USS Artemis (SP-593) - Return To America

Return To America

On 6 December, Arcturus embarked six passengers for transportation back to the U.S., and at 07:00 on the 7th got underway for home in company with Wheeling, Surveyor, the Coast Guard cutters Yamacraw, Druid and Wenonah. One day out of Ponta Delgada, Arcturus suffered the now-familiar problem with her condensers; and, while the other ships proceeded on, Surveyor stood by the ailing Arcturus on 11 December.

Subsequently encountering more condenser troubles occasioned by the pounding the ship was taking in the December gales, Arcturus had to be taken in tow by Surveyor on Christmas Day. Casting off on the 27th, Arcturus arrived at Grassy Bay under her own power the following day. On the last day of 1918, the yacht sailed for New London, Connecticut on the last leg of her homeward-bound voyage.

Reaching New London on 3 January 1919, Arcturus spent over two months (with the exception of a trip to Melville, Rhode Island and back on 4–5 January 1919, for coal) at the District Base, New London, assigned to the Atlantic Fleet's Reserve Squadron. Underway for New York City on 25 March, the yacht moored at pier 72, East River, that evening. She moved to the navy yard two days later, for coal, and ultimately arrived at Ulmer Park Marine Basin, Brooklyn, New York, on 30 March.