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.

Let the Adventure Begin .... Again

So the adventure has begun and it will prove to be what it is, going underway on a Coast Guard Cutter to South America. Hopefully exciting, eventful and surprising in a good way, regardless it will be interesting. Now an apology for my lack of writing; It has been a busy last few months and none the less worth writing. I took Aimee to the Keys for her Birthday, brought Jeff out to Florida for a week, Went on a Caribbean Cruise and spend the holidays at home with family. I don’t have a good excuse why I did not write other than shear laziness, I was fairly busy preparing for being gone for an extended period of time.

Aimee at The Earnest Hemingway House.

The Square in Key West.

 The first major event mentioned would be Aimee’s Birthday in the Keys. We took off on a Friday for a weekend of Key West, Boating, a few tours and relaxtion. The dogs were piled in the car and Hobie was as excited as he normally gets. Cheecha, Aimees Poodle even rode in the back. Once we got settle in, we went to Key West, picnic island and the Earnest Hemmingway House. I tried to convince Aimee to go to see the butterflies, but she insisted and it was her birthday. For the record she wished she had gone to see the butterflies instead. Picnic Island was amazing. Bob Took us out in Lee’s boat to see a coral reef, a local bar and the sandbar known as Picnic Island, where we spent most of the day. The coral reef was nice, lunch was good but Picnic Island was absolutely incredible. The water is about three feet deep leading to a small island flanked by open ocean on three sides. They have makeshift swings set up to relax and the place is crowded with boats and people. There were probably 30 boats out there and 10 portable tables with the toppings of a family BBQ. We explored the Island, relaxed on the boat, enjoyed some snack and rode a wave runner. A random guy that came by our boat offered to let me ride his wave runner, so I accepted. Aimee rode with me for a short time, but chose to relax in the boat instead. It may have had something to do with the speed and quick turns.

The Coral Reef.

Picnic Island

The Earnest Hemingway House was a very interesting tour. He did not originally build the house, but is the most famous person to live there. He led a very interesting life. A man of the sea, of his writing and many marriages. The house and grounds are spectacular and everything seems to have a history. I would not recommend getting married at the chapel there, but there is one available. I would definitely recommend it to anyone that visits Key West. The weekend went by very quickly and then we had a long drive home. Regardless of the brief vacation is was very nice to get away with fair Aimara, the envy of the moon.

It was my pleasure bringing Jeff out to Florida for a vacation. For those that do not know, Jeff is a friend of mine since grade school and one of the strongest most amazing people I know. He does not have much of a chance to travel, but still finds a way to enjoy life. When I was in California, I would see him regularly, but since being stationed so far away, it puts a insurmountable challenge in those regular visits. Instead I decided to fly him out to Florida, take some leave and give him a much needed vacation. Throughout the trip we had a wonderful time. We had the opportunity to go to South Beach in Miami, Orlando and the sky coaster, Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Hollywood where I live in Florida. A few video games, rest and eating and to fill in the less active hours. We had some wonderful dinners with Lee, Lourdice, Aimee and Pat.

Jeff and I before the Sky Coaster

At Harry Potter at Islands of Adventure.

The main thing he wanted to see was the Harry Potter Ride at Islands of Adventure. First we had to check out a small them park in Orlando that had a Sky Coaster. The sky coaster is three towers with two cable between them. A giant swing, in which you are dropped from three hundred feet. I thought it was thrilling, Jeff still has not forgiven me, but I know he will one day. When we finally made it to the Harry Potter Ride, it was impressive to say the least. We ended up going on it three times. Hogwarts Village was even more impressive; it made us truly feel like we were in the movie or books. Other than the rule that I could not do magic in the village and call all the beautiful women over to Jeff, it was spectacular. From the Entrance, all you could see was the Hogwarts Express (The Train), the buildings in the turn of the century winter season style architecture and the Castle in the Background. After walking through the village and making our way to the Castle, we were wisped away by Harry and the gang. We unfortunately had to run from wraiths and dragons, but we were able to get away. In addition to harry potter, we swung with Spider Man, were terrified by Dr. Doom, felt the rush of the Hulk and explored a lost temple. All in all, it was a very exciting day.

Jeff at Dog Beach in Hollywood.

The hotel accommodations were wonderful for both quality and location. I was able to make reservations at the Shades of Green Military Resort so the lodging was affordable. The following day was spend at Universal Studio where Jeff and I blasted some aliens, Rescued ET, and saved all the Fairly Tales. We also met Schreck, Fiona, The Men in Black, Shaggy, Scooby and Dr. Brown. Jeff has so much fun, he slept the entire four hour drive home. He did not want to go home by the end of the week, but I felt fortunate to have given him the opportunity to come out and have a good time. I was proud that he had behaved so well and given me the ability to make it a wonderful trip. I plan to do something again next year, Maybe swimming with the dolphins and the Keys.

Saving the night, you will find out later.

After this trip being the adventurous guy I am, I decided I needed a vacation from my vacation. Aimee had invited me on a cruise to the Bahamas for her brother’s birthday. The tickets were already purchased and I was looking forward to some rest and relaxation. Aimee’s brother was unable to make the cruise due to an injury, but the rest of the family still came. Long Story short her family now knows me as El Gringo Loco and Aimee and I had a wonderful time. The cruise started on Friday with warm sunny weather and brought us to Paradise Island. We met some wonderful people both on and off the cruise. We almost missed the boat, but I will get to that later.

Atlantis Resort and Casino.

The nice thing about a cruise is that it is worry free as long as you don’t mind spending ten dollars on a well drink. There is the duty free store, as much as you want to eat, and alcohol is abundant. I don’t have to tell anyone that has been on a cruise that half the people onboard probably drink more in three days, than they have in the last year. I teamed up to save karaoke, dance all night and saw some amazing aquariums.

How I saved Karaoke … well there were at the bow the ship at a bar that had karaoke, but no Journey. The group on stage was hacking the song they chose. Now this was not a song you can just hack, it deserved respect. No I don’t remember the song. So Chris and I joined them, stole the show, rocked the house and saved karaoke. That is all the details I remember, but the important ones. If you ever here an alternative to my version of the story, it is not true. Unfortunately Chris and I were not able to save karaoke on the last night of the cruise. The guys sang love ballads to their ladies all night, to make up for having to much fun.

When we arrived at Paradise Islands, Aimee and I opted to do the Atlantis Tour. I had been told the aquariums were amazing, and they are. This is one of the most beautiful resorts I have ever seen and the cheesiest tour I have ever been on. The grounds, hotel and aquarium all come together in a majestic montage of manmade architecture emulating the theoretical archeological finding of Atlantis with how they looked in ancient times. It is as spacious as you could imagine without a dull wall in sight. They have four incredible glass sculptures all by the same artist that are worth one million each. Hundreds of pieces of glass in shades that bend the light to make them stand out even in the low light. Now the tour guide had to emphasize the value and get the whole group excitedly saying it back to her. This I was okay with. We then walked down to the first view of the underwater aspect of the aquarium. Mana rays and smaller fish fill the water along with the sunken artifacts of Atlantis. Sun Dials, Crystals and ancient tools.

The life in the aquarium is awe-inspiring. From the nine foot wide manna ray, the grouper, small schools of fish and moray eels. They all seem to swim around peacefully not taking notice of the numerous eyes upon them. There is a grace to them, even in the captive state. The mana rays are actually immature, mature ones in the wild reach 30 feet wide. It was good to hear they raise them here, then set them free when they mature. At some point you enter a dimly lit passage. It is the dig site to where they found the ruins of Atlantis. At this point my “I believe button” stopped working. There are crystals that provided power by bending light, suits of fabric that served as deep-sea diving suits, and submarines. The smooth walls with aquariums built in demonstrate the advance knowledge of the Atlantians because they are preserved to this day. The final part of our tour brought up across the way to the predator tank in which an underground tunnel allow the sharks to swim around us. After Aimee was able to calm me down after I found out that none of this was real, we took a look at the rest of the hotel.

After looking through the shops and getting a good lunch recommendation of local food, Aimee and I met some friends at Senior Frogs near the cruise terminal, we promptly found them being the life of the party. We danced a little, then followed directions to get some local authentic food and beer.

This part of the island was drastically different than Atlantis. There were several construction projects that seemed to have halted mid construction. There was a mix of nice neighborhoods and run down shanty’s like I had seen in the mountains of Puerto Rico. Aimee and I were riding in a bus riding back to the cruise ship that was a very long scenic tour. It just kept going. People kept getting off and eventually the bus tuned around and headed to where we had come from. It was at this moment that we realized that we had taken the wrong bus and had approximately one half hour to make it back to the cruise. We made it back to the bus stop with three minutes remaining and had to run the remaining one half mile to get back. Long story short, we made it.

The rest of the cruise was fun. We met back up with our friends, danced one more night, failed to save karaoke. We departed the trip in Miami and had wonderful brunch with the dogs and Pat.

Lastly I was able to go home for the Holidays. In this case, both Hobie and I came home and for the first time in several years; the family and dogs were together again. It was truly a beautiful thing. We were able to go to the cabin, ski in some fresh powder and spend Christmas Eve and Christmas with both sides of the extended family. It is true when they say there is no place like home for the holidays. After all, your family are the ones that have stood by you your entire life and will always be there. I could have gone without the skiing and the cabin, but opportunity to once again enjoy with family was priceless. It was the first time in about ten years that the family has all been together on the slopes. I cannot truly put into words how it felt, but I believe that my family and I appreciated the opportunity to be a family once again.

Hobie and Mosely at Pinecrest

In short, Life is good. I have a good job, a wonderful family, A beautiful Girl and friends that make all the experiences worth it. Whatever life will throw at me, I just remind myself that I make it a good day and have the choice to enjoy every moment.

All We Did was Run ...

Oftentimes the reason we do something is as important as the way we achieve it.  This is not always apparent, but sometimes becomes very clear.  I participated in the Keys 100, a one hundred mile race from mile marker 100 in Key Largo to mile marker 0 in Key West.  I was a member of a six-runner relay team to honor our fallen shipmates.  It was an experience to say the least, both touching and inspiring.  I dedicate this blog to the Duque Family, it was both an honor and a privilege to have been a part of the team.

The Team and Supporters taking a short break.

The memorable aspect was not the challenge of the race, but the purpose behind it.  In running for our fallen shipmates, we ran for something more.  The support of the ones that had lost their children or friends was our reason to push to the end.  I cannot put in words the feeling of crossing that finish line as a team below the broken starry sky and the supporting families to cheer us on.  We were hurting with every step, but the joy of completion was overwhelming.  It is still hard to believe that 15 Relay teams ran 1500 miles to show respect for those they had served with.

The Race began at 0600 on Saturday morning and I don’t believe that anyone on our team knew what we were about to do.  The startling line was composed of characters from your serious runner to the male ballerina swans.  I have run for most of my life, but the last time I ran twenty miles in a day was about ten years ago while running cross country in high school.  Of the six members of our team, two could be considered avid runners.  Everyone ran an initial five-mile leg of the trip.  This was not a particularly difficult leg considering we all had fresh legs.  Once we had rotated through, we all ran our second leg.  The fatigue has started to set in, but the apex of the challenge was still to come.  For me, it was my third leg. 

After a five and four mile leg, I ran eight miles over seven mile bridge.  The run started just fine, with a minor misdirection onto the wrong bridge.  Fortunately someone informed me that the other bridge is the one I wanted.  I am glad they did, considering the non-continuous walkway only went about a mile out before I would have had to swim the rest of the way.  At this point I met the line of endless orange cones going off as far as I could see.  They vanished at the central rise of the bridge and beyond the next island looked close.  I kept running thinking that at the rise, I would be near the end.  Unfortunately, I was wrong.  The next island was not close and the cones still went as far as I the eye could see.  I could see the other island, but I was probably less than halfway done.  The sun was beating down, a small breeze would occasionally provide some relief and I just kept running.  I could finally make out the light poles running parallel to the bridge when I hit the wall and had to stop and stretch.  I started running again, and although every step was painful, I knew the end was near.  After an hour and ten minute run, the next runner relieved me.  My next two legs were still painful due to the fatigue, but tolerable and short in comparison.  When we crossed the finish line, I had run approximately 22 miles.

 A little celebration the next day.

 I suppose mile marker one is when the reverence settled in.  We were all meeting up to run the final mile and had reached Key West after running 99 miles.  I was looking up at the sky where a break in the clouds had revealed the starry night above.  The challenge of the race had been the heat, distance and fatigue we were all feeling.  I had been so focused on running that all I had seen most of the day was the path in front of me.  Even though I was tired and hurting like all of us were, we knew we would not fail.  It was a long last mile, but the Duque family met us a little off the finish line to guide us in and the camera crew from the Coast Guard was waiting.  The only thing I felt when crossing that line was satisfaction and joy.  We had succeeded as a team.

Seven Mile Bridge

I have never lost a friend in the line of duty, nor had to bury a child.  I did not know the Duque family or other effected families.   I cannot even fathom what it is like to go through what they have had to come to grips with.  All we did was run, but that small act meant the world to them.  On the rare occasion, we have the opportunity to immeasurable impact someone’s life in a positive way.  I can only hope that as individuals and as a group, we have the courage to do so.