The U.S. Coast Guard formally opened its new facility on the East End of St. Croix at a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday.
The two-story, 5,000 square foot leased property in Estate Solitude contains the resident inspection office and the boat forces detachment, including two new 29-foot Response Boat Small II generation boats. The property includes a boat maintenance shop, an armory, storage space and parking.
Previously the Coast Guard inspection officers and boat forces were scattered and located, at various times, in Christiansted, Castle Coakley, Gallows Bay and at the Hovensa refinery.
The purpose of the inspection office is to investigate pollution and marine casualties, manage the island’s navigable waterways and inspect federal waterfront facilities and containers. The staff also inspects small craft passenger vessels, cruise and foreign freight ships, tankers and cargo ships once a year.
According to Lt. Roger Bogert, the inspection unit’s supervisor, more than 100 inspections were conducted in 2012 and as many as 250 were being conducted annually when the Hovensa refinery was operating.
The boat forces are a detachment of the Coast Guard Boat Station in San Juan. Their mission is search and rescue, fisheries enforcement, homeland security and law enforcement including drug and migrant interdiction. The unit also educates the public on safe boating and escorts cruise ships and certain commercial cargo vessels entering and departing St. Croix.
Chief Alan Dooley, who manages the boat forces, said their mission is often “routine police patrol.” Depending on the weather conditions, boats cruise off shore as far as 10 nautical miles or stick closer to shore.
Being stationed at the new facility, means less travel time, Dooley said. Response boats and personnel can be launched from the northeast and southeast shores of the island.
Capt. Drew Pearson, commander of the USCG Sector San Juan and Virgin Islands, said Coast Guard personnel insure the vessels that go to sea come back safely, as well as protecting “those on the sea and the sea itself.”
The boat forces were stationed on St. Croix after 9/11, Pearson said, “to insure the safety of vessels coming and going to the island – mainly Hovensa.”
The Coast Guard also participates in strike force operations and hurricane preparedness said Pearson, who gives the final order to close the ports when a storm approaches. He said the order is issued from San Juan command center after consultation with the local Coast Guard supervisors, the V.I. Territorial Management Agency and other responders.
Pearson said he visits the territory every month or so to “make sure they’re doing the job and their needs are met.”
Attending the ribbon cutting were Pearson, Delegate Donna M. Christensen, Raymond Williams representing Government House, and several Coast Guard personnel and auxiliary members.
“Thank you, most of all, for being so responsive to the needs of our community,” Christensen said. The “payoff” is a better ability to intercept contraband and search and rescue operations, she added. “We’re glad to have the facility and the increased attention the Coast Guard is giving St. Croix and the territory.”
