Kotzebue, July 30, 2017 —
CGC HEALY is in the midst of her first science mission of the year, Arctic West Summer (AWS) 1701. HEALY’s crew has been working alongside the embarked science party from the Coast Guard’s Research and Development Center (R&DC) to deploy and test a multitude of equipment. Oil skimmers, NOAA buoys, underwater remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and unmanned maritime systems are being prototyped and tested during this mission to examine how well they perform in sea ice and in the Arctic.
HEALY’s First Lieutenant (1LT), responsible for supervising and training the Deck Department, BOSN2 Justin Young became our newest Underway Officer of the Deck (OOD). This is a pinnacle qualification on HEALY, as the scope of responsibility not only encompasses the normal operation of the ship during a 4 hour watch period but also reaction to emergency situations. Congratulations on your new qualification, BOSN!
HEALY embarked a media team consisting of a reporter and photographer from the Washington Post during HH-60 flight operations with Forward Operating Base Kotzebue, AK, as we transited in the Bering Strait. The operation was dual purpose, as it enabled the media team to board HEALY while at sea, and served as training for our flight operations personnel and the pilots.
On Thursday, July 27th HEALY crossed the Arctic Circle and entered the domain of the Blue Noses. While HEALY’s Arctic return was not immediately met with ice floes or Polar Bears, many HEALY crewmembers traded their blue hats for red ones. These red hats signify that the crewmember has been indoctrinated into the Order of the Blue Nose, an honor bestowed upon those who have served on an ice-breaker above the Arctic Circle. The newest crewmembers eagerly await their chance to be properly indoctrinated and await the arrival of Davey Jones. Around 1200 on July 28th a great rumble was heard throughout the ship, yet instead of rushing to man their emergency billets, HEALY crewmembers rushed to the bridge and foc’sle to watch as HEALY broke her first ice of 2017. LTJG Jon Lash was the first to spot ice this year; he was also the first to spot ice aboard HEALY in 2015 and 2016.
Stay tuned for another update on HEALY’s Arctic West Summer 2017 mission next week!
Very respectfully,
ENS Samuel Wood
Assistant Public Affairs Officer
USCGC HEALY (WAGB 20)
For more information about CGC HEALY, please visit:
http://www.icefloe.net