PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Photo by FSO-PB Jonathan James. Rose Festival Fleet Week 2011
Lowest vessel to upper vessel: 52' Motor Life Boat Triumph
100 foot Inland Buoy Tender Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell
157 foot Coastal Buoy Tender Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake

MLB Triumph was specifically designed for assignment to a Pacific Northwest region station, where severe surf conditions were commonly encountered. The original wooden 52’ MLB versions, although proven highly capable for heavy weather rescue operations, were quickly wearing out and needed replacement. It was determined that their replacements should have hulls of steel rather than wood, aluminum superstructures, twin diesel engines and propellers, and self-righting and self-bailing features. Triumph was built in December of 1961 and stationed at Station Cape Disappointment.

Coast Guard Cutter Bluebell was commissioned April 4. 1945 in Tacoma, Washington. Cutter Bluebell is in charge of maintaining 420 Aids to Navigation on over 300 river miles on 3 different rivers. This is 23 percent of the entire 13th District buoys and aids. Another historical fact about the Bluebell is that she is the second oldest cutter in the Coast Guard fleet next to the Queen of the fleet. 100-foot inland construction tender Coast Guard Cutter Smilax.

Coast Guard Cutter Henry Blake is the thirteenth of the Keeper Class of the Coastal Buoy Tenders. Henry Blake was placed in Commission, on the 18th of May 2000 and began her journey of over 9,400 nautical miles over a six month period which included port calls in 4 countries and 11 states on her way to her home port in Everett, Washington, which she arrived at on the 14th of September 2000. Henry Blake is responsible for the maintenance of 80 lighted, 39 unlighted, and 65 shore aids to navigation.