SEATTLE — The U.S. Coast Guard heavy icebreaker Polar Star arrived back in Seattle Saturday after spending nearly three months away. The crew completed a historic mission under revised COVID-19 protocols.
The coronavirus pandemic prevented crew members from getting time away from the ship as they avoided the usual ports-of-call.
The crew left the first week of December after a two-week quarantine and two rounds of double COVID tests. When it was deemed safe, the crew turned their focus to the mission: Defending U.S. waters and helping with scientific research.
“The things we learned on this trip are going to inform Coast Guard investments in the future,” Capt. Bill Woityra said.
It was a trip like no other — a deployment deep into the Arctic where the crew turned isolation into opportunities for training, scientific research and military maneuvers.
One of Polar Star's missions was to send a message to Russia about America's presence in the region after increasing incidents involving the Russian harassment of U.S.-based fishing vessels.
“We had terrific interactions with Russian border guards. They were surprised we were up there,” Woityra said. “The US hasn't had an asset in the Arctic in the winter in almost 40 years.”
The crew was able to collect data about ice and deploy thermographs. But it's not easy work. Temperatures were brutal and they worked in darkness for days on end.
“Right around Christmas time, when we were at the furthest north extent, it had been 10 days total without a sunrise,” Woityra said. “We made it as far as 72 degrees North, which is a winter record for latitude. No other U.S. surface ship has ever been that far north in the winter.”
“Seeing Northern Lights was really cool, but the stars were magnificent, indescribable, it was breathtaking to see,” Petty Officer First Class Cynthia Oldham said.
Isolation on the boat kept them safe from COVID, but it meant sacrifices for their loved ones back home.
“I'm so thankful for my husband's support and the sacrifices he made,” Oldham said. “My kids are in 5th and 6th grade and they're doing the remote schooling, so he's been handling everything at home. So I'm grateful for his support.”
No sooner had the boat docked, crew members were offered COVID vaccine shots. The captain said 99% of the crew plan to get vaccinated. The crew will now get a few weeks off and then they will take the boat down to San Diego and begin dry dock work to get ready for the next mission.
