Welcome Aboard The CGC Northland
Counter – Narcotics Deployment - Week 3
We join the crew of the Cutter Northland underway on a Counter – Narcotics deployment to the Caribbean..
ENS Kristen Potter will be keeping us updated during this deployment with weekly updates. Thanks, Kristen.
All photos are official Coast Guard photos.
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The Coast Guard Cutter Northland, homeported in Portsmouth, Va.
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Catchin' Up
Week 3 was definitely an exciting one for the crew of USCGC NORTHLAND! We started off with a bang, by intercepting not just one, but two go-fasts in 1 day! The first go-fast was intercepted after it failed to heave-to upon being ordered to stop by our embarked HITRON helicopter. After our helicopter successfully brought the go-fast to a halt, a Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment aboard the Dutch naval vessel Zuiderkruis, conducted a boarding of the vessel and discovered that the go-fast was carrying 14 bales of cocaine and 4 bales of heroin. The drugs are estimated to have a street value of approximately $14 million! The amount of heroin seized is evidently a record for the Caribbean.
We barely had time to finish off that case, when we spotted yet another go-fast. This one was also stopped by our helicopter and after our boarding team arrived on scene we found no drugs, but an excessive number of fuel drums. The theory is that we stopped a vessel that was serving as a refueling platform for other drug smuggling go-fasts in the Caribbean.
We finished off the week patrolling enroute to San Juan, Puerto Rico for a port visit and to transfer our contraband and detainees to federal authorities. When we finally arrived in San Juan, we transferred approximately 871 pounds of cocaine, 270 pounds of heroin and the detainees before cleaning up the ship, loading stores, refueling, etc. Needless to say it was a busy day.
After this exciting, but exhausting week, San Juan, Puerto Rico afforded all members of the crew a great chance to relax and have some fun. It was wonderful being able to call home to family and friends and spend a few days basking in the sun, whether at the beach or around town. Old San Juan was a busy place, with many restaurants, shopping opportunities and many cruise ships pulling in each day. Some members of the crew seized the opportunity to go on a nighttime kayaking trip and others went for a tour of El Yunque rainforest. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the few days off, but when the port call was through, NORTHLAND was “ready to get back into the fight.”
Congratulations to many crew members who got qualified this week:
SN Vucetich got Helm & Lookout qualified!
OS3 Rodriguez and IT2 Clark got Combat Information Center (CIC) watchstander qualified!
OS2 Rivera got Combat Information Center (CIC) Watch Supervisor qualified!
MK1 Paglia got Underway Engineer of the Watch (EOW) qualified!
ENS Potter got underway Officer of the Deck (OOD) qualified!
Photos
Our helo taking off from the flight deck.
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BM1 Seyler-Schmidt waving goodbye to NORTHLAND as he departs in style.
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The Dutch small boat guards one of the go-fasts after it capsized.
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Members of the crew watch as the go-fast sinks.
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Our small boat and boarding team during our 2nd go-fast of the day!
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NORTHLAND pulling into the CG pier in San Juan
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Members of deck force getting ready to put over the brow.
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Federal agents transfer the contraband off of NORTHLAND.
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ENS Hitzel, BM3 Urbano, GM2 Delahoussaye, OS2 Rivera, MKCS Crooms, ET1 Deocampo, and MK2 Post at the beach in San Juan
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Stopping for some local refreshment on the rainforest tour.
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Sightseeing on the way to El Yunque…
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What a view!
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A glimpse of the rainforest
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CWO Legate enjoying a Puerto Rican sunset.
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Waterfalls in the rainforest.
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