Narwhal will reach Newport Beach today

Lt. John Kidwell

Editor’s Note: During a 35-day journey from New Orleans to Newport

Beach via the Panama Canal, Lt. John Kidwell, commander of the new Coast

Guard cutter Narwhal, has offered to keep the Newport-Mesa community

updated on the crew’s journey through a series of e-mail reports and

photos from a dozen ports of call. On Wednesday at 12:30 p.m., the ship

is scheduled to makes its way to Newport Harbor. The following is his

seventh report as he takes our readers aboard the ship:

This short article is about our short stay in Acapulco, Mexico. We

arrived here from Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala, about 0600 on Aug. 21. What

a trip. My track line took us directly through the Gulf of Tuanapeck.

This gulf is known throughout the world as one of the worst sea states in

the Pacific Ocean. It lived up to its name during our transit.

We encountered more than 10-foot seas taken off the beam of our small,

but tough, 87-foot ship. She sailed like a champion, keeping us safe

through the night. Again, we gained confidence in her abilities day by

day.

When we arrived at the entrance to Acapulco, we were boarded by a

pilot, as well as our husbanding agent, Jean Paul Valtorta. I knew

Valtorta very well due to the fact that my previous duty station was on

the Coast Guard cutter Hamilton out of San Diego. This would be my fifth

time to Acapulco in the past two years. Visiting here as the commanding

officer would prove to be much busier and rewarding.

The highlight of the day was our trip to the naval base on the north

side of Acapulco. This base is beautiful. It has been renovated since my

last visit and about $3 million was spent. My executive petty officer and

I were directly taken to meet the commander of Mexican naval forces, Zone

8. His name is Vice Adm. Felipe Velazquez Avilez. He presented the

Narwhal with a beautiful plaque and we conversed for a while about our

trip to and from Acapulco. He opened the naval base to myself and the

crew, and I did the same for his members to come and see our new cutter.

Today, we have already given three tours consisting of more than 20

Mexican naval officers apiece.

On Aug. 23, we set sail to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where we will be

staying three days. The crew is really looking forward to that port call,

though they know that Golfito, Costa Rica, and La Union, El Salvador,

will never be topped until we reach our home port in Newport.

I have received confirmation that our commissioning ceremony is set

for Nov. 2. It will be at the Coast Guard Moorings (adjacent to the

Orange County Sheriff Harbor Patrol offices). On behalf of the Coast

Guard, the Narwhal and her crew, I would like to extend an open

invitation to the fine citizens of Newport Beach. Those who wish to

attend can contact Executive Petty Officer Chuck Lindsey at (949)

673-0420 upon our return to home port. Having the citizens of our

surrounding area attend what will be the most important ceremony in the

Narwhal’s history would really kick off her tenure in grand fashion. We

hope to see you all there.

***

This is Chuck Lindsey, executive officer of the Narwhal, writing the

following for Lt. John Kidwell:

The transit from Acapulco to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, was smooth

sailing the entire way. Our 460-nautical-mile track leg took us north

along the Mexican coast through one of the most intense lightning storms

any of us had ever seen. Huge bolts touched down all around us for more

than 10 hours. The show was spectacular.

Pushing faster to stay ahead of the weather, we arrived in Puerto

Vallarta around 2300 on Aug. 24, eight hours ahead of schedule. Our stay

so far here in Puerto Vallarta has been great. On the morning of Aug. 25,

the captain, Lt. John Kidwell and I were escorted to town to meet Capt.

Carlos Cuautemoc Pineda Rossier of the Mexican Navy.

From there, we were escorted to City Hall to meet the mayor of Puerto

Vallarta. We also met the chief executive of the Department of Tourism,

who welcomed us and awarded us with a beautiful plaque commemorating our

maiden voyage and visit to Puerto Vallarta. As we have found in all of

our ports of call, the hospitality is overwhelming. Puerto Vallarta is a

beautiful city and has much to offer any visitor.

For the mariner, the entrance to the bay is huge and easily navigable.

The marina is beautiful with excellent facilities. We are all looking

forward to the rest of our stay here. For most of the crew members, it is

their first time to Puerto Vallarta. From here, we depart to Cabo San

Lucas, Mexico, our final foreign-port call. Only a thousand more miles

until the jetties of Newport Harbor. Though we are all having a wonderful

time, we are all looking forward to the familiar waters of Southern

California.

***

I wanted to send you a quick update on our stop in Puerto Vallarta,

Mexico. The most incredible thing happened here for myself and the

Narwhal. Those who are familiar with the military and government will

contest to the fact that any time a public official comes aboard a

military ship, it is a big day for that vessel.

Well, on Sunday afternoon (Aug. 26) I was roaming the streets of

Puerto Vallarta, when I decided to take a rest in the lobby of a small

hotel. When I sat down, I had chosen a seat next to two other gentlemen

in the lobby. Well, after some very light conversation, one of the men

said he knew my father in Oklahoma. This was very exciting for me, but

there is much more to the story. I quickly realized that the man who knew

my father, and entire family for that matter, was none other than

Oklahoma Rep. Joe J. Hutchison. Not only is he a good friend of my family

-- he has known my father for 30-plus years and his daughter and my

sister are best friends -- but I reside in his district and he has been

my representative for more than nine years.

I do not have to tell you what an honor it was to have Rep. Hutchison

on board our new ship, my first command. He came for a tour of the ship

and a great lunch, which I am sure he will tell you was awesome. What a

story: an Oklahoma boy in the Coast Guard receives his first ship as

commanding officer. On this new cutter’s 5,000-nautical-mile maiden

voyage home, by a chance meeting he has the privilege of having aboard

the state representative from not only his home state of Oklahoma, but

his own district within that state, the district in which he and his

family have lived for more than 30 years.

What makes it even better is the fact that our families are so close

and know each other very well -- our houses are only about four or five

miles apart. How could this trip get any better?

Sh FYI

The Coast Guard cutter Narwhal will berth at 1911 Bayside Drive at the

Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol landing in Corona del Mar at 12:30

p.m. today.