The crew of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returned to their homeport in Boston on April 10, after completing a 53-day deployment which included two weeks of training at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek, Va., and five weeks of fisheries patrols off the coasts of New Jersey, Virginia, and North Carolina.
The Seneca patrolled the Mid-Atlantic Ocean in support of the Coast Guard Fifth District’s Operation Ocean Hunter. They boarded 26 fishing vessels from March 2 until April 5. During the patrol, the Seneca ensured the commercial fishing fleet was in compliance with all federal fisheries regulations and issued two fisheries violations.
In addition to law enforcement, the Seneca conducted a workup with the Coast Guard Maritime Security Response Team and other deployable specialized forces units. Using the Seneca’s flight deck, MSRT members completed 76 vertical insertions and 44 hoists. They also completed 210 climbs where they boarded the cutter from a tactical boat via a caving ladder. The Seneca also completed several helicopter in-flight refuels and vertical replenishments with Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C.
The Seneca underwent a post mission effectiveness project training availability period, led by Coast Guard Afloat Training Group Atlantic. For two weeks, the Seneca conducted shipboard drills, and training and evolutions to improve overall crew proficiency in navigation, seamanship, force protection and damage control. The events included a successful underway refueling evolution alongside a Navy oiler and the completion of 51 standard drills and exercises.
[mappress] Press Release, April 18, 2014; Image: USCG