just two questions are you
44:35encouraged to have conversations
44:43mr. Batson asks you about conversations
44:46that you can have with the captain about
44:47icing conditions would you do that ah I
44:51could I call him up and ask him for an
44:53ice report but I've you know at the time
44:55I was going to get a nice report in an
44:57updated ETA we don't call call up and
45:02shoot the breeze or anything like that
45:04it's supposed to be short and sweet
45:06professional right to the point concise
45:48Bruce Leonard Blandford PLA and the F
45:54Ord a Bach seven eight nine Valdez part
46:08a Department of Transportation US Coast
46:15Guard Civil Service mr. Blachford
46:20where do you live there's Aldi's twelve
46:26and a half years Sallah by Michigan
46:34since living in Valdez would you tell
46:37the jury what I came to Valdez initially
46:43with the Coast Guard on active duty I
46:45was assigned there in August of 1977
46:50I was on hand when the pipeline and
46:55terminal and the vessel traffic service
46:58Marlys simultaneously open for business
47:03I was assigned there as a vessel traffic
47:08center watch officer initially with
47:12other collateral duties after six to
47:20eight months I took over the duties as
47:22the vessel traffic Center supervisor and
47:30operations officer I stayed in the Coast
47:38Guard in Valdez until June 30th of 1980
47:49and what did you do after that for about
47:54a year I had my own charter fishing
47:56business on Valdez and approximately
48:05June of May or June of 81
48:07I went to work for the local electric
48:09co-op copper Valley electric as District
48:15Superintendent did you at some point
48:20join or start working again at the beach
48:24right I had another job in between with
48:30copper Valley telephone running a
48:32RadioShack store down there for a couple
48:34of years and in 1986 August of 1986 I
48:40went back to work for the Coast Guard as
48:43a civil service employee and what were
48:48your responsibilities the job the job
48:54opening which I had applied for and was
48:57substance subsequently received was that
48:59of the position of the civil service
49:02vessel traffic controller is the job
49:05title gs9 and would you tell the jury
49:13what your responsibilities were as a
49:15vessel traffic control much the same as
49:20those whom I had supervised as the
49:27operations officer being in charge of
49:30the hustla traffic center that being to
49:34be the actual watch stander to run the
49:41minute-to-minute business of the of the
49:45traffic center itself would you tell the
49:48jury is this located in downtown Valdez
49:51the traffic yes it is
49:59we have primarily to operate the vessel
50:06traffic service a communications network
50:12which is connected by microwave with
50:17various VHF FM radio sights placed
50:21throughout Prince William Sound
50:25we monitor chef the vessels progress
50:28through the use of this communications
50:31equipment and in areas where we have
50:34radars installed also using radar to get
50:40a visual presentation of the vessels
50:42progress particularly in Valdez narrows
50:46where does the do you first have contact
50:52with incoming tankers according to the
50:56regulations there to call us three hours
51:00prior to their making taking arrival at
51:03Cape in Sherbrooke entrance depending on
51:08the vessel speed generally around
51:12forty-five miles they average about 15
51:15knots where 45 45 50
51:42can you tell them give the jury an idea
51:45where these when they call you three
51:50hours early well generally most of the
51:56traffic will be arriving from the
52:00southeast coming up from the lower 48
52:03either California or our Puget Sound
52:08area and they'll be coming from this
52:09direction three hours from keep in check
52:15book light which would be depending on
52:18their speed somewhere around 45 or 50
52:22miles
52:22can you see 45 or 50 miles from Cajun
52:25man sir I don't believe so
52:28where is the first place that you
52:32generally pick them up on radar up in
52:37now these are now from the time that you
52:44make initial contact with them
52:47three-hour time how do you maintain
52:50contact with them until say they get to
52:54fly reef okay according to the
53:01regulations which are contained in the
53:04little pamphlet here are the users okay
53:09the next reporting point is one hour
53:12prior to entering a pension brother
53:15which they're required to get real a
53:19certain other information and then they
53:23confirm at that point that their ETA 2k
53:27pension book remains the same let's say
53:29a Ryan McKay pension trip they call
53:33again and give us an ETA to a point a
53:37beam of naked Island right there
53:42when they arrived at that point they
53:44again called with an ETA to the pilot
53:47station and if the vessel has a
53:53federally licensed pilot on board for
53:56this route that pilot station would have
53:58been at Rocky Point if they don't that
54:05would have been blithe now during this
54:12time that they're coming in can you see
54:14them on the radar we can't see we can't
54:20see them on the radar any portion of
54:22this route up until they arrive
54:25approximately at Bligh reef and what
54:32type of factors affect whether or not
54:34we're the first point is that you can
54:37pick them up mainly weather and sea
54:41conditions weather more than sea
54:44conditions
54:45how about whether or not the takers
54:48later on the unladen tankers coming in
54:54and ballast are writing much higher out
54:56of the water
54:58probably presenting to the three excuse
55:02me two to three times the target area as
55:08they would be if their unladen I'm
55:12excuse me as they would if they were
55:14laden and loaded down into the water
55:33yes would you tell the jury when you got
55:40his best I require I arrived in the
55:44Travie center at about twenty three
55:47forty who was there when you arrived
55:56mr. Taylor was the off-going
55:59art standard whom I was to relieve the
56:09inform me of the pending traffic
56:16informed me that of course we I looked
56:20at the status board which is just a big
56:26flow up
56:33you

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