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Tuesday, October 19, 2021

Adventures of an Icebreaker: Cutter boat operations in Baffin Bay

Coast Guard Cutter Healy crewmembers on the cutter boat look back at the Healy as they conduct operations in Baffin Bay. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Matt Masaschi.

The Healy is equipped with two 26-foot cutter boats and one 38-foot Arctic Survey Boat used by the crew to support multiple missions including personnel transfers, search-and-rescue operations, and enforcement of laws and treaties. 

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) crewmembers climb aboard the cutter’s 26-foot Cutter Boat Large Polar and prepare to be lowered to the water to conduct operations in Baffin Bay on Sept. 27, 2021.  U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Matt Masaschi.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) crewmembers aboard the cutter’s 26-foot Cutter Boat Large Polar pull away from the Healy in Baffin Bay. Photo by Chief Petty Officer Matt Masaschi.

Healy, a 420-foot icebreaker, departed our Seattle homeport in July to conduct Coast Guard missions, protect U.S. interests in the high latitudes, and support oceanographic research while circumnavigating North America via the Northwest Passage and the Panama Canal. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Matt Masaschi.

U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy (WAGB 20) crewmembers aboard the cutter’s 26-foot Cutter Boat Large Polar conduct cutter boat operations in Baffin Bay on Sept. 27, 2021. Healy’s crew routinely conducts training to maintain their proficiency and qualify new boat crew members. 

U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Matt Masaschi.

Healy’s crew train and prepare to conduct statutory Coast Guard missions including search-and-rescue, environmental protection, and enforcement of laws and treaties as needed during the multi-month Arctic deployment. 


Crewmembers aboard the cutter’s 26-foot Cutter Boat Large Polar are recovered after conducting cutter boat operations in Baffin Bay. A davit is used to lower and raise the cutter boat and its crew. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Matt Masaschi.

 

1 comment:

  1. This 26' boat is smaller than the Western Explorer ($400,000+) but probably, also, made by Safe Boats, Bremerton, WA

    Roger Bennett, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 3rd Class stationed at Captain of the Port, Seattle; discharged February, 1963, now living in Friday Harbor and owner of the former Coast Guard building on the waterfront of Friday Harbor. The Western Explorer whale watching boat is based out of this building, 18 yrs.

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