laststandonzombieisland

A rarely seen combined fleet of some 26 District 7 Coast Guard cutters from the entire East Coast of Florida and South Georgia moored at the piers of Sector Key West for storm avoidance during Hurricane Matthew earlier this month.

In the above images, you can spot three medium endurance cutters including two 270-foot Bear-class and one 210-foot Reliance-class (Diligence, WHEC-616), 10 new 154-foot Sentinel-class Fast Response Cutters (WPCs), an WLIC type construction tender, a couple of 110’s and at least six 87-foot Marine Protector-class WPBs.

Word is, drinks at the Hog’s Breath and along Duval’s watering holes were bottomed out.

In addition to the USCG armada, the bulk of the Royal Bahamas Defense Force, some nine haze gray patrol boats, weathered Matthew at Key West tucked in among the cruise ships and the old USCGC Ingham.

Once the all clear was sounded, many of the cutters left for urgent disaster relief along the U.S. coast as well as in Haiti. The RBDF vessels sailed home to their own disaster response– stocked with diapers, bottled water and non-perishable food donated by the people of Key West.