Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket Changes Command in St. Pete

The Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket changed command May 10 in St. Petersburg.

Coast Guard Lt. Ryan Waitt is now the Nantucket's commanding officer.  Lt. Andrew S. Dunlevy, former commanding officer of Coast Guard Cutter Nantucket,  heads to San Diego to pursue a Master's degree, the Coast Guard reports.

Highlights of Dunlevy's command of the Nantucket included  "nine counter drug and migrant interdiction deployments off the shores of Miami and Key West. During the patrols, the crew interdicted more than 270 migrants and conducted several repatriations that resulted in returning more than 90 illegal immigrants attempting enter the United States," according to a media release.

"It has been a privilege to serve with this crew over the past year," said Dunlevy. "Due to changing circumstances and an extremely busy theater of operations, this year has flown by. The adaptability and willingness of the crew to always find the best in every situation has been nothing short of amazing."

The Nantucket's new commanding officer comes  from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Conn., where he has taught for the last three years.

The Nantucket, a multi-mission 110-foot Island Class patrol boat, provides law enforcement and lifesaving services as needed along the coast.