Semper Paratus

Steven De Beste as a piece today about the USCGC Boutwell deploying to the Gulf. Baysiders, boaters and bridge commuters are accustomed to the Boutwell and CG craft gliding through the bay waters. Not a few of us have been towed off a mud flat or rescued from our weekend folly afloat.

Steven rightly tells of the Boutwell's might and strength and the Boutwell's website of her fine record. This line made me grin.

"...in 1967 Boutwell rolled 68 degrees in a storm while on an Alaskan patrol. This is the greatest roll on record for a Coast Guard cutter.

Gulp.

My office windows overlook a small boat marina, a picturesque gaggle of Victorian buildings housing offices and restaurants, boat yards and the Coast Guard Island on the Oakland-Alameda estuary...it's a laid back, slow sort of place...a wide winding road follows the shore...it's almost a backwater but for the red CG choppers whooshing by to the landing zone on the far side of the island. The restaurants, delis and coffee shops in the area are patronized by Coast Guard personnel, we exchange pleasantries, juggle for parking spaces and tables. Men and women in uniform are part of the background of my daily life. I sort of forget they are there. Until tonight...I was working late...taps drifted in the open window as they retired the colors for the night. It gave me pause. I packed up and headed home.

Work was busy today, no time for my daily reads, so imagine my surprise when I settled in the home cockpit, a glass of Merlot in hand and clicked on the USS Clueless. This is the beauty of the Blogoverse and the Net...the connections...someone far away reaches out and touches a piece of your day.

Amazing.

Here is a link to Pacific Tides Online, a CG zine style forum (hunk alert!). The Boutwell's FPO is on their site and a webmaster address...bet they wouldn't mind some mail from bloggers.

Posted by feste at February 14, 2003 11:36 PM