Posted on 08/02/2005 5:46:54 PM PDT by SandRat
ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- America’s Tall Ship, U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Barque Eagle (WIX 327), brought a different kind of sailor to Naval Station Rota July 29 when she made a three-day port visit.
“We’re the only commissioned tall ship in the United States that’s active and sailing,” said Capt. Eric J. Shaw, Eagle’s Commanding Officer. “So we’re Coast Guardsmen that sail. We’re sailors on a barque - not a ship, not a cutter. You can tell how confusing it can become.”
Confusing terms or not, Eagle’s mission is clear, to serve as a training platform for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. With a permanent crew of six officers and 64 enlisted Coast Guard personnel, Eagle is sailing around Europe this summer on a training cruise and cycling through nearly 800 future officers.
“It’s the perfect training tool for future leaders in any sea service,” said Shaw. “We in the Coast Guard are fortunate to have Eagle. We’ve had her since 1946 when we acquired her from Germany. We think that there’s no better way to engage young people who are looking for a future in a sea service than sailing.”
NAVSTA Rota was Eagle’s only overseas U.S. military port on her summer schedule. During the barque’s stay in Spain, the crew conducted public tours for the Rota community.
“Now we have all the services here in Rota - Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Army, and now we have the Coast Guard. It’s great,” said Culinary Specialist Seaman Paul Kleimann. “We don’t get to see the Coast Guard very often, so it’s nice to see them stop here and enjoy Rota, enjoy the sun, and enjoy the warm weather.”
Kleimann also said he was very impressed with Eagle and her cadets.
“I wish the Navy did have a ship like this, because I would definitely jump on it," he said. This is where the Navy started, this is where the Coast Guard started, not with diesel or nuclear engines, but with sails. You can tell by how much they know and the way they talk about Eagle, that the crew has a lot of pride in this ship and for what they’re doing.”
Eagle embarked a set of 90 fourth class cadets while in Rota. After only one night aboard the tall ship, Eagle’s newest “swabs” faced their first challenge, dubbed “the up and over.” The cadets received a safety brief and were escorted to one of the vessel’s three masts, where they proceeded to climb up one side of the rigging shrouds and down the other.
“For some people who are concerned about heights, it’s a very scary proposition,” said Shaw. “And yet they all seem to decide at some point, ‘I want to try it.’ The thing that’s most rewarding for me is watching them come back down on deck and they are just out of their mind with pride, with energy, and just general 'joie de vivre.'”
As part of their training, cadets become acquainted with terms like personal accomplishment, leadership and teamwork aboard America’s Tall Ship.
“To actually be able to sail Eagle, it takes a lot of people working together,” said Cadet 2nd Class Stephanie Young. “Everyone’s got to haul in the lines at the same time as the foremast and the mizzenmast, and everyone has to work together. It’s really great.”
This is Young’s third summer aboard Eagle, and like many of her cadre, she said she’s glad to be back for the 2005 summer sail.
“Being able to actually be on Eagle, you get to do sailing evolutions and call out commands,” said Young. “As a second class cadet at an academy, we’re actually sailing this 295-foot vessel, so it’s amazing to be able to have that experience and know you got somewhere safely.”
Eagle set sail Aug. 1 to continue her 2005 summer cadet training cruise and visit other ports throughout Europe. This is the first time Eagle has sailed Europe since 2001.
Tonk this is for you.
IIRC, the Spanish Navy has one of the largest sailing ships in the world that they use as a training vessel
Thanks!
BTTT!!!!!!
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