A U.S. Coast Guard cutter responsible for patrolling the Orange County coastline will be in Dana Point Harbor on Saturday, April 13, to provide a glimpse into the job the crew aboard does.
Commanded by Lt. j.g. Annabella Farabaugh, the 87-foot Narwhal has a staff of 12. It is the only active Coast Guard unit in Orange County and is one of seven cutters that operate in the Coast Guard’s Southern California fleet.
Typically docked at the Coast Guard facility on Bayside Drive in Newport Harbor, on Saturday it will be docked at the Ocean Institute for public tours from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Narwhal’s mission is to secure the country’s maritime borders, but its crew also participates in search and rescue missions, enforces immigration laws, oversees local fisheries and responds to oil spills. The ship typically patrols coastal waters from the Mexican border to the Channel Islands. The Coast Guard is the only one of the six U.S. Armed Forces to serve under the Department of Homeland Security.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary, a volunteer group that supports the Coast Guard, is hosting the public outreach event with the Ocean Institute. Those who show up can go aboard the ship and chat with Farabaugh and her crew.
“She is an outstanding example and role model for young adults who wish to serve their country in a leadership role,” said Garry Nelson, who is the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s division commander overseeing six auxiliary flotillas with about 208 members between San Mateo Point and Seal Beach.
Farabaugh, who took over during a change of command ceremony in June, is a graduate of Georgia Institute of Technology and the US Coast Guard Academy. About 38% of the 1,000-plus cadet corps there are women, and women make up about 15% of the overall service, she said.
“The Coast Guard is not as well known as the Navy, Marines and Army,” Nelson said. “This is an active warship they’re getting on.”
And, those interested in joining the auxiliary can also learn more about the opportunities involved. There are three auxiliary groups in Newport Beach, as well as groups in Huntington Beach, Seal Beach, and north Orange County.
Members include experienced boaters, former Coast Guard veterans and newbies. The Coast Guard Auxiliary, established in 1939, includes 26,000 men and women nationwide, serving in 825 local units.
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