Office of Public Affairs
U.S. Coast Guard Thirteenth District


Press Release Date: Nov. 28, 2005
Contact: Public Affairs Officer

(206) 217-6300

COAST GUARD CUTTER CIRCUMNAVIGATES NORTH AMERICA, RETURNS HOME

SEATTLE - The Coast Guard Cutter Healy, the nation's largest
icebreaker, returned home to Seattle today after completing her 2005
North American circumnavigation.

Healy, commanded by Capt. Daniel K. Oliver, left Seattle on June 1 for
a scientific deployment in the Arctic Ocean. Healy was designed in
cooperation with the National Science Foundation as an arctic research
vessel to be operated by the U.S. Coast Guard.

During the Arctic deployment of 2005, Healy achieved several milestones
including the third visit to the geographic North Pole by a U.S.
surface ship and the second ever trans-arctic expedition by surface
ships. Additionally, Healy hosted the Ocean Exploration branch of the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for an intensive
one-month survey of marine life under the polar ice cap. Healy
scientists and crewmembers used divers and remotely operated vehicles
to complete this survey which included the discovery of multiple new
species of marine life.

The North Pole expedition began on Aug. 5 in Dutch Harbor, Alaska. On
Sept. 1, Healy rendezvoused with the Swedish icebreaker Oden. The two
ships worked together to navigate leads of open water and cracks
through the ice to reach the North Pole. Along the way Healy's 47
embarked scientists from nine countries conducted seismic surveys of
the sea floor, took salinity and temperature samples of the water
column, sea ice samples, and sediment cores in depths reaching 2,800
meters. Healy and Oden continued to work together until reaching the
eastern edge of the polar ice cap on Sept. 22. Information gathered
from these expeditions will help to understand global climate change
and provide valuable insight into the formation of the Arctic basin.

During this deployment, Healy's 85-member crew sailed over 22,000 miles
circumnavigating North America; 4,800 of these miles were ice covered.
Healy visited five foreign ports in addition to transiting the Panama
Canal. Healy will undergo routine maintenance in preparation for her
next scientific deployment beginning in late spring 2006.

More information about USCGC Healy can be found by visiting
www.uscg.mil/pacarea/healy.







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The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service
within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and
security of America.