An Oak Harbor native was among the U.S. Coast Guard crew members of the USCG Cutter Walnut who helped deliver much-needed water to the island nation of Tokelau last month.
Lt. j.g. Michael Amersbach, a 2003 graduate of Oak Harbor High School, is part of the crew of the Walnut, a 225-foot buoy tender home-ported in Honolulu. (Whidbey Crosswind was unable to reach Amersbach for comment.)
Tokelau, a territory of New Zealand in the South Pacific, consists of three coral atolls. A months-long drought in the area left Tokelau’s 1,500 residents with only enough drinking water to last a week in early October.
A joint humanitarian effort between the U.S. Coast Guard and the New Zealand ministry of foreign affairs was launched to supply Tokelau’s residents with fresh water.
“This is a very real humanitarian need here,” U.S. Ambassador David Huebner said at the time. “We are talking about approximately 1,500 people who could be out of fresh water within a week so we really needed to act very quickly.”
“A Hercules C-130 aircraft from Ohakea, New Zealand will transport several water containers and a seven-person needs assessment team to American Samoa and rendezvous with the Walnut,” said Capt. Eric Brown, a response chief for the 14th Coast Guard District. “The Coast Guard is in a unique position to assist New Zealand with this humanitarian mission because we have a capable asset that is available to respond.”
Tokelau has no usable airfield, making an air mission impossible. The Walnut was loaded with about 36,000 gallons of drinking water and rendezvoused with New Zealand’s seven-member assessment team in American Samoa. After a 358-mile, 30-hour transit the Walnut arrived in Tokelau on Oct. 7, six days after being contacted.
The Walnut is uniquely equipped to perform this mission and has been involved in several major operations in the last 10 years.
In Nov., 2002, the crew of the Walnut left on a six-month deployment to support the U.S. and Coalition forces in Operations Eduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. the cutter crew provided logistical support to coalition forces and established a navigational channel in the Khawr Abd Allah waterway leading to the Iraqi Port.
In the summers of 208 and 2009, the Walnut crew assisted the U.S. Army and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration personnel in recovering more than 62,000 pounds of marine debris from the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. The debris was delivered to the Hawaiian Electric Company on Oahu,where it was converted into electricity.
In May, 2010, the Walnut deployed to the Gulf of Mexico for six months in support of the Deep water Horizon oil spill. The crew recovered more than 270,000 gallons of oily water. During its transit to the Gulf of Mexico, the Walnut crew interdicted and Eduadorian go-fast vessel and confiscated 300 pounds of cocaine.
“We are a military service whose mission is multi-operational; not only do we service aids to navigation, perform search and rescue and law enforcement, we also have the capability to respond to humanitarian missions,” said Lt. Cmdr. Brian Huff, commanding officer of the Walnut. “We are fortunate to be in the position to work with foreign and local governments and help the people of Tokelau.
Tokelau officials lifted a state of emergency on Oct. 27, following the first substantial rainfall in nearly six months. Still, officials say the atolls should prepare for future water shortages, and say they plan to continue to emphasize water conservation and reserve management for the long-term.
Whidbey Crosswind editor Kathy Reed contributed to this story.
