Alaska Deployment (U.S. Coast Guard)

[geoffp]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to share some photo's from my recent deployment to Alaska with the Coast Guard. We left Honolulu, HI at the beginning of May and returned just a few days ago (early August). Alaska is a beautiful place, but after 3 months I was looking forward to get back to Hawaii! Enjoy the pictures:

Leaving Hawaii:








Pacific sunset



Kodiak, AK





Hiking Barometer Mtn in Kodiak (with growlers!)





Kashevaroff Mtn, Kodiak, AK


"License Plate Challenge" - Kodiak


RUSH in Kodiak

Mmmmm Sushi!


<Epic Mealtime>We fished for a little bit of Halibut. Actually we fished for a lot of Halibut!</Epic Mealtime>


Looking at Glacier Bay Park from the Gulf of Alaska:


After Kodiak we headed to Juneau, AK for a change of command ceremony. Juneau was an amazing place!

Transiting to Juneau via the Inside Passage





While we were in Juneau I set up a hike at Mendenhall Glacier for the crew:


Me on my way to the glacier:

Mendenhall Glacier:

Someone's lunch!!






I brought my BMX bike and cruised the city the next day:



What's that they have a skatepark?!





Smoking cigars for my friends last night underway:


Dutch Harbor:




stand by for more...

[mrsleeve]

wow some one of these days I am going to make it up there to alaska. for both work and play.

[TexasTerp]

Dude that's fantastic! I spent 8 weeks last summer in Fairbanks (way up north and inland). It was amazing! I've been wanting to spend some time in Juneau, you definitely convinced me to head over there!

[archie]

Amazing pictures!

[geoffp]

We pulled into Cold Bay, AK for logistics. The transit in was pretty amazing, saw a lot of HUGE brown bears in the wild. And paintings of brown bears:



After that we went back to Dutch Harbor for a port call. I had set up a trail run for the crew. Unfortunately the entire crew (including myself) spent the entire night drinking our asses off at one of 3 bars in Dutch Harbor. I spent the early morning hours over the toilet in my berthing area, and managed to wake up for a 4 mile run up a mountain (that only 3 people showed up for). Still not sure how I pulled that off:

My buddy Alec


After spending the remainder of that day hung over I decided to take advantage of the next day by doing a good hike up Mt. Ballyhoo


The mountain is littered with WWII bunkers and cement walls, covered in graffiti



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We left Dutch Harbor and while we were in the Bering Sea we were due for a gun shoot, using our 50 cal and 25 cal:







And back to Dutch Harbor...Again...

I took this with my iPhone 4, using the hipstamatic app, its probably one of my favorite pics I snapped:

MMMM Coffee....





Me climbing on a ledge for a photo


Some more shots in the Bering Sea

[geoffp]

Okay, almost the end (I promise). So we were almost done, CO decided to head back through some scenic area's. We transited through Shumagin Islands. It was pretty amazing, lots of beautiful scenery, and extra work for the crew. But I didn't hear anyone complaining.





I took this photo of my friend Cam, I really like it. Probably one of my favorite "lifestyle" photo's - I've taken anyway.


Engineering Officer and Operations Officer

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Chief Warrant Officers:

Anchor Detail

Me

Nice pipe




Another favorite shot from this patrol:

Messcooks:


Pulling back into Kodiak before we headed for Honolulu, HI:







That's pretty much it, all in all it was a lot of fun. Lots of long days, but a hell of an experience. Until next time...

[Cong405]

I've always wanted to go to alaska and the pictures you posted makes me want to go up there even more.

When you signed up to become a US Coastguard, did they give you a choice or selection to where you wanted to go or did they just threw you wherever they thought was best?

[5Toes]

Been in and around Anchorage several times. Love it there.

[geoffp]

I've always wanted to go to alaska and the pictures you posted makes me want to go up there even more.

When you signed up to become a US Coastguard, did they give you a choice or selection to where you wanted to go or did they just threw you wherever they thought was best?

I had a say in where I wanted to go; however, most people avoid 378's (the cutter I'm on) like the plague. And a lot of people don't want to go to Hawaii believe it or not. So it wasn't tough for me to get this tour. Its a lot of work but a great reward.