Her next period at sea, which began on 4 March, brought action. On 10 March, light cruiser and destroyer Eberle were investigating a cargo liner which had been spotted by Santees aircraft and which had been tentatively identified as the Karin, a Dutch merchantman. It turned out to be the German blockade runner Kota Nopan (ex-Dutch Kota Pinang). As the Eberle boarding party drew alongside, explosives placed by the abandoning crew detonated, killing eight boarders. On 15 March, Santee set out for Norfolk and anchored at Hampton Roads on 28 March.
