USCGC Point Highland ( WPB - 82333 ) USCGC " Point Highland " ( WPB - 82333 ) was an Point class cutter constructed at the Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay , Maryland in 1962 for use as a law enforcement and search and rescue patrol boat . Since the Coast Guard policy in 1962 was not to name cutters under in length , it was designated as " WPB - 82333 " when commissioned and acquired the name " Point Highland " in January 1964 when the Coast Guard started naming all cutters longer than . Construction and design details . " Point Highland " was built to accommodate an 8 man crew . She was powered by two VT800 Cummins diesel main drive engines and had two five - bladed propellers . Water tank capacity was and fuel tank capacity was at 95 % full . After 1990 she was refit with Caterpillar diesel main drive engines . Engine exhaust was ported through the transom rather than through a conventional stack and this permitted a 360 degree view from the bridge ; a feature that was very useful in search and rescue work as well as a combat environment . The design specifications for " Point Highland " included a steel hull for durability and an aluminum superstructure and longitudinally framed construction was used to save weight . Ease of operation with a small crew size was possible because of the non - manned main drive engine spaces . Controls and alarms located on the bridge allowed one man operation of the cutter thus eliminating a live engineer watch in the engine room . Because of design , four men could operate the cutter ; however , the need for resting watchstanders brought the crew size to eight men for normal domestic service . The screws were designed for ease of replacement and could be changed without removing the cutter from the water . A clutch - in idle speed of three knots helped to conserve fuel on lengthy patrols and an eighteen knot maximum speed could get the cutter on scene quickly . Air - conditioned interior spaces were a part of the original design for the Point class cutter . Interior access to the deckhouse was through a watertight door on the starboard side aft of the deckhouse . The deckhouse contained the cabin for the officer - in - charge and the executive petty officer . The deckhouse also included a small arms locker , scuttlebutt , a small desk and head . Access to the lower deck and engine room was down a ladder . At the bottom of the ladder was the galley , mess and recreation deck . A watertight door at the front of the mess bulkhead led to the main crew quarters which was ten feet long and included six bunks that could be stowed , three bunks on each side . Forward of the bunks was the crew ' s head complete with a compact sink , shower and commode . History . " Point Highland " was stationed at Little Creek , Virginia , from the time of her commissioning in 1962 to 1965 . She was used for law enforcement and search and rescue operations . On 16 June 1965 , she stood by the Norwegian freighter " Blue Master " and following a collision off Cape Henry . She transferred to Crisfield , Maryland in 1965 to replace the which had been assigned to duty in Vietnam . On 22 February 1967 , " Point Highland " assisted following a collision between motor vessels " Bodoro " and " Beaver State " on the Potomac River . On 22 February 1967 , she towed the disabled tug " Hay - de " and a barge following a collision with motor vessel " Hellenic Halcyon " 10 miles north of Smith Point . On 21 January 1970 , she located an towed a barge containing 1 , 200 tons of sulfuric acid four miles northwest of Tangier Island until she was relieved by a commercial tug , an operation for which she was awarded her first Coast Guard Unit Commendation . On 23 March 1970 , she recovered a Navy LCM that had been abandoned in the Chesapeake Bay . She was ordered to Key West , Florida , for temporary duty during the Mariel Boatlift , in the summer of 1980 . While assigned to this operation she assisted seven refugee boats and was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal . " Point Highland " transferred to Chincoteague , Virginia , in April 1981 . She made her first drug bust later that year on 2 – 4 October when she seized a pleasure yacht on the Chesapeake Bay that was smuggling 10 tons of marijuana . During a winter storm in February , 1983 , the cutter was called out to assist the disabled fishing vessel " Theodora " . At the same time , 30 miles east of Chincoteague , the 605 - foot coal freighter " Marine Electric " reported that she was taking on water . After escorting the " Theodora " to Chincoteague Inlet , " Point Highland " raced to answer the " Marine Electric " ' s distress call . Battling 30 - foot seas , 40 knot winds , and below - freezing temperatures , she arrived on scene and began what proved to be a futile search for survivors . " Point Highland " then recovered 17 bodies . She was awarded her second Unit Commendation for these actions . On 26 December 1985 " Point Highland " again distinguished herself in a marathon rescue case by saving four persons from the distressed sailing vessel " Canisvlie " t 336 miles off of Oregon Inlet , North Carolina . She battled 25 - foot seas and 50 knot winds to effect the rescue which took 77 hours to complete , and at that time this was the longest offshore rescue by a WPB in Fifth Coast Guard District history . For her actions with this rescue she was awarded the Coast Guard Meritorious Unit Commendation . On 17 July 1987 , she towed the disabled fishing vessel " Betty J " safely to Chincoteague . She participated in the military exercises Solid Shield ' 89 and Ocean Venture ' 90 . During this same time she escorted the carrier into Norfolk , escorted three Soviet warships during their port call to Norfolk , and conducted maritime law enforcement operations with the Virginia Air National Guard . From 1997 to 2001 , " Point Highland " was stationed at Cape May , New Jersey but during Operation Desert Storm she was assigned to patrol a security zone at the Sunny Point Military Ocean Terminal , in Southport , North Carolina . She spent three weeks in March , 1991 on the Cape Fear River protecting this vital depot . She was awarded her third Unit Commendation and a second Special Operations Service Ribbon for this operation . She then earned two Meritorious Unit Commendations and a Special Operations Service Ribbon for " aggressive and productive maritime law enforcement operations . " From August 1991 to August 1992 " Point Highland " initiated 35 Federal fisheries cases , six zero tolerance drug cases , one illegal immigrant case , one boating while intoxicated cases and apprehended five fugitives from justice . " Point Highland " was decommissioned on 24 July 2001 and transferred to the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago at a dockside ceremony in Cape May . She was renamed the " Bacolet Point " .