Surfman

Surfman is the highest qualification for small boat operations in the United States Coast Guard. Originally, surfmen were members of one of the Coast Guard's predecessors, the United States Lifesaving Service.^[1][2]

Surfman insignia used by United States Coast Guard, consisting of a pewter-toned life buoy crossed by two oars.

Surfman Howard Daniel Browning of Station Narrangansett Pier in winter uniform, c. 1909

Coast Guard Surfmen are rated to operate the 47-foot Motor Lifeboat in its most extreme operating conditions after undergoing training at the National Motor Lifeboat School.

List of Surf Stations

The Surf Station designation is reserved for locations where wave conditions exceed 8 feet (2.4 m) for 36 days or more per year.^[1]

U.S. Coast Guard Surf Stations

Name	Image	District	Sector	City	State	Notes	Ref.
Station Barnegat Light		5	Delaware Bay	Barnegat Light	New Jersey
Station Bodega Bay		11	San Francisco	Bodega Bay	California
Station Cape Disappointment		13	Columbia River	Ilwaco	Washington	Home base for the National Motor Lifeboat School.	[3]
Station Chatham		1	Southeastern New England	Chatham	Massachusetts
Station Chetco River		13	North Bend	Brookings	Oregon		[4]
Station Coos Bay		13	North Bend	Charleston	Oregon		[5]
Station Depoe Bay		13	North Bend	Newport	Oregon		[6]
Station Golden Gate		11	San Francisco	Sausalito	California
Station Grays Harbor		13	Columbia River	Westport	Washington		[7]
Station Hatteras Inlet		5	North Carolina	Ocracoke Island	North Carolina		[8]
Station Humboldt Bay		11	Humboldt Bay	Humboldt Bay	California
Station Merrimack River		1	Boston	Newburyport	Massachusetts
Station Morro Bay		11	Los Angeles / Long Beach	Morro Bay	California
Station Oregon Inlet		5	North Carolina	Nags Head	North Carolina		[9]
Station Quillayute River		13	Puget Sound	La Push	Washington		[10]
Station Siuslaw River		13	North Bend	Florence	Oregon		[11]
Station Tillamook Bay		13	Columbia River	Garibaldi	Oregon		[12]
Station Umpqua River		13	North Bend	Winchester Bay	Oregon		[13]
Station Yaquina Bay		13	North Bend	Newport	Oregon		[14]

See also

• Rasmus Midgett
• Surfman Badge