Saturday, January 1, 2011
Like Christmas, New Year's was a holiday celebrated at sea for Escanaba, and we celebrated onboard with festivities and fun events for all. The main events for New Year's was pyrotechnics training followed by the wings and a nacho feast sponsored by the First Class Petty Officers, not to mention we were within satellite TV range so we were able to ring in 2011 with the rest of the world.
Pyro Training
Training made fun is a good idea. Familiarity with the use and appearance of pyrotechnics is important, both as rescuers and mariners. Coast Guard Cutters periodically conduct at-sea pyrotechnics training; conducting this training when deployed on New Year's Eve is a great blend of learning with tradition; of note, we commenced the training at midnight Greenwich Mean time.
Wings and Nacho Feast
The First Class Petty Officers of ESCANABA outdid themselves once again. They took the initiative to purchase a large amount of wings and nachos ahead of time to put together a great feast for the entire crew. Together they cooked a variety of delicious wings, sauces, toppings, and nachos for the entire crew. This was a great meal and it definitely improved everyone's New Year's Eve. Thank you First Class Petty Officers!
New Year's Eve Midwatch Log Entry
There is a tradition in the Coast Guard involving New Year's Eve. That tradition is to write your Midwatch log entry in rhyme. Whether you're on land or at sea, every unit maintains a log and every log has a standard midwatch post. Every year, whoever has watch at midnight will write their entry in rhyme. The ESCANABA's entry went a little like this:
The year turned as we wait to head into Mayport,
Our position lies xx-xx.x n and xxx-xx.x w after searching for migrants and that sort.
Our OPCON and ADCON, LANTAREA, enjoyed their holidays ashore,
While our TACON at District Seven was all quiet like before.
After a patrol where we have seen it all,
We will pull into Mayport to drill ‘til we fall.
Stability and watertight integrity is maintained by material condition Yoke,
But the bridge is flooded by those who still smoke.
All standard navigation lights are illuminated and brightly burning tonight,
Although the radar might die at first light.
Both engines are turning while both generators provide power,
The 31st to the 1st shifts the port steering pump at this hour.
OOD has the deck and the conn,
While being watched by OOD from beyond.
We sailed north and south last year, always ready for multi missions,
Both cutter and crew led the fleet and exceeded all our ambitions.
Looking for migrants can be such a snooze,
But a month of Mayport will complete our cruise.
The past year saw many shipmates move to new places,
Each are missed but our family always welcomes new faces.
The New Year’s schedule is full of missions and new goals to stress,
But we look forward to the challenge and continued success.
We sit off the shore waiting to pull into port,
A new year awaits us, with good spirits and good sport.
Our entry was even featured in the Coast Guard Compass along with several other afloat units. That post can be found here. A separate post on Midwatch entries from ashore units can be found here.
Like Christmas, New Year's was a holiday celebrated at sea for Escanaba, and we celebrated onboard with festivities and fun events for all. The main events for New Year's was pyrotechnics training followed by the wings and a nacho feast sponsored by the First Class Petty Officers, not to mention we were within satellite TV range so we were able to ring in 2011 with the rest of the world.
Pyro Training
Training made fun is a good idea. Familiarity with the use and appearance of pyrotechnics is important, both as rescuers and mariners. Coast Guard Cutters periodically conduct at-sea pyrotechnics training; conducting this training when deployed on New Year's Eve is a great blend of learning with tradition; of note, we commenced the training at midnight Greenwich Mean time.
Wings and Nacho Feast
The First Class Petty Officers of ESCANABA outdid themselves once again. They took the initiative to purchase a large amount of wings and nachos ahead of time to put together a great feast for the entire crew. Together they cooked a variety of delicious wings, sauces, toppings, and nachos for the entire crew. This was a great meal and it definitely improved everyone's New Year's Eve. Thank you First Class Petty Officers!
New Year's Eve Midwatch Log Entry
There is a tradition in the Coast Guard involving New Year's Eve. That tradition is to write your Midwatch log entry in rhyme. Whether you're on land or at sea, every unit maintains a log and every log has a standard midwatch post. Every year, whoever has watch at midnight will write their entry in rhyme. The ESCANABA's entry went a little like this:
The year turned as we wait to head into Mayport,
Our position lies xx-xx.x n and xxx-xx.x w after searching for migrants and that sort.
Our OPCON and ADCON, LANTAREA, enjoyed their holidays ashore,
While our TACON at District Seven was all quiet like before.
After a patrol where we have seen it all,
We will pull into Mayport to drill ‘til we fall.
Stability and watertight integrity is maintained by material condition Yoke,
But the bridge is flooded by those who still smoke.
All standard navigation lights are illuminated and brightly burning tonight,
Although the radar might die at first light.
Both engines are turning while both generators provide power,
The 31st to the 1st shifts the port steering pump at this hour.
OOD has the deck and the conn,
While being watched by OOD from beyond.
We sailed north and south last year, always ready for multi missions,
Both cutter and crew led the fleet and exceeded all our ambitions.
Looking for migrants can be such a snooze,
But a month of Mayport will complete our cruise.
The past year saw many shipmates move to new places,
Each are missed but our family always welcomes new faces.
The New Year’s schedule is full of missions and new goals to stress,
But we look forward to the challenge and continued success.
We sit off the shore waiting to pull into port,
A new year awaits us, with good spirits and good sport.
Our entry was even featured in the Coast Guard Compass along with several other afloat units. That post can be found here. A separate post on Midwatch entries from ashore units can be found here.
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