MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard cutter to return home after 69 days conducting hurricane relief, law enforcement operations

News Release

Nov. 12, 2017 U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay (305) 965-4672

MEDIA ADVISORY: Coast Guard cutter to return home after 69 days conducting hurricane relief, law enforcement operations

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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Venturous is scheduled to return home Monday to St. Petersburg following a 69-day patrol conducting hurricane relief and law enforcement operations in the Caribbean Sea.

 

Who: The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Venturous.

What: Return to homeport following a 69-day patrol in the Caribbean Sea.

 

Where: Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg South Moorings 1301 Beach Drive SE, St. Petersburg, FL 33701.

 

When: Monday, Nov. 13 at 3 p.m.

 

 

Media interested in attending are requested to arrive no later than 2:30 p.m and RSVP to Petty Officer 2nd Class Ashley J. Johnson at 305-965-4672 or Ashley.J.Johnson@uscg.mil.

 

The crew of the Venturous transited more than 8,000 miles patrolling the waters around Puerto Rico, enforcing counter narcotics laws, conducting search and rescue, and performing hurricane relief operations in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria.

 

In September, the Venturous crew deployed a week early to avoid Hurricane Irma’s path. The Venturous assumed command of a surface action group, responsible for the safety of seven other smaller cutters, riding out the storm at-sea prior to escorting them to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where the cutters re-provisioned and awaited fair weather.

 

During the patrol, the Venturous crew worked closely with federal partners to bring humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies into the Puerto Rican ports of San Juan, Ponce, and Fajardo, as well as the islands of Culebra and Vieques, following Hurricane Maria. Overall, the crew delivered more than 150,000 pounds of relief supplies to five coastal cities in Puerto Rico, including 7,000 gallons of fuel and 5,500 gallons of water from the cutter’s tanks.

 

"Our crew was devoted to assisting the people of Puerto Rico in any way they could," said Ensign Benjamin Chapman, a crewmember aboard the Venturous. “The crew even graciously donated about 700 pounds of food from the cutter’s rations and 500 pounds of food from their personal supplies aboard, to aid the citizens of Puerto Rico.”

 

Venturous engineers also assisted ashore in Puerto Rico to troubleshoot mechanical equipment and repair generators and pumps. Engineers also fixed main water pumps in Vieques, returning usable water to hospitals, homes, and businesses on the island and in Culebra.

 

In addition, the Venturous crew assisted in port reconstitution efforts across Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, transporting surveyors from the Army Corps of Engineers, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with 2,000 pounds of survey equipment.

 

“During this patrol, the men and women of Venturous showed their best through their ingenuity, compassion, and selflessness, aiding in the recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands,” said Cmdr. Matt Chong, the Venturous’ commanding officer. “This is why many of us joined the Coast Guard, to help others. I am so proud of the work we did together and I am continually reminded that regardless of the challenge, our talented Coast Guard men and women are always ready and always willing to provide help to those in need.”

 

The Venturous is a 210-foot Reliance class cutter, homeported in St. Petersburg and has a crew of 76. Medium endurance cutters, like the Venturous, are slated for replacement by a new class of cutter – the Offshore Patrol Cutter (OPC). With the ability to operate more than 50 miles from land, the OPC will be a multi-mission asset, providing surface and air pursuit capabilities and interoperability with other military and federal partners.

 

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-USCG-