REPUBLIC OF NANTUCKET COAST GUARD NEWS
VOLUME XXVIII Number 9
December 14, 2002
Your Commodores and Cabin Boy wish one and all
Seasons Greetings; may you all be healthy, happy, and if deployed, be home with
your loved ones and friends soon. CAPT Choate Budd, USCG (Ret) maybe said it
best in a message he passed along about the USS HARRY S. TRUMAN as they left for
a recent extended deployment. Just as the lines were cast off, a message came
over the ship's 1-MC announcing system declaring, "Peace on Earth to all
men of good will. All others, Stand By."
Kory Cronin and family are back in Mass. and Kory is back on active duty. Kory
completed the Port Security "A" school. The "Connor" who
didn't like the long car rides coming home was not their dog but their son! Kory
hopes to join the Mass. State Police when his tour of active duty is over.
Lightship #605 is now moored up in Jack London Square, Oakland, CA.
Lightship #612 (NAN 1) has been renovated and is presently in Boston. Plans are
to use her for business meetings and private social functions in Boston
(winters) and Nantucket (summers).
USCGC HEALY (WACB-20) is back in port after a long cruise and Cabin Boy has a
new T-shirt, sweatshirt and hat #735 for The Hat Rack, a red USCGC HEALY w/eggs.
Thanks CDR Doug Russell.
CAPT Russ Webster, USCG, was at STA BRANT POINT on 07 NOV explaining BMCM Dennis
Noble's, USCG (Ret) idea of naming the new 47' MLB's after local Coast Guard
heros of yesteryear. It's a great idea!
CDR Marc Woodring, USCG, is heads and shoulders above everybody else in the 2002
Woody's Tournament.
At dusk on 13 NOV a 37 year old kite boarder had a line part while flying around
the mouth of the jetties. His friends were unable to help him and he treading
water in a black dry suit with NO REFLECTIVE DEVICES. He left his red, white and
blue board and tried to swim to a channel buoy; he was swept away from the buoy
by the tidal flow and 15' waves. Of course STA BRANT POINT was soon underway as
was a helo from AIR STA CAPE COD, braving 55 knot winds to do so. They found his
red, white and blue board but looking for him was like looking for a black
needle in a big pile of black thread. After about 5 hours he washed up on the
outside beach at Coatue and then walked 5 hours to get to Wauwinet and a
telephone. BMCS Lucey, OIC, STA BRANT POINT went to Wauwinet with the EMT's make
sure it was the guy they were looking for. It was, and then, and only then was
the search called off. He later told the media that they stopped searching him
at 1930 hours! He did aologize to the crew at BRANT POINT at a later date.
PO2 Aaron Pitney sent e-mail pictures of the 3031 large flags displayed in
Sandy, Utah, one for each 9/11 victim. Awsome...
More pictures were received showing BMCM Jack Downey rigged out in an English
Navy officers hat, a white wig, an eye patch, depends(?), and leotards. Wonder
what that was all about? Heh, heh!
Thanksgiving dinner at STA BRANT POINT was outstanding, Commodore Kathy and
Cabin Boy were supposed to drive to Maine on Wednesday to join her family on
Thursday. Piles of snow off-Cape cancelled that trip so BMCS Lucey had them down
to the station to enjoy the turkey dinner put on by Mr. and Mrs. Migier, USCG
(Aux).
STA BRANT POINT hosted a farewell retirement party for Nantucket Fire Department
Chief Bruce Watts on 04 DEC. CAPT James Murray, GRU WOODS HOLE; BMCM Jack
Downey, CGA; CWO4 George Bassett, USCG (Ret), Dockmaster Nantucket Boat Basin;
CWO4 Dave Fronzuto, USCG (Ret), Harbormaster and Shellfish Warden; and BMCS
Lucey, STA BRANT POINT showered well deserved praise upon Chief Watts, who has
spent his whole adult life with the Nantucket Fire Department, including the
last 23 years as Chief. The buffet was outstanding, as usual.
The Christmas Stroll saw the usual crowds and CG 36500 again delivered Santa
from STA BRANT POINT to inside the Nantucket Boat Basin. The very large wreath
was again up on Brant Point Lighthouse, and the Station's Main Street Christmas
Tree won yet another blue ribbon. The tree had a model 47' MLB towing the tree
that was attractively decorated with all kinds of knot work.
RADM Crea, D1, recently talked with the crew at STA BRANT POINT and she asked
them (among other things) what drawback(s) did they find being stationed on an
island. No remedy for a Big Mac Attack was the most common reply. Not too many
days later a large box of Big Mac's was delivered to the station. Very nice move
by RADM Crea, and the crew loved them.
MK1 Shackle the Brant Point Dog received a Christmas Card from BMC Cutter the
South Shore Command Dog. The crew was more excited than MK1 Shackle was -
Shackle wanted a dog bone!
FOR THE COMMODORES,
YN1/SK1 Dan "Cabin Boy" Kelliher, USCG (Hon)