From Their Eyes, In Their Words

In a couple of days, my billet rundown is expected. Given me a chance to let you know, this has been a long and upsetting procedure! Not just do we need to choose whether we need to go to a '378, '270 or a '210 we've got to choose where, then trust generally advantageous! This procedure has made me admire my late spring on the Escanaba considerably more than I as of now did. I took in a great deal and experienced the cutter side of armada  something I hadn't had preceding this mid year. I unquestionably admire the mission that the white frame group completes a ton all the more now that I have seen it in real life. I still haven't chosen where I need to go (just three days staying to make sense of it!) however the bigger ships ('378 and '270s) are at the highest priority on my rundown, well, behind Flight School that is. I cherished my late spring on board the 'Grab, yet avionics is my purpose in life!

I figured out how delightful the night sky is on the untamed sea. I figured out how to function the greater part of the frameworks on the scaffold and turn into a qualified QMOW with the assistance of some incredible instructors. I discovered that the 0400-0800 watch is not as awful as I thought it would be! I enjoyed being up on the extension to watch the dawn and experience that move from starry night to daylight. I realized what it was similar to do fisheries requirement and to what extent those days can be however how remunerating also. This past semester I figured out how vital the fisheries mission was and it made me acknowledge what we did this late spring significantly more. I never envisioned how huge of an effect unlawful angling can have on the nearby economy as well as on the universal group overall. It is key to keep up steady fisheries so as to keep on produing enough fish for eras to come. In the event that one fishery breakdown, it can have a disastrous impact on the whole evolved way of life and possibly prompt a nourishment deficiency for those nations that depend vigorously on fish for sustenance.

An alternate extraordinary experience was finishing helo ops. Seeing helo ops directed from the deck provided for me a totally new point of view on the development. Helo ops are a difficult day for everybody, particularly the dedicated men and ladies on deck, heading out to do tie downs for the tenth time or serving to set up the gear for a hot refuel. In the event that I wind up set straight to flight school, I will recall that experience and use it to help me better connect with the team on deck. It is essential to recollect how much of a give and take the advancement is- it will be distressing to attempt to arrive on the once more of a moving boat, however it is vital to recall that its unpleasant to be on deck as well!

Presently now is the ideal time for me to assemble my billet dream sheet, send it to the detailers and trust generally advantageous.

Reasonable winds and emulating oceans!

USCGC Escanaba

USCGC Escanaba (WMEC-907) is a US Coast medium endurance cutter based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her keel was laid on April 1, 1983 at Robert Derecktor Shipyard Incorporated, Middletown, Rhode Island. She was started on February 6, 1985 and is named for her precursor. USCGC Escanaba (WPG-77), which was named for the Escanaba River and Escanaba, Michigan. Escanaba (WMEC-907) was officially commissioned August 29, 1987 in Grand Haven, Michigan, the home port of her predecessor.

The initial Escanaba was sunk by either a mine or enemy torpedo on June 13, 1943, during World War II's Battle of the Atlantic, while accompanying a convoy off Newfoundland. There were merely two remains out of the 105-man crew.

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)

Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) is a sole instrument based on cooperation and understanding among the nations for taking up a new outlook for monetary activities aiming at protecting the world eco-system. It is one of the flexibility methods defined in the Kyoto Protocol (IPCC, 2007) that grants for emissions reduction projects which produce Certified Emission Reduction units which may be traded in emissions trading schemes. 

The CDM is defined in Article 12 of the Protocol, and is proposed to meet two objectives:

1. To aid developing countries in attaining sustainable development & in contributing to ultimate objectives of United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC )
2. To assist developing countries in achieving compliance with their qualified emission limitation & reduction commitments. "Annex I" parties are those countries that are scheduled in Annex I of the treaty, and are the industrialized countries. Non-Annex I parties are developing countries.

USCGC Escanaba (WMEC-907)

USCGC Escanaba (WMEC-907) is a United States Coast Guard medium endurance cutter based in Boston, Massachusetts. Her keel was laid on April 1, 1983 at Robert Derecktor Shipyard Incorporated, Middletown, Rhode Island. She was launched February 6, 1985 and is named for her predecessor, USCGC Escanaba (WPG-77), which was named for the Escanaba River and Escanaba, Michigan. Escanaba (WMEC-907) was formally commissioned August 29, 1987 in Grand Haven, Michigan, and the home port of her predecessor. The first Escanaba was sunk by either a mine or enemy torpedo on June 13, 1943, during World War II's Battle of the Atlantic, while escorting a convoy off Newfoundland. There were only two survivors out of the 105-man crew.

ESCANABA Celebrates the New Year Underway

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.

ESCANABA Repatriates 80 Haitian Migrants

Posted by ENS Ray T. Chaisson
by ENS Ray Chaisson
Photos by: PO Brown, PO Scarberry, and PO Malicki

Only days after the Caribbean Reach case, ESCANABA diverted for another case. ESCANABA diverted to respond to a sail freighter overloaded with at least 60 people on deck. ESCANABA was first on scene and quickly determined it was a migrant vessel. With the assistance of the Royal Bahamian Defense Force, ESCANABA was able to safely embark a total of 80 migrants onto ESCANABA. Afterwards we proceeded to Haiti to repatriate the migrants with the assistance of the Haitian Coast Guard. The press release can be found here.

This case is another great example of the benefits of forward deployed Coast Guard presence in the Caribbean. As we discussed in the Caribbean Reach post, this case exemplifies the importance of international partners in effective execution of U.S. Coast Guard multi-mission responsibilities. (here and here).

ESCANABA is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter, it can maintain a forward presence offshore, bring its command, control and communications capability, as well as patrol capability, to the blue water environment and the littorals. The Coast Guard’s 29 Medium Endurance Cutters are the workhorses of the offshore patrol fleet, and routinely conduct many of the Coast Guard's eleven statutory missions. This capability, forward deployed, supports national goals of having the right asset at the right place at the right time. The value of forward deployed Medium Endurance Cutters was demonstrated in 2010 when the cutters Forward, Mohawk, Tahoma, and Valiant were the first US assets on-scene in the initial hours after the devastating January earthquake. Medium Endurance Cutters patrol the ocean ranging from offshore the East, Gulf, West and Alaskan Coasts of the United States, the Eastern Pacific, the Caribbean, and offshore South America.