NEW LONDON, Connecticut – The Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival announces U.S.
Coast Guard Cutter Ida Lewis will participate in this year’s annual celebration,
Sept. 9-12, in New London.
Ida Lewis, a 175-foot-long keeper class coastal buoy tender, is scheduled to arrive
at Fort Trumbull, Sept. 9, and will be open for free, public tours on Friday and
Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The crew will also participate in Saturday’s Great
New London Chowder Challenge.
“The United States Coast Guard is excited to be partnered with the city of New
London and the state of Connecticut to proudly showcase how the Coast Guard conducts
numerous missions to keep our shores safe and waterways open,” said Capt. Edward J.
Cubanski III, commander, Coast Guard Sector Long Island Sound.
Built in 1995, Ida Lewis is the Coast Guard’s first and oldest of the fourteen
keeper class coastal buoy tenders. Home ported in Newport, Rhode Island, Ida Lewis
was designed to support and execute a variety of missions including: law
enforcement, aids to navigation, migrant interdiction, marine safety inspections,
environmental protection and ice breaking duties.
Ida Lewis is equipped with state-of-the-art electronics and navigations systems
including Dynamic Positioning System (DPS) which allows Ida Lewis and the rest of
her class of coastal buoy tenders to maneuver and position aids more accurately and
efficiently with fewer crewmembers to keep our waterways safe.
The festival is the wrap-up event in Connecticut’s Coast Guard Summer 2015, and will
be co-chaired by Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman and Adm. Robert J. Papp, USCG (Ret.), 24th
Commandant of the United States Coast Guard and now member of the Board of Directors
of the National Coast Guard Museum Association.
Festival highlights also include the arrival of and visits aboard the Oliver Hazard
Perry (Rhode Island’s official tall ship), an elegant Captain’s Ball honoring
University of Connecticut President Susan Herbst and six U.S. Coast Guard “Every Day
Heroes,” a lighted boat parade, a schooner race, educational programs for
schoolchildren, a juried maritime art show on the pier at Waterfront Park, whaleboat
races on the Thames and the Great New London Chowder Challenge.
There is no charge to visit the festival. A complete schedule of activities is
available (and will be updated regularly) at www.CTMaritimeFest.com.
About the Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival
The Connecticut Maritime Heritage Festival, a production of OpSail Connecticut, is a
celebration of our state's maritime heritage, history and spirit of innovation.
Working with community partners, our purpose is to draw attention to the important
role the sea has played in the formation of our state and nation, and to honor the
role schooners played in that development. The festival takes place Sept. 9-12 in
the historic city of New London. More information on events and sponsorship
opportunities may be found at www.CTMaritimeFest.com.
About Connecticut’s Coast Guard Summer 2015
Governor Dannel Malloy has designated the summer of 2015 as Connecticut’s Coast
Guard Summer, in celebration of the 225th anniversary of the founding of the United
States Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Academy’s 100 years in New London, and the City
of New London’s recognition as an official Coast Guard City. As part of
Connecticut’s Coast Guard Summer, which will run through September, several major
event organizers in New London will choose themes to commemorate USCG for its
service to the region and nation.
