My Uncle Speaks Out On Oil Spill

Here is my uncle's letter in today's Bee. (Notice how he has to copy me by getting his letter in a day after mine!)


A full and open investigation of the San Francisco Bay oil spill should have a primary goal of correcting the communication and navigation weaknesses by both shipping and the Coast Guard, which made this into such a tragic, harmful incident.
The obvious poor navigation even in the usual Bay fog by supposed experts against known and fixed obstacles is inexcusable. A qualified pilot should have easily provided a course well away from the wide bridge supports.
Good collision-avoidance systems have been available for years, especially for large vessels, and now even planes, to protect both a cargo and the environment. No ship should be allowed into busy shipping channels without such gear. A heavy fine in this case is certainly warranted.

Don Redmond,
Fresno