SAIL BOSTON 2009
Photo Essay by Scott Crocker, Flotilla Commander 38
Special thanks to Imants Ansbergs, Staff Officer-Public Affairs, Division 12.  He filled in as crew on a Flotilla 38 boat and also contributed some of these pictures.
(Above & right) On the way to Sail Boston, some of the floating real estate along the way and a hacienda along the Annesquam River.
(Left) A SAR case along the way; a boat stranded in the Annesquam.  The persons on board had spent the night there with no means of communication until the Flotilla 38 vessel discovered them while on the way to Boston Harbor.
(Above) Now don't you think this is a bit over the top?  A yacht with its own helicopter.
(Left & below) A couple of interesting vessels.  A Super Duck Tours aqua-bus and "Codzilla" the tour boat.
(Left) Dockside, standing by for mission assignments.
(Above / from left to right)
Charlie Pencinger and Lew Burridge on the docks in Boston.  In the background is a modern warship from the Irish Navy.
(Left) The USCG Cutter Eagle, training vessel from the Coast Guard Academy.
(Above) Some of the "spacious" academy cadet accommodations aboard the Eagle.
(Above) In the galley, some crewmembers aboard the Eagle.
(Right) Relaxing in the wardroom of the Eagle, Flotilla 38 members (left to right) Charlie Pencinger, Terry Kalil, Scott Crocker and Phil Wysocki.
(Left) Flotilla 38 members and their cadet-tour guide in the ward room next to a case of swords used by the ship's officers for ceremonial events.
(Above) A treasure chest of silver coins; actually souvenirs given to children visiting the Eagle.
(Left) Scotty takes a turn at the wheel.
(Right) The lads at the wheel with another cadet tour guide.
(Left) Phil, expert at lines and belaying pins.
(Right) Terry and Charlie under the sign that says it all.
(Left) An interesting feature on the Eagle, that structure behind the wheel is known as the captain's coffin.  In the days of fighting sail, if the captain was killed in action, he would return home in this coffin behind the ship's wheel.  However Scott suspects its currently being used as an equipment locker.
(Above) Traditional welcome and escort for the Eagle by a Boston Fire Boat.
(Left) The Flotilla 38 vessel Lois Jean, standing-by to stand-by.
(Right) Nothing like a pair of M-60 machine guns mounted bow and stern to argue your point.
The following group of photos, many of the tall ships underway or dockside.
The next group of photos, flotilla members underway / on patrol during Sail Boston.
Finally, no mission is complete until the paperwork is done.
And then Scott needed a break.
The Coast Guard uses the ICS (Incident Command System) for all major events, planned or emergency responses.  Procedures include the use of color coded vests with name tags to identify key personnel in the ICS structure.  Our district member training officer Commodore Gene Bernstein apparently decided to see if everyone was paying attention and instituted a new type of vest.
(Right) A close-up of his name tag.  Now before you assume that he doesn't know how to spell "Wallmart," consider that being an attorney, he may have purposely spelled it that way so he couldn't be accused of copyright infringement.
BRAVO-ZULU ! (Well-Done) everyone. You represented us well.