Welcome back to our journal. This week we are coming to you from St. Thomas, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Following nearly two weeks at sea we pulled into St. Thomas for a little rest and relaxation. However, prior to hitting the beach, 24 people from the ship volunteered for the afternoon at Nana-Baby Children’s home. The home is an orphanage/foster home for children whose parents are unable to take care of them. Coast Guard members spent the afternoon cleaning, repairing walkways, installing cabinets and doing some electrical work. We were also able to donate 3 van loads of toys that were very graciously donated by Wampatuck Elementary School in Scituate Massachusetts and approximately 600 dollars in cash that was donated by the ESCANABA crew. Our ship’s volunteers were met by a reporter and photographer from The Virgin Islands Daily News. After spending a few hours talking with the Captain, Nana-Baby workers and some crewmembers they wrote a very nice article which ran the next day. Working at the Orphanage was a great way for the crew to feel as though they were giving back and helping the community.

Thursday afternoon was dedicated to helping and serving others, but on Thursday evening the tides turned and it was our turn to be grateful. This was due to the Navy League of the United States, St. Thomas / St. John’s Chapter, which was extremely supportive of us from the moment we moored up until after we left the pier, ensuring that everyone had a great experience. Thursday evening the Navy League hosted dinner for the ships officers and chiefs providing us with great food, drinks and a host of wonderful people who truly appreciated the Coast Guard’s work. The very next day they outdid themselves by hosting a picnic at Magen’s Bay Beach for the entire crew. I am not a talented enough writer to put words to how beautiful Magen’s Bay is. If I was, I would probably be writing best selling novels, and not a weekly journal. I can tell you that it was the prettiest, most relaxing beach I have ever seen. Furthermore, the views were utterly amazing and would put any postcard to shame. From 11:00 to 4:00 on Friday afternoon the Navy League provided music, food, games and drinks for approximately 70 people. They took care of every detail, leaving the ship the ability to relax and have fun. Everyone had a great time at the beach hanging out, swimming, eating, drinking, playing beach volleyball and lounging in the sun. With the exception of a couple of pretty nasty sunburns everyone had a great time. The generosity we experienced in St. Thomas went a long way towards ensuring the crew had a great port call. The early feedback from the crew put St. Thomas at the top of the list of the best port calls the ship’s had in the past few years. This says a lot coming from a crew that has experienced everything from Halifax Nova Scotia and Newport Rhode Island, to Grand Cayman, Curacao, and Cartagena, Columbia.

I’m not sure if it was the amazing weather, great scenery, generous people, and beautiful beaches, or if it was the volunteering and hospitality provided by the Navy League, but the after effects of such a great port call have given the crew the burst of energy they needed to finish the patrol up strong. We are now headed back to sea and look forward to working hard and finishing the patrol on a successful note.

U.S. Coast Guard and School Kids Shower Nana-Baby with Gifts
By Ian Morrison
Photos by Nick Schneeman (see photo section below)

Members of a U.S. Coast Guard cutter crew based in Boston paid a visit to Nana-Baby Children’s Home on Thursday to deliver donations and to work on a number of projects, including the refurbishment of this stone walkway.

ST. THOMAS- The Nana-Baby Children’s Home received a special visit Thursday from the crew of a Boston based U.S. Coast Guard cutter bearing gifts and goodwill.

A dozen crewmembers from the U.S. Coast Guard’s ESCANABA patrol cutter stopped by the foster home to deliver three van loads of toys, clothes and toiletries on Thursday. They spent the rest of the day at the home performing much needed electrical and plumbing work, along with other maintenance.

The Nana-Baby Children’s Home opened in Old Tutu in 1989 as an emergency foster care facility.

“We try to pick one of our ports of call to help a charity,” said Mike Sabellico, the cutter’s Commanding Officer. The cutter is spending three days in the territory to refuel and pick up provisions. The cutter has been on a primarily counter-narcotics mission, and also enforcing federal fishing regulations, in the Caribbean since April.

Sabellico said the items were assembled through a donation drive at Wampatuck Elementary School in Massachusetts, where his two sons attend school. Sabellico also gave the home more than $500 raised by the ESCANABA crew.

“It gives them a sense of giving back,” Sabellico said of his crew’s work at the home.

Sabellico hooked up with Nana Baby through Jane Wharren, executive manager of the American Red Cross of the Virgin Islands. Wherren said she knew the home needed help.

“So I said, ‘This is what we need to do,’” she said.

Beulah Wilson, who runs Nana-Baby, said the donations will go a long way towards helping the home.

“I’m Elated,” Wilson said “It’s such a blessing.”

Communications Division Spotlight

This week we are going to take a little closer at the Communications division and try to shed some light on what they are responsible for behind their locked door. This piece was provided by OSC Borland and as you will notice, in his typical modest fashion he has neglected to mention himself or his importance to the shop.

OS3 Chase, OSC Borland, LTJG Kurczewski, OS2 Silva, OS2 Egbert and SNOS Guralnick

“The Operation Specialist team assigned to the Communications Division are myself, two second-class petty officers, one third-class petty officer and one rated seaman. I manage the priorities and the agenda set by the Commanding Officer and depend heavily on my senior petty officers to meet his expectations.

OS2 Aaron Silva is the supervisor of the watch. He assigns personnel to the watch schedule and reviews their work daily. He encourages and corrects the other watch standers on their work and each morning presents to me a written report confirming that his responsibilities have been met. He manages the cryptology schedule for the ship and ensures that effective crypto is used and superseded crypto is destroyed. These responsibilities are new to him and his performance has made me very proud.

OS2 Robert “Bob” Egbert is my right arm. I use Bob to assist in the world of Electronic Key Management and crypto-liaison to the HITRON Team who fly helicopter missions from the ESCANABA flight-deck. We are often up well before dawn and just as often go to bed well after mid-night. He has a sharp, innovative mind and is also organized and motivated. Bob has shown not only the desire to lead, but also the seeds of ability. He is a member of the leadership training team and is qualifying as one of three Landing Signal Officers.

OS3 Jerrod Chase and SNOS Andrew Guralnick man the watches and perform tasks more in keeping with their more junior paygrades. Most importantly, they are learning.

Our job is not that of the rescue swimmer used to promote the adventures of Coast Guard life – few jobs are. Like any job (civilian or military) there is more about our duty that demands depth of knowledge than athletic skill; and like most other jobs, virtue and character are also prized traits. Courage is not the exclusive domain of those who serve at the tip of the spear. In the end, courage is that virtue that demands one perseveres to accomplish the mission and hold oneself accountable for the outcome. Commitment, honesty and teamwork are paramount and are sometimes the hardest to master.”

Photos

A view of Magen's Bay Beach.

The shoreline of Magen's Bay Beach.

OS3 Chase flexes for the camera while enjoying the ship's party.

MK3 Marote and FN Cunningham help out at the orphanage.

CDR Sabellico talks to Ms. Beulah Wilson after presenting her with a ESCANABA plaque.

CDR Sabellico receives a certificate from Nana-Baby Children's Home.

ENS Gagnon and OS2 Silva help move furniture.

CDR Sabellico and Mr. Thomas Hoffman stand next to each at the dinner hosted by the Navy League.

ENS Paarlberg uses the alidade during St. Thomas transit.

BM2 Burke and FN Toval work on a new walkway for the orphanage.

MKC Galvin works on installing new cabinets at the orphanage.

DC3 McDowell, BM3 Leger and SN Yancy prior to pulling in

SN Phillips preps a heaving line.

One of the many magnificent views of St. Thomas.

Crewmembers put together a toy house at Nana Baby's

CDR Sabellico checks the connection on the phone before giving his final approval on a job well done.

BM3 Sohn, BM2 Milliken and BM3 Powell represent in blue, while BM3 Abrahamson stays loyal to the local team.

SN Dara starts the week off with an early morning rainbow.

The crew prepares for a freshwater wash down prior to entering port.

BM3 Loiselle poses for a quick picture just after mooring in St. Thomas

ET2 Clayton is dressed and ready to pull into port.

One of the workers at the orphanage teaches the volunteers to open a coconut.

GM2 Mullen cools of with a cup of water after taking his turn during the gunshoot.

BM3 Baker gets surprised with a profile picture.