|
Office of Public Affairs |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Arctic Ocean, Friday Sept. 5th USCGC Healy, America's Eyes and Ears in the Arctic Greetings from the Arctic Ocean aboard Coast Guard Cutter Healy. At 420ft and 16,000 tons, Healy is the Coast Guard's largest ship. We spend our summers in the Arctic, and in many regards are America's "eyes and ears" in this remote corner of the world. While we spend the vast majority of our time and effort collaborating with other federal agencies such as the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), like all Coast Guard Cutters, we are a multi-mission unit. I'll discuss those collaborative efforts in a follow on Journal entry. We have capabilities that only Healy, and the Coast Guard's other operational icebreaker, Polar Sea, can bring to the Arctic. Healy can operate capably in 8 feet of ice; Polar Sea in an amazing 21 feet of ice. Healy has superior scientific instrumentation and facilities, and an edge in seakeeping comfort in the heavy seas that dominate Alaska waters. We can cut a path through ice-covered waters to "escort" a thin-skinned ship safely. And it's no small feat of seamanship, but we can also tow a disabled vessel through modest ice conditions. We can operate in the arctic for months without outside support. That's critical at the end of the world because the nearest port with any form of ship support such as fuel, repairs, and bulk food is Dutch Harbor, 4-12 days away depending upon conditions and just how far north we're operating. We can also carry 35-50 guests to supplement any mission. And we sail with a Physician's Assistant as our Medical Officer, which is more medical capability than any other Coast Guard cutter. Our flight deck is larger and stronger than any other in the Service, which allows us to land the Coast Guard's long range helicopter, the HH-60 "Jayhawk", as well as the ship deployed HH-65 "Dolphin." Under the right circumstances, we can help double the off-shore range of those helicopters for search and rescue or surveillance. The 80 men and women comprising the crew of Healy are all Coastguardsmen first and foremost. We're trained and ready for search and rescue or to place an armed boarding team aboard another vessel. In a pinch, we could probably deploy navigational buoys in deep-draft waters. There's not much call for some of those capabilities today, but that's changing, sooner rather than later. When I first sailed the Arctic 21 years ago, we were truly alone up here. We didn't see another ship during 4 months in the Arctic; our first sighting was in the southern Bering Sea near St. Paul Island on the way home. By contrast, we've already seen a handful of research vessels in the light ice around Barrow earlier in the season. In early August, we were called upon to assist three Canadian ships transiting in ice west of Barrow, although they freed themselves before we arrived. Perhaps most surprising, we sighted the Chinese research vessel Xue Long operating north of our position at 82 degrees north latitude. We knew she was operating in the Arctic-we just didn't expect to see her so far north. Her advertised ice capabilities are a bit less than those of Healy. Her captain is boldly completing his mission. When we think about capabilities in the Arctic, we need to remember the distances are huge and the elements unforgiving. We can do all these things, if we're in the right place at the right time. Capable as we are, we're just one ship and one crew. Capability is one of those things you don't miss-until you need it. If you're not ready, it's too late. For a more complete view of the changes in the Arctic and how the Coast Guard is responding, I encourage you to read Part 1 and Part 2 journal entries of Rear Admiral Gene Brooks, the Coast Guard Commander for Alaska . Stay tuned for what we're up to this summer in my next entry. Captain Fred Sommer Commanding Officer, USCGC HEALY |
|
|
### |
|
printer friendly