Happy 4th
of July and we hope you survived
the Fourth. More on that in next
e-mail. We got our big escort
job of the year, pay was good
too. At noon on the 2nd Margie,
Capt. Erik, Adair, Al, Keegan
and I got under way with the
BLUEBERRY to meet the USCG EAGLE
at West Point and escort her
with CG 83527, MARITIME
INSTRUCTOR , fire boat LESCHI
and the USCG ORCAS into Seattle
Harbor. We had a great time;
Chuck Fowler who put this all
together met us off Golden
Gardens in a USCG 26116 - a go
fast aluminum boat that he
boarded at Edmonds. We tied them
alongside for 5 minutes and gave
them the grand tour of the
BLUEBERRY and presented the OINC
a BLUEBERRY cap and pin and away
they went, blue light flashing.
We mounted our 50 on the forward
deck so we were ready for
anything. Forming up behind the
LESCHI at West Point we took off
in line with CG83527 following
us and behind her was MARITIME
INSTRUCTOR (ex POINT DIVIDE)
brought up by the active COAST
GUARD CUTTER ORCAS and behind
her was the EAGLE. It made quite
a sight, although it was a
little hazy and I wasn't happy
with some of the pictures but we
were strung out a long ways.
Chuck took
pictures and I will share with
you when I receive them. LESCHI
turned on her monitors at Pier
91 and the city disappeared in
the mist. Nothing like having a
new fireboat, very impressive.
The COAST GUARD had 2
helicopters doing maneuvers
flying back and forth. The
parade came down alongside the
Seattle waterfront and the EAGLE
anchored up off the container
docks just north of pier 36 with
9 shots of chain out. Capt. Erik
asked permission from the ORCAS
to slide by the EAGLE to take
pictures which was granted.
After the picture taking was
over we headed for the locks and
home. It was a great day very
little wind, warm and we all had
a wonderful time and of course
lots to eat. Capt. Erik ran the
BLUEBERRY and that was the first
time in my life to go thru the
Locks sitting in a deck chair.
Of course Lockmaster Chuck
Gillespie picked on me over the
loud hailer for sitting on my
duff, but that of course makes
it that much more fun.
CAPT. MARK
FREEMAN PHOTOS, FREMONT BOAT
MARKET, EST; 1916; FREMONT
TOWING, EST; 1915; TATOOSH
TOWING AND SALVAGE EST; 1947;
MARK FREEMAN'S MARITIME MUSEUM
AND RENTGREATSPACE.COM.
