Out in the Far Pacific with the U.S. Coast Guard

Nice piece about Coast Guard Cutter Sequoia operating from Guam in "The Black Pearl of the Pacific" from the Coast Guard Compass written by Ens. Rebecca Rebar:

Arriving at the islands of Ulithi, Nomwin and Murilo, crewmembers divided and distributed 25 pallets of humanitarian supplies stored in the cargo hold to each of the islands. Sequoia provided basic rebuilding supplies to the typhoon-ravaged atolls, including rain barrels for drinking water catchment , school supplies, first aid kits and food. The crew also met with the islanders to teach them boating safety and basic first aid. Each island they stopped at provided opportunities for positive interactions and unforgettable memories between islanders and Sequoia’s crew.

More at the link - Americans should take pride in their hard-working Coasties.

More about Sequoia:

Sequoia WLB-215

United States Coast Guard Cutter SEQUOIA (WLB-215) is a 225’ ocean going buoy tender. SEQUOIA is the 15th of 16 new 225’ cutters being built. Sequoia was launched at the Marinette Marine Corporation Shipyard in Marinette, Wis. on Aug. 23, 2003. The Coast Guard took delivery of SEQUOIA on April 21, 2004. Her commissioning crew then began their over 13,000 mile trip back to their homeport of Apra Harbor, Guam.
SEQUOIA WLB-215

Builder: Marinette Marine Corporation Shipyard in Marinette, Wis.
Launched: 23 August, 2003
Delivery: 21 April 2004
Length: 225’
Beam: 46’
Draft: 13’
Propulsion: Two 3100 HP Caterpillar diesels
Speed: 15 knots at full load displacement
Range: 6,000 miles at 12 knots
Armament: Two .50 caliber machine gun

US Coast Guard: Island Rescue

Island where missing party was found

Reported as 15 rescued after stranded on a Pacific island :

When nine adults and six children left on their 28-foot skiff from Chuuk State to Ruo Island in the Federated States of Micronesia, they didn’t expect to run into problems. But when they didn’t arrive as planned, a search began immediately thanks to their careful planning.

“Filing of a float plan with family or friends should be a part of every boater’s routine,” said Leif Wigman-Nilsson, a watchstander at Coast Guard Sector Guam. “In this case, the concerned parties ashore were well aware of when this vessel was to depart, when it was to arrive and the route that it was taking. This information was key to getting the Coast Guard and other rescue agencies into the right place at the right time to effect this rescue.”

Arrow points to general area of rescue (click to enlarge)

After more than 76 hours of searching across more than 18,000 miles, their boat was found overturned near an island, which was approximately eight miles from their original destination. All 15 boaters were found safe and in good health on the small uninhabited atoll.

An HC-130 Hercules airplane from Air Station Barbers Point, Oahu, Hawaii and a U.S. Navy P-3 Orion long-range search aircraft from Okinawa, Japan, along with commercial mariners transiting the area, several local boaters and other international partners conducted the joint international search effort.

“This type of coordination makes immediate searches possible in a search and rescue area of responsibility that mirrors the size of the continental United States,” said Lt. Gregg Maye, chief of Sector Guam’s command center.

Once word spread that the missing people were found, other local boaters came to their aid providing them food and water. The Coast Guard Cutter Assateague arrived on scene early this morning to rescue the survivors.

BZ to everyone involved!