Welcome Aboard The CG Barque Eagle
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Click on chart for Eagle's current position
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90 miles East of Edinburgh
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... due to injuries I haven’t been able to climb at all this trip ... Doc gives OK ...
I did my “required” up-and-over. It was amazing up there in the trees.
All photos are credited: U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer Second Class Andrea Rask.
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June 9, 2005
The Coast Guard Barque Eagle, homeported in New London, Conn.
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Captain's Log by 1/c Morgan Roy for Capt. E. J. Shaw
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The seas have calmed and the skies have parted, making room for plenty of sunshine. As Eagle makes its way steadily towards Scottish shores, the weather surrounding her has been the best this phase has seen. Compared to high 30F temperatures and 15-foot seas of the North Atlantic, the high 50F weather of the North Sea is quite a relief.
Yesterday was the First Annual Scottish Highland Games. A tradition on board Eagle is to have square-rigger Olympics, where teams participate in different shipboard competitions. In honor of Eagle’s Euro trip this summer, the square-rigger Olympics was modified to fit more in with the upcoming port call of Edinburgh, Scotland. Events included tug-or-war, Scottish dancing, Highland jump roping, Caber (Ring) toss, heaving line race, Scottish musical chairs, Scottish trivia, and everyone’s favorite--a Haggis eating contest (really made from Oreo cookies and chocolate pudding). Everyone was out on deck enjoying the sunshine and cheering for his or her perspective teams. The crew came out in full force and stomped the competition. Coming closely behind was the foremast, and in a close third was the main mast.
Everyone seems to be in high spirits, possibly the weather or maybe the thought of approaching dry land. The third class cadets are starting to get anxious about the next phase of their third class summer experiences. Some are off to other cutters, some to home for some much-deserved leave, and others are back to New London for summer school.
With the sun shining and a talent show slated for tonight, where crew and cadets can display various (and often odd) talents, all is well aboard the Barque.
08 June 2005 by 3/c Stephen Bondira
The 3rd class cadets of class 2008 muster beneath the sails of the mainmast one last time.
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Yesterday’s rough seas were a bit much, when combined with Mexican Monday. But today the weather was great for the Highland Games. The games tested cadets, crew, and officers in a variety of
During the Highland Games, cadets and crew compete in an eating contest of a Scottish specialty, Haggis, made here of chocolate pudding.
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competitions, including tug-of-war, biking, Scottish dancing, and haggis eating. I would have to say the MVP would have to be Father Rock with his "haggis" eating.
Who knew anyone could eat haggis like that? We’ve only been underway for two days but I am all ready for our next port call. Scotland should be a good time, even though many of us will only be there for 10 hours. Germany was a great time. On Saturday in Germany, I made my way to a semi-pro soccer game. The game was enhanced by smoke grenades and fireworks. Despite the 1-1 tie, it was not disappointing.
08 June 2005 by 3/c Anne Staley
Ensign Tesoniero is cheered on by her teammates in one of the Highland game's feats of strength, the bike relay.
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Today was the most beautiful day that we have had our whole entire trip on Eagle. The sun was out with seemingly no clouds in the sky. It was warm compared to our usual 40-degree weather that we have had. It was about 60F outside and we were all in sweatshirts instead of our winter gear.
3/c cadets find additional uses for the main royal buntleechline on the waste.
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This was perfect because this afternoon we had our “Highland Games” in which we competed against each other in many different competitions. We had a jump-rope competition with the whole team jumping in one big jump rope. It was pretty cool because some of the crew were doing some pretty cool stunts, and the officers were working hard to keep at least five people jumping at the same time to beat the Main. We played tug-of-war, but not against other people.
We pulled against a gauge which told us how many pounds of force we were applying and whoever had the highest number won the round. My team got 2,240 pounds while the crew pulled 2,280 pounds. However, the crew was not the winner. A team from the Foremast won with more than 2,500 pounds of force behind them (they are all guys, over
L to R) Lt. Stehn, Capt. Rock, and Ensign Tesoniero compete in the Haggis-eating contest. Capt. Rock was the overall winner.
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six feet tall and football players). Their team was stacked. They also won the mooring line run competition. This was a race to see who could pull a 200-foot-long mooring line from the aft part of the waist to the fore part of the waist in the shortest amount of time. The mooring line is not very light either. They finished in 40.7 seconds. There were other competitions like musical chairs, pudding eating competitions (boy were those guys dirty after that), Scottish trivia, a dance contest and a bike riding contest on the stationary bikes. When things started to settle down a bit my three volleyball friends and I sat down on the deck and played some volleyball. Luckily we did not lose the ball overboard. There were some close calls though, but there were a couple people standing there watching out for us. The ball is still on board. Tonight my berthing area gets to watch a movie in the wardroom with some snacks provided because we won the berthing area competition by keeping our berthing area the cleanest for inspections. Shout out to Mircea!
1/c Jamesen Saviano shows off his homemade Scottish attire for the Highland games.
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This evening we had our last sail stations, besides the one where we harbor furl, and I found out that I am allowed to climb the rigging now. I haven’t been able to climb at all this trip or during swab summer because of an injury, but the doctor on board realized that I am more than capable and he let me do my “required” up-and-over. It was amazing up there in the trees. That has been the highlight of my whole entire trip so far.
The officer's team, true Highlanders, painted their faces before going into battle for the Highland games.
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Tomorrow is our last day underway and then we pull into Scotland and the next morning we are on our way back to the States. It has been a lot of fun for me, learning, sailing, and talking with the experienced crew members. I get to see some of my family in a couple days in Scotland and then I go home, back to summer school. I can’t wait to come back to EAGLE and sail with her again. Now it is time for some dinner and then a movie. I will probably meet with a couple of my friends tonight and say the Rosary and then stand the midwatch from midnight to 4 a.m. and then go to bed. It is all in a days work.
07 June 2005 by 3/c Ryan Koroknay
The Coast Guard reservists aboard Eagle for the summer.
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Our summer cruise on Eagle is coming to an end as we near the coast of Scotland. Everyone is busy finishing up their tasks in the cadet afloat training manual. The weather is beautiful, and we set more sails this morning during sail stations. I am now a qualified helmsman/lookout aboard Eagle, and I can stand watches by myself. I feel that everyone has cultivated their overall seamanship knowledge, and this shows during sail stations and during watches. In preparation for our port call in Edinburgh, Scotland, we will be holding the "Highland Games." Events will include various Scottish games such as the hammer throw and a haggis-eating contest. Unfortunately, Scotland will be our last port call and it will be off to summer school or to another USCG cutter.
07 June 2005 by 3/c Megan Durbin
Kapitan-lieutnant Berthold Schnibbe was the last Captain of Eagle, then "Horst Wessel," from 1942-1946.
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Last night I had the midwatch. The weather was pretty bad; we were rockin’ and rollin’ all night long. Many of my classmates were rudely awakened by falling out of their racks because the swells and winds were so bad. At least I got late rack after standing my watch.
3/c Daniel Reilly leads his team in the tug of war competition.
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In the afternoon we had weapons training. That was really great. For the first time I received training in an area of the Coast Guard that I would like to pursue--law enforcement. Afterwards, Admiral Whitehead, a visitor onboard and the head man in Congress and the media for the Coast Guard, spoke to us about the Coast Guard’s future and how it will affect us. Many changes will be taking place. For instance, updating, renovating, and completely remodeling many of our cutters is just one of the aspirations for the Deepwater project. There are also several movies coming out that will be good promotional efforts for the Coast Guard.
The colorful scoreboard used during the Highland Games.
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Overall, today wasn’t too bad. I just know everyone, myself included, is getting pretty excited to see the end of this adventure and move onto the next. I think everyone onboard has learned a little bit more about himself or herself. Hopefully they can take what they learned from our unique experience to become stronger leaders. Hopefully tomorrow the seas will calm down and we can get some sunshine. I’m feeling in the mood to climb!
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