Fred's Place - The Place To Meet Old Coast Guard Shipmates

Welcome Aboard The CGC Escanaba
Weeks 1 & 2

On Counter-Narcotics Patrol

Greetings from USCGC ESCANABA! We join the crew of the Cutter Escanaba underway on their Counter-Narcotics Patrol. Already 'at sea' for two weeks.

ENS Tim Schleck will be keeping us up-to-date during this voyage with weekly updates. So check back each week to see what it is like to be aboard a Coast Guard Cutter underway on a Counter-Narcotics Patrol.

The Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba, homeported in Boston, MA.

Catchin' Up

This is Ensign Timothy Schleck from the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba. It was a sunny Saturday in July when the ship pulled away from the Coast Guard pier in Boston. As we left the channel for the open seas a school of Atlantic Fin Whales waved goodbye as we made our way to warmer waters. One whale surfaced forward of the ship and we needed to slow down to remain safely clear of it.

The first week of this patrol has offered a great chance to get our sea legs back and brush up on our seamanship skills. For most of the crew it has been a refresher but for many new crewmembers it has been an eye opening experience. The weather has been nearly perfect with the exception of a couple patches of fog and the ship has been able to use it to accomplish several objectives.

The transit down to Port Everglades was an important time for training. Throughout the week we conducted drills, held training sessions, and conducted small boat and helicopter operations. Two HH 60 Jayhawks came to meet us from air station Elizabeth City NC for a few hours of training with the ship. One of them brought along a K9 unit and the dog got a tour of the ship while the helicopters trained. Wednesday afternoon all hands gathered on the flight deck to tape a shout-out to the Coast Guard for its birthday on August 4th. Our sailor-of-the-quarter, OS2 Egbert, delivered a few words and then the crew yelled “GO SOX” with forced (for Yankee fans) but unanimous support. Check it out on http://www.dvidshub.net.

One day of sun and dining in Port Everglades and it was back to sea. But, before leaving the coast we conducted small boat training with a local station. Our small boat coxswains got the chance to drive our brand new Over-The-Horizon (OTH) boat. They played a game of cat-and-mouse as the station’s small boat played the role of the bad guys. BM1 Esselman says the OTH “handles like a Miata but sounds like a Mustang”. We moored to the pier next to three large cruise ships in Nassau while their predominantly American passengers watched and waved. During our one night stay, those who could take liberty sought refuge at the Atlantis resort and at various local tourist watering holes.

We are back at sea now, but though it may be the outset of our patrol, thoughts of our friends and family are never far from our minds. Thanks to Fred’s Place for giving us the chance to share our stories and we look forward to reporting again next week.

Photos

ENS Walsh, SN Perez in background

Gumby Suit race victor

Nothing like neoprene on a hot day

The beach at Paradise Island

The Resort at Atlantis

Gumby Suit Race

Catchin' Up

Welcome back to the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba for the second week of our Caribbean patrol and the tempo from last week hasn’t slowed down. We are still conducting drills, training and flight operations to stay ready for whatever we’re thrown.

The best way to make sure we’re ready is to practice what to do in real emergencies. On Monday we conducted engineering casualty drills. It was hard work but good practice for our team of engineers who troubleshot simulated breakdowns to major machinery onboard. Then on Thursday all hands participated in an intricate scenario cooked up by our own Integrated Training Team. Everyone on board applied damage control and defensive tactics in a controlled but continually changing environment. Teams dawned fire fighting gear and stations were manned in response to a simulated international incident. Drills like these together with daily small boat ops, flight ops and fulfilling our mission objectives have made for a hectic week.

There are some things to do on board to take your mind off work. Just a few minutes for reading, playing an instrument, or watching a movie can help, but during busy weeks like this most prefer to take whatever time they have to sleep. However the crew makes its own moral just by being around a conversing with our shipmates. On Wednesday evenings the chiefs prepare hot wings, which are a big hit with everyone on board. Then on Saturdays a different department always prepares pizza, which builds comradery while giving our cooks a sorely needed night off.

Of course the best morale is reading emails from our friends and family back home. Congratulations to new father, DC2 Soto, and all our best to his family back home. Thank you to everyone else who supports us and make everyday worth it.

Photos