CT OPERATION SAIL (OPSAIL) 2012 CONNECTICUT, 06-08 JUL 12

-OPERATION SAIL (OPSAIL) 2012 CONNECTICUT WILL TAKE PLACE

06-08 JUL AND COMMEMORATES THE BICENTENNIAL OF THE WAR OF 1812.

US NAVY AND US COAST GUARD SHIPS, SAILORS, AND MARINES WILL BE SUPPORTING THE EVENT AND ITS MANY FAMILY-FUN ORIENTED FESTIVITIES.

-KEY EVENTS THAT MAY INTEREST NAVY TEAM NEW LONDON MEMBERS AND FAMILIES INCLUDE:

-FRIDAY, 06 JUL:

(1) EIGHTEEN PARTICIPATING OPSAIL SHIPS WILL ANCHOR IN NIANTIC BAY TO TAKE PART IN A KICK-OFF EVENT THAT INCLUDES A NAVY AMPHIBIOUS LANDING CRAFT STORMING THE BEACH. A LANDING CRAFT AIR CUSHION (LCAC) FROM THE NAVY DOCK LANDING SHIP, USS CARTER HALL (LSD 50), WILL MAKE AN AMPHIBIOUS LANDING ON NIANTIC'S HOLE IN THE WALL BEACH AT 4PM. THE LCAC WILL ROLL-OFF OF A HIGH MOBILITY MULTIPURPOSE WHEELED VEHICLE (HMMWV).

(2) THE LANDING WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A WELCOME CEREMONY IN THE ADJACENT MCCOOK PARK. THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE OBSERVE THE LCAC LANDING FROM MCCOOK PARK AND TOUR THE LCAC AND HUMVEE AT HOLE IN THE WALL BEACH. THE PUBLIC MAY ALSO MEET AND GREET OPSAIL CREWS DURING THE EAST LYME OPSAIL FOOD STROLL STARTING AT 6:30 PM IN DOWNTOWN NIANTIC.

B. SATURDAY, 07 JUL:

(1) AMERICA'S TALL SHIP, THE COAST GUARD BARQUE EAGLE (WIX 327) WILL LEAD USS CARTER HALL (LSD 50) AND A PARADE OF 22 SHIPS UP THE THAMES RIVER TO MOORINGS IN NEW LONDON. THE OFFICIAL PARADE UP THE THAMES RIVER WILL BEGIN AT 10 AM, WHEN EAGLE ROUNDS NEW LONDON LEDGE LIGHT AT THE MOUTH OF NEW LONDON HARBOR. IN ADDITION TO USS CARTER HALL, FOUR YARD PATROL CRAFT FROM THE UNITED STATES NAVY ACADEMY WILL REPRESENT THE NAVY AND PARTICIPANT IN OPSAIL CONNECTICUT EVENTS. REPRESENTING THE U.S COAST GUARD IN ADDITION TO EAGLE WILL BE 87-FOOT COASTAL PATROL BOATS SAILFISH AND RIDLEY, BUOY TENDER JUNIPER (WLB 201), AND ICEBREAKER MORRO BAY (WTGB 106).

(2) AT 11 AM, THERE WILL BE A FLYOVER OF THE PARADE BY US COAST GUARD AIRCRAFT.

(3) THE US COAST GUARD BAND WILL HOLD A FREE AND OPEN, PRE-FIREWORKS CONCERT AT FORT TRUMBULL STATE PARK AT 7:30 PM.

(4) A THAMES RIVER FIREWORKS EXTRAVAGANZA WILL TAKE PLACE AT 9:15 PM.

C. SUNDAY, JUL 08:

(1) A COAST GUARD SEARCH AND RESCUE DEMONSTRATION WITH A HELICOPTER AND SMALL BOAT WILL TAKE PLACE JUST OFF THE FORT TRUMBULL STATE PARK PIER IN THE THAMES RIVER AT 11 AM.

(2) THE NAVY BAND NORTHEAST WILL HOLD FREE AND OPEN CONCERT AT FORT TRUMBULL STATE PARK AT 5 PM.

D. SHIP TOURS: THE PUBLIC WILL BE ABLE TO VISIT USS CARTER HALL, USCGC EAGLE, AND OTHER OPSAIL SHIPS WHEN THEY ARE OPEN FOR TOURS SATURDAY,

07 JUL, AND SUNDAY, 08 JUL. USS CARTER HALL WILL BE OPEN FOR TOURS AT STATE PIER FROM 2 PM TO 5 PM SATURDAY  AND FROM 12 PM TO 5 PM SUNDAY.

E. FOR DETAILED INFORMATION ABOUT ALL OPSAIL 2012 CONNECTICUT EVENTS AND VISITING THE SHIPS, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.OPSAIL2012CT.ORG.//