Introduction to jobs at sea

Ensign Intermediate School eighth-grader Lyssa Aruda liked steering the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Narwhal during a field trip this week. But the most fun the 13-year-old had on the ship Wednesday was cocking a 50-caliber machine gun.

Lyssa and more than 20 of her classmates got a chance to simulate shooting the unloaded gun. They also learned about the equipment the crew uses to rescue people at sea, and the technology used to navigate the cutter.

The free field trip aboard the ship was organized by their physical education teacher Joe Fuschetti, who hopes to expose students to not only the ocean, but also to jobs such as that of crew member Casey Curry, who demonstrated how the gun is used.

“Hopefully this may be an eye opener for them,” Fuschetti said. “Not everybody can go on the cutter, so it’s going to be memorable for them.”

Scott Felder, 14, said he’ll remember the cutter and cocking the gun.

“It’s an amazing ship,” Scott said.

Scott and the other students were on board the ship for an hour and a half, enjoying the ocean views and the sunny weather on Wednesday.

Water activities have “been a lifelong passion of mine,” Fuschetti said. “I try to get children exposed to these wonderful resources we have here on the water.”

Crew members Phill Gomez and Joshua Garces demonstrated the wetsuit and floating equipment they use when rescuing people in the ocean.

“If you guys are really good swimmers you can join the Coast Guard,” Gomez said to the students.

Sarah Tegel, 12, was impressed with their jobs but said she wanted to pursue another type of job at sea.

“My father is in the Navy so I want to join the Navy,” Sarah said.

Before Sarah and the other students boarded the cutter, they got a tour of the Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol station.

During the tour they met Capt. Deana J. Bergquist, the first woman in the county to hold that position.

“You guys can do anything,” Bergquist said to the students who were touring her office. “Law enforcement offers a lot of rewards and challenges.”

Fuschetti told the female students they could aspire to be a captain like Bergquist.

“I think she would be a role model for women if they wanted to be like her,” Sarah said.

The field trip was set up through Fuschetti and the Ensign Nature Academy. Part of his physical education class includes fishing and boating. The field trips are funded through a $5,000 grant from the Future Fisherman Foundation.

Three years ago, Ensign was the first school in the state to teach fishing and boating, Fuschetti said.

The annual trip aboard the cutter is open to the first 50 students who sign up, he said.

“My goal is to expose them to other lifetime activities other than football, like rock climbing, archery, kayaking and fishing,” said Fuschetti, who owns the Coffee Company, a business in Newport Beach.