Saturday 16 January 1999
As of 0800 this morning, the Empire State was located at 19 degrees 55 minutes North latitude, 075 degrees 10 minutes West longitude. That puts her approximately 1 nautical miles south of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. She is heading 021 degrees true (NNE), doing 6 knots. The depth of water under the keel is 2540 fathoms. The weather at her position is clear, wind out of the East @ 3 kts, sea state 1 (1 foot), air temp 80 degrees F, water temp 80 degrees F. Barometric pressure 1021 millibars.
CAPTAIN'S LOG:
Arriving at Guantanamo Bay Cuba is an interesting diversion on the way to Barbados. We arrived in the harbor at 0730 this morning and took the Harbor Pilot aboard at 0805. The whole operation went like clock work. We were tied up and finished with engines at 0910.
The primary reason for our visit here is to complete lifeboat training for 3/C cadets. The training began quickly after docking and will continue until about 1600 today. After that important work is done, the anxious cadets will be granted only very limited liberty in "GITMO", as Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is affectionately called by sailors. The U.S. Navy has graciously allowed the officers, crew and cadets of the Empire State access to all that the base has to offer.
Upon our arrival we were greeted by three contingents - a Navy liaison officer, two camouflaged Security Police, and three civilian Military Welfare and Recreation persons. Each has a task to perform and were quick to get started.
The military liaison officer, LCDR Jack Van Zandt, is efficient and very helpful. He also acts as the head of port control. In addition to scheduling our pilot, he directs shore side support people who assist in connecting fresh water hoses, telephone lines, etc. He also controls the important trash and garbage service.
The Base Police present the rules and regulations which govern our actions while ashore. They ensure personnel safety, and assist in almost any emergency.
The Morale Welfare and Recreation Department (MWR) is tremendously important to the residents of a closed base like GITMO and the MWR liaison officer, Ms. Anna Ratcliffe, and her people have graciously volunteered to provide the same services to our cadets and crew. She exudes excitement about the place and offered the use of all recreational services, such as base clubs, athletic facilities, scuba/diving trips, fence-line tours, and religious support. Everyone here has been extremely hospitable since we docked.
Speaking of the docking, our Pilot, Chief Luc Bodenheimer brought Empire State in beautifully, she just kissed the dock. Well done!
GITMO has fewer people than it did ten short years ago, but it still offers our cadets a glimpse of what an American military base looks like in a relatively hostile area. It has been a military base since 1902, and has been held continuously despite Cuban government efforts to close it that date back to 1957. The perimeter fence that separates the base from the rest of the island marks the boundary of the second largest minefield in the world.
I certainly hope all the persons aboard enjoy this brief respite from the ship's moving decks and respect our Navy hosts for the pleasurable experiences they can provide and for just allowing us to stop here.