The First Weeks on the Midgett

For those that have not been underway, not counting a luxury cruise, it is a very different lifestyle. In the few short weeks I have been here I have seen first hand why many people either Love, Hate or fall somewhere in between to how they feel about being stationed on a ship. It is like Port Clarence in the respect that we must rely and maintain all the machines that allow us to function. We are at the mercy of constantly changing seas, weather and never know what we may find in this immense body of water. Yet amongst all this potential, there is peace. There is time to reflect on the many sacrifices that these individuals make for duty, country or because they chose to serve.

The Crew at Sunset

 I joined the crew of the Midgett in Seattle, Washington which is another city that I had never seen, at least only seen during layovers at the airport. We then headed down to San Diego to partake in our TSTA Training for combat readiness. We were there for the duration of three weeks and had the luxury of shore leave nearly every night. San Diego is another city I have barely seen, only once when my family stayed on Coronado Island, but that was years ago. After all was said and done, the drills complete, we are in the current moment, ready to pursue the mission that we came here for. From the Time I have been here, a few things have become very apparent. First and foremost, teamwork is paramount. A 378-foot Cutter is a large unit to maintain and everyone has a part to play. It is not nearly as comfortable or convenient as a Cruise and everyone has a story to tell.

Teamwork is paramount. Regardless if it is a medical emergency, mooring evolution, navigation, small boat operations or HELO ops, there are many roles to play. During TSTA, much of our time was spend drilling on possible scenarios. These included navigation, loss of power, damage control, medical emergencies and anything you could possibly imagine happening while underway on the deep blue sea. I was part of the medical drills, but had little to do with the Damage control or navigation. As a unit we did very well and learned many lessons in the process. Although the drill were not always enjoyable, we were able to fire weapons, so that made it all worth it. Other than a fast sports car, there are few things that make a man feel like a man, big guns happen to be one of them.

A Coast Guard Cutter is not nearly as comfortable as a Cruise for several reasons and the mission defines this very well. With a crew of about 180 people, there is ample space for everyone, but we don’t all have out own stateroom. Showers and heads are shared by up to twenty people and irregular work schedules from the typical 9-5 make life a little different. Privacy is rare if even present. The public areas of the cutter are constantly inhabited by someone eating, socializing or doing something to pass the time. The only space we have is our rack which is a 6x3x2.5 foot box with a curtain to separate us from the others that inhabit the berthing area. Everyone respects the privacy of the rack, because it is the only private area. Although that can be offset by the stunning skies we have the opportunity to see away from all the light pollution. It is nothing short of spectacular and where that sense of peace I mentioned before stems from.

Ben and Julia

Aimee and I

These rocks are balanced, it was amazing o see

I have written before that it is the people that makes things worth while. The crew is as diverse as the places and experiences that have defined them. They hale from all over the country and contribute to the personality of the Midgett. They have been very welcoming and treated me as if I was one of their own. That is not to say that Air Station Miami does not have personality, but living with people and seeing them multiple times per day, give you a different perspective. When I normally see a patient, they go home and I will not see them until they follow up. On the cutter, I will usually see them before and after I treat them. I will oftentimes see them when I eat, work out or just around the passageways or berthing areas. It truly is a very personal approach to health care. We have been fortunate to have the medical facilities in San Diego that have been a invaluable resource during our import.

The San Diego Cityscape

The Bridge to Coronado Island

Seaport Village

Pacific Beach

I suppose the more telling aspect of the crew was when we had our onshore liberty in San Diego. I spend much of my time in the Gaslamp District, Downtown, Old town and Seaport Village. Aimee flew out for a wonderful weekend and I was able to show her the beautiful city of San Diego. I surprised by picking her up in a Camaro SS allowing a shipmate and myself to zoom around the city for a weekend. It was very nice to see her after being away for about a month. I am fortunate that she is supportive of my desire to experience the adventure the Coast Guard has offered me. In the short time she was here, We were able to visit Old Town, Downtown and Seaport Village. We had dinner and drinks with Ben, Julie, Josh and Jenny. It was nice for her to meet some couples to get an idea of how they feel. As for the crew, the multiple times out in Downtown San Diego and Old Town made me feel like I was a part of the crew and not just a temporary crewmember.

Josh and Jenny

Like any group, people pick and choose who they want to socialize with in their free time, but come together and work as a team when duty calls. There is a significant Navy presence in the area, but military is still much appreciated by the city and people alike. We spend much of our liberty hours in the local area and enjoying the attractions like Balboa Park, The San Diego Zoo and Sea World.

Most would take their liberty time in the Downtown. It was close by and had many wonderful restaurants and bars to pass the time. An entertaining mixture of high Rise building and older traditional buildings that built the city. The Gaslamp District is the more so historical Downtown area. The galley food is good, but would eat somewhere you will be eating for the next three months? Fortunately everyone conducted themselves safely and still had a good time. Old town San Diego was a ways away, yet still only about 15 minutes by trolley from the cutter. They call this the birthplace of California and have maintained it to look as it did many years ago. My favorite restaurant was here and the place I would spend my 30th birthday. There is the historic area with some shops in the old buildings and an authentic feel from the old fashion clothes the meandering people are dressed in. On the other side of the street is the tourist shops that always have something amusing to sell and unsuspecting tourist, which I was not. I resisted buying the mexican wrestler mask. The preserved time of Old Town is when the area became owned by the United States and was in transition from being a Mexican town to the border American City.

I never made it to the Zoo, but I was able to go to Sea World and it was incredible. I am not a huge fan of animals in man made tanks, but even then, the Orcas were majestic. I would have taken some pictures, but I was mesmerized by the size and abilities of these amazing creatures. In addition, my camera was in jeopardy from the Orcas playfully splashing the first row. It really makes me want to go kayak with the wild orcas. The Sea Lions were very impressive as well. The show was like a Dave Leno Show and was very funny. They were not nearly as majestic as the Orcas, but were the comedy relief, including the trainers that played the part well. I could see why they are considered the puppy dogs of the sea. Although I liked the otter most because he was the troublemaker of the group. He was the smallest, yet always found a way into the skit.

In short, it has been a good trip. TSTA was a good experience, the crew has been amazing and San Diego has been a great place to be for a few weeks. I have not gone to many places, but that is about to start and I see nothing but a wonderful adventure ahead. I will keep you updated as much as I can. Entrees will be delayed as this one has for the reason of OPSEC, but I will post when I can. Until then, Enjoy every moment and I look forward to when we shall meet again.