A long-awaited visit

June Casagrande

For more than a year, Newport Harbor Nautical Museum directors

have been looking forward to a chance to show off the Narwhal, the

new U.S. Coast Guard cutter that forms Newport’s best line of defense

in the water.

But a planned visit by the Narwhal to the museum last year was

canceled after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Since then, she’s been

busy because of the country’s heightened state of alert. The 87-foot

cutter’s job is to patrol the coast from Ensenada to Morro Bay.

Corona del Mar, though, is home base for the ship that was formally

commissioned on Nov. 2.

And now, for the first time since the ship was commissioned in

November, the museum has found and seized a chance to show her off.

“We’ve been wanting to get the Narwhal here all this time,” said

Marshall Steel of the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum.

On Saturday and Sunday, community members can show up at the

museum for a free peek into the ship that shields them from the

world. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and admission to the Narwhal and

museum is free.

Once on board, visitors will get a crash course in some of the

things that make the Narwhal special, such as its high-tech

navigational system and an innovative launch-and-recovery system.

Displays and crew members volunteering their time will highlight some

interesting and important facts about the boat.

“I think it’s just a good thing for the people to see,” said Raymi

Wun, quartermaster second class aboard the Narwhal. “It’s good for

local people to see their local Coast Guard and crew -- to meet the

people who are working for their defense.”