Seal Sent Back to Sea During Coast Guard Open House

An estimated 650 people attended the annual U.S. Coast Guard Station Shinnecock Open House in Hampton Bays, according to event organizers.

The open house brought together Coast Guard personnel, members of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary’s East Moriches Flotilla and representatives from several community organizations. The event focused on maritime education, boating safety and the work performed by the Coast Guard and its community partners.

Visitors toured Coast Guard boats and attended knot-tying demonstrations. Boating safety information, educational exhibits, Child ID cards and interactive displays were also available.

The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office K9 Unit conducted a contraband-detection demonstration at the station.

K9 Hecki, working with Deputy Sheriff Idtensohn, completed several detection exercises during the approximately 20-minute presentation.

The day also included the release of Moonstone, a rehabilitated male gray seal, by the New York Marine Rescue Center.

Moonstone was found stranded in Delaware as a malnourished seal pup suffering from pneumonia and a parasitic infection. He was transferred to the New York Marine Rescue Center and medically cleared for release following four months of specialized care.

Personnel from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration monitored an approaching storm and provided forecasts to event organizers. As weather conditions deteriorated, Moonstone’s release was moved to an earlier time. The open house also concluded earlier than scheduled.

Coast Guard personnel, Coast Guard Auxiliary members and Marine Rescue Center representatives released the seal into the water behind the station as spectators watched from the shoreline.

“The turnout was one of the largest we have seen at this event in a long time,” said Andrew Tarantino, division commander for the Coast Guard Auxiliary’s Eastern Long Island Division. “It demonstrates the tremendous support our community continues to have for Coast Guard Station Shinnecock and the Coast Guard Auxiliary.”

The Coast Guard Auxiliary is the uniformed volunteer component of the U.S. Coast Guard.