Coast Guard warns mariners to secure boats ahead of Hermine’s arrival

The U.S. Coast Guard sent an advisory this afternoon to boat operators in the Delaware, Pennsylvania and Jersey area to prepare for the arrival of Hermine, which could regain hurricane status early next week.

Tropical Storm Hermine was centered over southeast Georgia on Friday at 11:30 a.m.

Hermine is expected to move northeastward into the Carolinas on Saturday and off the Mid-atlantic Coast Saturday night. The storm is then expected to slow down or stall off the Delmarva and New Jersey coasts Sunday and Monday before gradually moving away from the area during the middle of next week.

Owners of larger boats are urged to move their boats to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or sustaining damage. Trailerable boats should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding.

Those who are leaving their boats in the water are reminded to secure life rings, emergency beacons, lifejackets and small boats. These items, if not secured properly, can break free and require valuable search and rescue resources be diverted and precluded from assisting people who may actually be in distress.

“The Coast Guard’s highest priority is ensuring the safety of life at sea,” said Chief Warrant Officer Jacob Gerasimof, command duty officer at Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay. “We are encouraging mariners to monitor the weather and avoid taking unnecessary risks as the remnants of Hurricane Hermine pass through the area.”

A Tropical Storm Watch remains in effect for portions of the Mid- Atlantic Coast including southern Delaware and coastal New Jersey from Cape May to Sandy Hook. This Watch also includes coastal waters and the lower Delaware Bay, and now also Raritan Bay. Sustained tropical storm force winds are possible over immediate coastal areas including coastal waters and toward the lower Delaware Bay. Some tropical storm force gusts are possible farther inland.