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Tuesday, August 2, 2011

The Eagle Has Docked

No, this post is not about space, books, or movies. Even the wording has been changed – slightly. Instead, this post is about a very large ship – the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Barque Eagle.
eagle signs (2)eagle name collage
The Eagle was docked in New Bedford, MA, over the weekend and open to the public. We were in New England visiting family on a(nother) road trip.
Eagle bow (2)masthead0731 (2)
The Eagle’s name dates from the early history of continuous seagoing service in the U.S. The first Eagle was commissioned in 1792, two years after the formation of the Revenue Marine, forerunner of the current USCG.
eagle collageDubbed America's tall ship, the U.S. Coast Guard barque Eagle is a three-masted sailing barque with 21,350 square feet of sail. It is the only active (operational) commissioned sailing vessel in the U.S. maritime services.It is one of five training barques in the world. Sister ships include: Mircea (Romania), Sagres II (Portugal), Gorch Rock (Germany), and Tovarich (Russia).
riggings collage
The current Eagle is the seventh in a long line of cutters to carry the name. Built in 1936 by the Blohm & Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, it was a training vessel for German Naval cadets. Commissioned Horst Wessel, it was taken as a war prize by the U.S. after WW II. In May 1946, the barque was commissioned into U.S. Coast Guard service, renamed Eagle and sailed from Bremerhaven, Germany to New London, Connecticut, its home port. 

Eagle docks at a pier at the Coast Guard Academy on the Thames River in CT and is America's only active duty square rigger. It serves as a seagoing classroom for 175 USCG Academy cadets and instructors.
eagle riggings collage
Cadets handle more than 20,000 square feet of sail and 5 miles of rigging and learn the name and function of each line.. Over 200 lines must be coordinated during a major ship maneuver.  Eagle has a steel hull, four-tenths of an inch thick; two full length steel decks with a platform deck below and a raised forecastle and quarterdeck. The weather decks are 3-inch-thick teak over steel. 
Eagle-Bobby

16 comments:

Montanagirl said...

Informative post, nice photos, and really like that last one of the little boy.

Lois Evensen said...

Just beautiful! We have seen her in Miami.

Unknown said...

Excellent series! We've seen her several times during Harborfest in Norfolk, VA.

Wsprsweetly Of Cottages said...

Yes! I absolutely KNOW you love Froggies and Penguins! Have you (silly question) ever watched Beatrix Potter's little film about Jeremy Fisher? Adorable. A favorite of mine.
Anyway..these are GREAT photo's..I know very little about ships or boats but love them both. I have a lovely water color of a tug boat that was left to me. Another favorite of mine.
Thank you for stopping by. I need to get over to visit you much more often.

Country Gal said...

A beautiful boat ! We here in Canada have a lovely boat like that called The Schooner ! Awesome photos and post ! Have a wonderful day !

MadSnapper said...

really a beautiful ship, i like the view UP the mast and the ropes

L. D. said...

It is a beautiful ship. I like seeing these kind of seacraft. Thanks for sharing it with us. Keep those road trips going.

grammie g said...

HI Beatrice...finally getting to comment ..
I would invite you up ,but this is not a good time...while trying to get the cat hair of the carpets the power head busted...so the place is a little hairy : }}
What a great place visit full of all kinds of info...the mast on that ship is amazing...love the little tug boat ..bet the grandkids liked that!!

Anonymous said...

Those sail boats are just so beautiful! I love going to the ocean when they have the Tall Ship Race here in Sweden. I´m not sure we have any that can sail here now days but they did build a replica of an old East India trader called Göhteborg.

Have a continuing great trip!
Christer.

jp@A Green Ridge said...

WOW! You're up in New England visiting...that is GREAT! I love going to Mass as people are so friendly there. In fact, we looked at a place that was only about 10 feet from the border! Hope to talk to you again soon. Thanks for dropping by A Quiet Corner!...:)JP

Connie said...

Very cool! The ship is very impressive. Nice pictures, Beatrice. I hope you are enjoying your visit. :)

Ginnie said...

What a gorgeous ship. and I loved the pictures of the little boy at the end...puts it all in perspective.

Debbie @ Swampbilly Ranch said...

Cool pictures! Looks like a wonderful roadtrip!

Anvilcloud said...

Let me see: a car trip; a train trip; a ship visitation. Time to go to an air show or some such.

Beatrice P. Boyd said...

Hi Folks, THANKS for all your comments. We agree that the Eagle is a magnificent ship. It was exciting to see her up close. Tall ships are one of my favorite photo subjects as is the little boy, our grandson. We are having a great time in New England. And, AC, if we COULD find an air show nearby, we would definitey go there too!

Elaine said...

What a wonderful tour! Lovely photos as usual, but I think the best is the collage with your grandson.