U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Terrapin crew returned home to Bellingham, Friday, July 22nd, after completing a first ever deployment of an 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boat to Alaska.
The crew of the Cutter Terrapin completed a 37-day patrol to Southeast Alaska during which they protected living marine resources, safeguarded lives at sea and enhanced maritime security across the region.
The crew of the Terrapin supplemented Coast Guard Sector Juneau’s response cutter requirements during the transition period between the homeport shifts of the 110-foot Patrol Boats Naushon and Chandeleur and the 2017 arrival of new Fast Response Cutters, the John McCormick and the Bailey Barco.
“District 13 is proud of the outstanding work by Cutter Terrapin’s command and crew during their extended patrol in support of District 17,” said Lt. Elizabeth Kates, 13th District’s patrol boat manager . “Their exceptional professionalism enhanced the safety and security of remote communities and distant fishing grounds as the Terrapin pioneered 87-foot Coast Patrol Boat operations in Southeast Alaska.”
During the patrol, the crew assisted in two search-and-rescue cases and completed 46 at-sea boardings including recreational and commercial fishing vessels.
The crew patrolled more than 2,000 miles of Alaska waterways, providing Sector Juneau with more than 450 patrol hours while ensuring a positive Coast Guard presence to remote communities and fishing grounds stretching from the Canadian border in the south to the base of Glacier Bay in the north.
The Terrapin crew primarily patrols the waters of Washington’s coastline, responding to search-and-rescue missions, maritime security, enforcing state and federal fisheries regulations and conducting safety and security exams.
In addition to the Terrapin, there are eight other 87-foot Coastal Patrol Boats stationed throughout the Pacific Northwest, including the Osprey in Port Townsend, the Sea Lion in Bellingham, the Blue Shark in Everett, the Sea Devil and Sea Fox in Bangor, and the Adelie, the Swordfish and the Wahoo in Port Angeles.