Getting in ship shape

Lt. John Kidwell/Special to the Pilot

Here is what has gone on so far:

All 10 crew members met in New Orleans on June 10. We got settled into

our hotel rooms, then went out for a bite to eat. The food down here is

awesome, to say the least. If you have never tried Cajun food, then you

are truly missing out. Personally, I feel right at home on the bayous of

Louisiana. Growing up in Oklahoma taught me to appreciate a little slower

pace of life, taking time to enjoy all the great things around you like

alligators, snakes and mosquitoes -- a.k.a. “skeeters.”

The people down here are very nice and actually take the time to wave

back at you in their cars. On Monday morning (June 18), we began our

first week of training. This was a half day of classroom study and a half

day of “on hands” training aboard what will soon be the USCGC Narwhal.

Let me tell you, she is a beauty.

When we finally got our first chance to see her, all of us were in

awe. She is not quite finished, but by the time we take her over, she

will be shining and ready to stop some bad guys in true Coast Guard

fashion.

As I was saying, the first week is mostly general familiarization for

the entire crew. Basic information is learned, such as the type of

engines and generators, where the controls are for this or that, how much

fuel we can hold, how far we can travel and at what speeds, etc.

I will say this, the people here at Bollinger Shipyards are some of

the nicest and most helpful people I have ever encountered.

It was a very busy week; we were able to get underway on our

“soon-to-be” ship for a six-hour cruise up the bayou. During that time,

we held training on everything from navigation equipment to the sewage

system (without pumping it out, of course).

This past weekend, some of the crew took an alligator-watch boat ride.

They were able to feed a couple of 10-foot alligators and were also lucky

enough to be bitten by about one million bugs and mosquitoes.

When there is leisure time, many of us sit out by the pool and swat

skeeters off of each other while talking about the day’s events, what we

learned and what training we will have the next day.

Being well-prepared is what we must be in order to get this new

87-foot patrol boat 5,000 miles back to Corona del Mar, safe and secure.

* LT. JOHN KIDWELL is the commanding officer of the Coast Guard cutter

Narwhal, which will be stationed in Newport Beach.