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

Welcome Aboard The CGC Northland

Routine Deployment - Week 8

We join the crew of the Cutter Northland underway on patrol in South America for UNITAS.

ENS Laun Clark will be keeping us updated during this deployment with weekly updates. Thanks, Laun.

All photos are official Coast Guard photos.

The Coast Guard Cutter Northland, homeported in Portsmouth, Va.

Catchin' Up

This week began well for Northland, with the crew enjoying our first true “port call” in the lovely Grenada. Most have never visited the island, so it was a great opportunity to see somewhere new! After three days of enjoying the beaches, rainforest, and excellent shopping in the “Spice Island,” we are underway again patrolling in the Caribbean. The weather and seas have been obliging, with the sun shining and the swells relatively small, making for great cruising conditions. We have kept busy with small boat operations and training. Several crew members got the opportunity to go out and ride around on the waves as the small boats circled the ship. There is nothing like a small boat ride to make the day better! In Grenada, we also welcomed aboard seven cadets, joining us for the summer. Some are here to learn about life as a junior enlisted, while the senior cadets are onboard to learn the life of a junior officer. At quarters on Wednesday, the cadets celebrated moving up in rank from fourth class and second class cadets to first and third class cadets. They honored the tradition of promotion at sea by throwing their old collar devices over the side of the ship after receiving their new ones. Congratulations to the new 1/c and 3/c cadets!

After a long week’s work, the crew relaxed by partaking in fish call on the fantail on Thursday and Friday evenings. Shipmates gathered to throw their lines in the water and sit out under the Caribbean sun. Hopes were high that there would be some big fish chomping on the lines! Alas, the biggest catch of the day was an unlucky flying fish. The crew hopes that the great conditions continue and we have a chance to catch some bigger fish, and of course continue with our counter-drug patrol!

Photos