I’m Kevin McGurgan and currently the British Consul General for Florida, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, based out of Miami.
I have less than one year before my next diplomatic posting (wherever that may be) but before I go, intend to write a monthly blog about the UK-Florida relationship. I’ll share some of the insights I’ve gained during my three and half years service here so far.
This one is about our security co-operation, in particular the work of the Royal Navy.
Florida has had a longstanding and special relationship with the Royal Navy. In the 18th century, HMS Looe was deployed in the Florida Straits to intercept enemy shipping. In 1744, she sank after running onto the reef during an engagement with a Spanish ship off what is known today as Looe Key Reef, near Marathon in the Florida Keys. A WWII Royal Navy sailor is buried in Key West cemetery.
During my time here, Florida has hosted more Royal Navy ships visits than any other US state. This has ranged from our latest Type 45 destroyers HMS Daring and HMS Dauntless (not of Pirates of the Caribbean fame!) to HMS Lancaster (currently on service in the Caribbean) and HMS Argyll, who visited Key West in August.
HMS Argyll is on the homeward leg of what, appropriate for Key West, is best described as a seven month Hemingwayesque tour of the Atlantic and Pacific. Commander Tim Neild and his ship’s company have put her through her paces. She has sailed 30000 miles between three continents, brokered collaboration between West African armed forces, navigated iceberg floes in the South Atlantic while providing security for the Falkland Islands, taken on the Cape of Good Hope and transited the Panama Canal.
While in the Caribbean, HMS Argyll worked successfully with US, Colombian and Canadian allies to deter potential drug traffickers as part of Operation Martillo, a 15 nation counter narcotics effort. In recognition of this, Commanding Officer Time Neild was presented by Rear Admiral Steve Mehling of the US Coastguard with a “Snowflake” flag – a snowflake (representing cocaine) with a red X over it for the successful bust. HMS Argyll will fly this proudly when she pulls into her home port, Devonport, later this month for a well earned welcome reception.
However it’s not all about drugs busts on the high seas. HMS Lancaster – who also visited Key West this year – has an important disaster response role for the UK’s Caribbean Overseas Territories (Anguilla, Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos, British Virgin Islands and Montserrat) during hurricane season. Her role is to assist the Territories with their post hurricane operations, using the ship’s company and facilities to provide services from energy and clean water to emergency transportation. And in Miami, a Royal Navy helicopter pilot is on a reciprocal loan to the US Coastguard.
While the UK-Florida security relationship is not well known, it remains essential for our joint defence and prosperity.
Next month I’ll be blogging about Florida’s changing demographics, the State’s long term ambitions and what this means for the UK-US relationship.