Woosh -- we're staying again

The pre-departure excitement aboard the USS John F. Kennedy Tuesday morning wooshed out of the aircraft carrier when sailors learned their 12:30 p.m. exit from Boston was once again delayed, this time because of high winds.

Knowing his 2,300 sailors were itching to get home from this ever-lengthening port call, JFK Commanding Officer Capt. Todd Zecchin asked the crew for continued patience.

“I need you guys to hang tough for me,” Zecchin said over the public address system. “We’re going to get out of here as soon as the weather clears up.”

JFK’s arrival date at Mayport Naval Station also has been repeatedly adjusted. First it was Thursday, then Monday, then Friday. Zecchin told the crew to expect arriving sometime Saturday morning.

Sustained winds of about 45 mph had channel waters teaming with white caps at noon and at one point were pushing the Mayport-based warship against the pier where it has been docked for nearly a week.

“That’s another [child’s] birthday I am going to miss,” said a chief petty officer who declined to give his name.

Manuevering the 1,052-foot-long ship in a narrow channel against high winds would have been risky for the carrier and the tug boats hired to guide it to sea, officers explained.

“Winds were exceeding 40 knots, which is very dangerous for us,” Kennedy spokesman Lt. Walter Matthews (pictured above on flag bridge) said moments after the decision was made to remain in port another 24 hours.

The ship left Mayport Feb. 20 and stopped briefly in Norfolk on its way to Boston for March 1-5 pre-decommissioning events honoring the JFK and its namesake, President John F. Kennedy. It’s Monday departure was delayed in order to take on an additional fuel reserve of 1 million gallons, Matthews said.

After 39 years of service, the Kennedy is slated for retirement. After a March 23 decommissioning ceremony in Mayport, the ship will be prepared for deactivation then towed to Philadelphia for storage.

Machinist mate Brittany Townsend said she didn’t have big plans for Friday but was disappointed all the same by the delay. “I think everybody is,” she said.

Zecchin said safety was his main concern.

“We do not want to be a permanent fixture in Boston due to running aground,” he said.