Welcome Aboard!
The Coast Guard Base is Located at the Intersection of Hanover and Commercial St.
Best time to contact your sponsor will vary depending on Spencer's in port time, However, when in port, Spencer's crew can best be contacted between the hours of 0700 and 1300. When reporting aboard, the appropriate uniform will be trops. If you are arriving while Spencer is away from Boston, you may contact the OOD at Boston ISC
For many "salty" sailors reporting on board a 270 is just another opportunity to return to the cherished wild blue. For sailors who have never had the pleasure of serving on a deep-water vessel, there are many surprises and adventures awaiting you. Life on board a 270 can appear isolated, but you will find an opportunity to share a fellowship with many like-minded shipmates, who all strive to do the Coast Guard's missions at sea. When first reporting on board, you'll receive training in Basic Damage Control. This training will consist of many classes and trips to various Naval Training Centers, such as the "USS BUTTERCUP" damage control trainer and the Basic Shipboard Fire Fighting School in Newport, RI. Through this training, you will become confident in your ability to stand together with your shipmates to ensure the safety of the ship. While you are completing your Damage Control PQS, you will also be required to qualify in a watch station. Specific watch station qualifications will vary according to your rate and rank. The average time it will take to complete all of your PQS requirements will range between four to six months. When you have completed your basic qualifications, you will have the opportunity to pursue other qualifications. Other qualifications can include Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Boarding Officer (BO) or Boarding Team Member (BTM), small boat engineer, rescue swimmer, flight deck crew, and many more. Your opportunities on board SPENCER do not end with just your Coast Guard career. You can also take advantage of the CLEP and DANTES college degree programs while underway as well as extra technical training through Smart Force CDROM training. The possibilities are endless. Shipboard life is not all work and studying, though. During holiday routine, you are free to pursue other hobbies such as playing an instrument or fishing off the fantail. Many shipmates also enjoy kicking back and watching the Ship's Direct TV satellite TV system or working out in our ship's gym, which includes a variety of weights, treadmills, exercise bikes, and a versa-climber. Shipboard life will be demanding, but you will also find that it will be an experience that will fill you with sea stories you'll remember and share for the rest of your life