Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Seventeenth District

Date: Sept. 06, 2007
Contact: Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Stobbe
Phone: 907-487-5344

 

COAST GUARD BUOY TENDER SAILS INTO THE ARCTIC 

BERING STRAIT near WALES, Alaska - Today the Coast Guard Cutter SPAR crossed the Arctic Circle on a mission of modern significance with ties to the past. Commissioned in 2001 and sailing from a homeport of Kodiak, Alaska, SPAR's assignment in the region is a mix of economic, strategic, and humanitarian missions not much different than the Revenue Cutter Service and Coast Guard have conducted since the 1800s. SPAR will begin with a commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the historic completion of the Northwest Passage by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutters STORIS, BRAMBLE and the original SPAR in 1957.

Arctic Alaska and the Coast Guard have a long history, ranging from the days of the gold rush in the 1800s, through the Cold War, and into the present. The existence of a Northwest Passage connecting the Atlantic to the Pacific through the Arctic had tantalized and frustrated explorers and navigators for centuries. The route offers an alternative to transit through the Panama Canal or around South America and can save hundreds of miles off of a ship's voyage. In 1957 the Northwest Passage and the Arctic in general were of extreme importance because of their proximity to the Soviet Union in a period of mounting political tension. The successful completion of the Northwest Passage by the STORIS, BRAMBLE and SPAR on September 6th 1957 was a nationally celebrated achievement.

Arctic Alaska is once again in the national eye as it is looked to as a source for natural resources and as a global shipping trade route. The current SPAR has been assigned the task of researching appropriate places for aids to navigation to ensure safe navigation of increasing traffic in Arctic waters. The Coast Guard icebreaker HEALY is also in the Arctic conducting bottom mapping surveys and scientific studies. SPAR's crew will interact with other mariners in the area, examine maritime traffic patterns, and evaluate existing cartography. SPAR will also conduct community service projects in rural communities and will patrol the maritime boundary line with Russia and the Bering Sea for illegal fishing activity. The five week deployment will cover 6,000 miles and will conclude with aids to navigation servicing stops throughout the Aleutian Chain and Western Alaska.

"This trip gives us the opportunity to honor the legacy of the Coast Guard in Alaska at the same time that we work to build a new one," said SPAR crewmember Petty Officer Mindy Tucker of Imperial, California.

SPAR's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Tony Stobbe of Longmont, Colorado echoed Tucker's sentiments. "This is going to be a fantastic trip. True to the multi-mission tradition of the Coast Guard, we hope to enhance commerce, protect environmental resources, and serve our communities. I'm very proud of my crew and what they can accomplish."

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