Jr. characterized this practice as "somewhat dangerous". Since buoys often mark shoals, rocks, and other hazards to navigation, tending buoys necessarily brings a cutter close to these dangers. When tending buoys assigned to a different cutter, the lack of previous experience can increase the risk. The higher risk became manifest in December 1989. Mesquite began her usual duties picking up her buoys before advancing ice could damage them. USCGC Sundew was late coming out of shipyard repairs, so Mesquite was once again tasked with removing some of her buoys as well. Mesquite picked up 25 of her buoys and headed to Lake Superior to pick up Sundew's. She retrieved at least 35 before she pulled the light buoy which marked the shoal off Keweenaw Point. With the buoy aboard, she got underway. At approximately 2:10 am on December 4, 1989 she ran onto the shoal and went aground. The hull was pierced, but the pumps were able to keep pace with the incoming water. Wind and waves were moderate, but enough to pound the ship on the rocks. After three hours, the flooding became uncontrollable. The captain ordered Mesquite abandoned at 6:17 am and the crew was safely evacuated. Three suffered minor injuries. The crew was taken aboard a passing cargo vessel, Mangal Desai, which had responded to Mesquite's distress calls. USCGC Acacia, USCGC Katmai Bay, and CCGS Samuel Risley responded to the scene. Up to of oil containment boom was deployed to capture a diesel fuel leak from Mesquite. High winds and waves up to battered the grounded ship on December 8 and 9, damaging the hull further, tearing off her rudder, and toppling her mast. The Coast Guard concluded at this point that the ship could not be salvaged in winter conditions. Instead, efforts were made to pump off the remaining fuel, salvage high value equipment, and seal the ship for the winter. On January 4, 1990 the Coast Guard announced that it would decommission Mesquite on January 31, 1990. Her damage was so great that it would not be worth attempting to restore her to service. The captain of Mesquite chose to stand for court-martial after the grounding, rather than resign. In September 1990 he was found guilty of hazarding his vessel, but was acquitted of dereliction of duty. In January 1991, the appeal of his conviction was rejected. Causes Investigations subsequent to the loss of Mesquite