PEARL HARBOR — The U.S. economy is headed for a recession, Congress is trying to reverse a credit crisis with a $700 billion bailout and August visitor arrivals for Hawai'i were down 17.3 percent compared with a year ago.

Yet fiscal constraint is not a big issue at the moment for Machinist Mate 2nd Class Chris Putrzenski, 21, one of thousands of sailors who streamed off the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln yesterday evening for a few days of liberty.

"Money is not really an object because we just came off five months of tax-free pay," said Putrzenski, who's from Medford, Ore. "I'm a single sailor with no bills. We've got some money saved up, burning a hole in my pocket."

Waikiki is ready for him.

The Lincoln, with about 5,000 crew and air wing personnel, tied up at Hotel Pier yesterday after a seven-month deployment, much of it to the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman, said Capt. Patrick Hall, the carrier's commanding officer.

The Pearl Harbor-based guided missile destroyer Russell is expected to return home today, and other ships that are part of the Lincoln strike group — the cruiser Mobile Bay, frigate Curts, and the destroyers Momsen and Shoup — are expected to stop in Pearl Harbor through the week.

That adds up to about 6,500 sailors — a small town's worth of business — who will have some free time and spending money in Honolulu, providing a mini-boon to the economy.

"Five thousand extra people spending money here is always a good thing," said Trace Harrington, president of Hawaiian Surf Adventure in Hawai'i Kai.

Harrington's surfing business, linked in with Jet Ski rentals, scuba and parasailing, is in the traditional low season, but with the economy hitting the skids, "this year is definitely slower than usual," he said.

Niki Doyle, general manager of Hard Rock Cafe, said "when an aircraft carrier comes in, we absolutely get a big jump in business."

"The whole place fills up with them. They almost come straight from the carrier to us."

Doyle said the business brought in by sailors like those off the Everett, Wash.-based Abraham Lincoln is welcome at a tough economic time, and because it's an unbudgeted bonanza.

"It's not budgeted for sales because we're not allowed to have the schedule of when they (aircraft carriers) are coming," she said. "They buy a ton of retail, which is great for us. They are usually boozing it up. They spend a lot of money on alcohol, and of course, they all eat. We'll get a group of 40 guys walk in and spend three hours and hundreds of dollars."

Putrzenski was waiting in line with shipmate Machinist Mate 2nd Class Bryan Kelly to leave the ship after it tied up yesterday about 5 p.m.

Putrzenski said he plans to see some friends in Pearl City, do some shopping in Waikiki, and hit a couple of favorite restaurants. He said he also wants to buy some electronics.

"I'm not drinking (during) this in-port. I'm taking a break," Putrzenski said.

That got a somewhat surprised look from Kelly.

"Really?" Kelly, 22, from Boulder, Colo., asked quizzically.

For his own part, Kelly said: "I'm a sailor. I think that's enough that needs to be said there."

Kelly said he wants to do "some of the tourism things. I want to go scuba diving."

7,100 SORTIES

The Lincoln, with Air Wing 2 and its strike group escort ships, deployed to the Persian Gulf region and western Pacific for security and combat operations.

Hall, the commanding officer, said there was plenty of heat and dust as the carrier undertook duties for about two months off Iraq and then made the transition to the Gulf of Oman in support of operations in Afghanistan.

"Really, the highlight was what the aircraft and pilots were doing onboard the ship," Hall said. "They were flying in support of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan."

The air wing flew more than 7,100 sorties and completed more than 22,000 flying hours in support of coalition forces.

Hall said about 1,100 civilians who are family members of Lincoln sailors will be onboard the 1,092-foot nuclear-powered carrier for a "tiger cruise" from Hawai'i to San Diego — visitors who also are adding to Hawai'i's economy.

From San Diego, the carrier will head up to Everett, Wash. The Lincoln is expected to leave Pearl Harbor on Friday, and its escort ships will depart through the weekend.

The carrier made port calls in Singapore, Dubai and Thailand on the deployment.

Alyssa Roxby, who flew in from Washington state, was squinting into the setting sun yesterday as she waited on the pier yesterday for her husband, Matthew, a 22-year-old air-framer on the Lincoln.

The couple was married for seven months before he deployed.

Roxby said the wait was "horrible. Very lonely," but the time spent in Hawai'i will be "an anniversary trip, kind of," and they're staying at the Hale Koa Hotel.

BUSINESS BOOST

Rex McLendon, a 21-year-old who works in aviation maintenance administration, said he's probably going to spend some time at the beach. He's also planning on getting a tattoo.

"I've got some friends that live around here," the Baytown, Texas, man said. "I'll hang around with them a bit, get some good food for once. I've got plenty of money. I'd imagine we'll have a pretty good time."

Sean McCready, a tattoo artist and one of the owners of Tattoolicious in Waikiki, said aircraft carrier arrivals "definitely are a boost" for business.

"They come in and they are running around town like crazy because they have a short amount of time." At his shop, "you can be booked out of your mind."

"It's a short burst, but it helps out when things are slow," McCready said. "It really gives a little bit extra income for the economy over here."

Sailors often get larger Japanese-themed tattoos now, as well as old standbys such as roosters and pigs on their feet, a tradition that had its roots in warding off the possibility of drowning.

The Pearl Harbor-based guided missile destroyer Russell, which was part of the Lincoln strike group, is expected to return home this morning.

The Russell left Pearl Harbor March 24 to join the strike group. On June 8, Russell responded to a vessel in distress between Bossasso, Somalia, and the Yemeni coast, in the Gulf of Aden, the Navy said.

The Russell's crew assisted the 45-foot boat, which had serious engine problems, and had been adrift for two days.

The Navy said there were about 70 people on board, some of whom needed immediate medical help. Seven were transferred to the Russell and treated for severe dehydration and malnutrition.