It’s official: Narwhal is in action

Deirdre Newman

NEWPORT HARBOR -- As the first patrol boat in the Long Beach-Los

Angeles Harbor after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the cutter Narwhal

has been an invaluable weapon in the Coast Guard’s patrol efforts.

And it has seen steady action ever since.

On Friday, the Coast Guard finally made the ship official during a

commissioning ceremony here.

Local officials and Coast Guard members gathered to welcome the newest

addition to the coastline patrol force. The Narwhal was decked out in

full dress ship for the occasion with flags from various countries strung

from fore to aft.

Rep. Chris Cox emphasized that during wartime, with security

heightened around the nation, the Narwhal’s responsibility of homeland

security is intensified.

“The Coast Guard has been fighting for the United States since 1789,

but never in our history is it more important than it is today,” Cox

said. “Because of the nature of this war, the Coast Guard is on the

front lines as never before.”

The Narwhal’s arrival in Newport Harbor on Sept. 5 culminated a

41-day, 5,200-mile journey from New Orleans to Corona del Mar via the

Panama Canal. The Daily Pilot chronicled the trip so local residents

could keep up on the various ports of call.

The 87-foot Narwhal represents a new class of boats featuring an

innovate launch and recovery system and high-tech navigational

operations, such as an electronic chart display system that interacts

with new surface search radar.

Lt. John Kidwell commands the new ship and said the nation’s

heightened sense of alert is not diminishing his excitement of taking

over the helm of a new vessel.

“The attitude of the world is different, but my feeling is the same,

and it’s the greatest feeling I’ve ever felt,” Kidwell said.

After the ceremony, it was time to check out the Narwhal and all its

accouterments.

“I love it,” said Gary Walker of Simi Valley. “It looks like it’s an

appropriate vessel for this type of water. I especially like the new

launch facility.”

Many of the community members who came to see the Narwhal said they

felt a renewed sense of appreciation for the Coast Guard.

“I’ve lived here for 25 years. I have a boat, and I’m very much aware

of what the Coast Guard does,” said Newport Beach resident Patricia

Schuler. “I read about its journey, I saw it arrive, so it was important

for me to be here today.”