On Aug. 4, the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Naushon was in port to offer public tours of the vessel. The tours were offered in celebration of Coast Guard Day.

The Naushon has 17 employees directed by commanding officer Lt. Will Singletary. The Naushon is a patrol boat assigned to the port of Homer.

“This is the Coast Guard’s birthday, Aug. 4th, 1790. So, we’re at our 233 birthday this year,” Singletary said.

Other celebrations around the country are dependent on where the ships are located; many are still actively deployed. “Some places, like Grand Haven, Michigan, are known for having large multiday celebrations,” Singletary said.

The cutter is on the water roughly two weeks each month so “it’s nice to be able to let people from the community come visit the boat,” he said.

”I’ve had several people today mention that they see the boat in the harbor but they’ve never been able to see any more of the ship. We’re a public asset and I think being able to share what we have on board is important.”

When active, the ship can travel up to about 200 miles into the Gulf of Alaska. “If we’re going that far, though, there’s usually some particular reason we’re headed out, though” he said.

The 110-foot patrol boats are meant to be more coastal oriented.

The Naushon is a sector Anchorage asset. This regional area of patrol responsibility runs from Kodiak, Cook Inlet and the Central Gulf to Valdez in Prince William Sound.

The tour of the boat included the interior of the vessel below deck, galley, bunks, bridge as well as the exterior deck.