Story and photographs by Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas M. Blue 

Established in 1933, Coast Guard Station Panama City, Fla., is located on the Naval Support Activities Base, nestled on the south shore of Alligator Bayou, leading into St. Andrews Bay.

Station Panama City's area of responsibility spans more than 744 miles of coastline, including rivers leading into Alabama and Georgia.

With one of the largest AOR's in the Coast Guard, Station Panama City also has a small search and rescue detachment located in Carrabelle, Fla., which is staffed during the summer months-the busiest months of the year.This area of responsibility is maintained by more than 25 active-duty crewmembers and more than 20 reservists.

The station crew conducts law enforcement, search and rescue and environmental protection missions with two 41-foot utility boats, two 23-foot patrol boats and two 25-foot response boats.

The 11,000-square-foot station building sits on 11 acres and was dedicated in 1990 after it was moved from an adjacent building on the property. Prior to that, the station was located in St. Andrews Mariana.

Station Panama City also is home to the 87-foot patrol boat, Coho, an Aid to Navigation Team, an Electronic Support Detachment, a Marine Safety Unit and a Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla.

Members stationed in Panama City, have plenty of activities to occupy their time off. There are miles of white-sand beaches, St. Andrew's State Park and several miniature golf facilities along the beach.  

The average temperature for Panama City during the summer months range from 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, with an average low in the winter reaching only 51 degrees Fahrenheit.

For those planning advanced education, Panama City has a Florida State University campus and the Gulf Coast Community College located close to the station.

The Coast Guard has been serving Panama City for more than 70 years and continues to be "Semper Paratus".