Lieutenant Commander Patrick Armstrong passes the torch with a smile. (KCAW/Nina Sparling)

The Cutter Kukui welcomed a new commander today. Lieutenant Commander Raymond Reichl of Juneau takes over for Lieutenant Commander Patrick Armstrong.

The crew of the Kukui stood at attention throughout the ceremony (KCAW/Nina Sparling)

The change of command ceremony took place aboard the buoy deck. Over the course of his tour in Sitka, Lieutenant Commander Armstrong led the crew on a voyage through the Northwest Passage. He was the first to take a boat through the tricky waterway in several decades.

Lieutenant Commander Reichl is thrilled to join the Kukui crew. (KCAW/Nina Sparling)
The ceremony drew a small crowd, mostly of servicemembers and their families. (KCAW/Nina Sparling)
The rain held off for much of the ceremony aboard the CGC Kukui. (KCAW/Nina Sparling)