Welcome Aboard The CG Barque Eagle
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Click on chart for Eagle's current position
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Departing Portsmouth, England
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"Ahh, Portsmouth. As I stand my dutiful pier watch, I turn to my left and right and find myself surrounded completely by sailing ships from all over the world. From where I am, I can see the web of colorful masts decorated in full dress ship, and the majestic flags each vessel has so proudly hoisted. "
All photos are credited: U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer Second Class Andrea Rask.
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02 July 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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Another successful pit stop on Eagle’s 2005 European tour. This time Eagle found herself moored up outboard of the Italian training tall ship Amerigo Vespucci in Portsmouth, England. All hands were more than ready to step on dry land after being within spitting distance at anchor for three days prior. Although the view of both the Isle of Wight and the city of Portsmouth were brilliant, it was hard not to want to get a more intimate view. To add fuel to the anxiousness to get to land, Eagle was delayed getting into Portsmouth because of heavy vessel traffic and a shortage of harbor pilots as the International Fleet Review funneled into Portsmouth. Unfortunately, this gave families and loved ones, who flew in for the occasion, one more day of waiting on the pier for Eagle to come in. After an epic display of seamanship by the crew on board Eagle, the harbor pilot, and the tug operators, Eagle successfully moored outboard of Amerigo Vespucci. The view from the deck showed six separate masts and rigging of two magnificent tall ships. Right next door to the two of our ships was an almost endless horizon of masts, yards, dress halyards with signal flags flapping in the breeze, and furled sails--a truly beautiful sight.
After liberty was granted, crew and cadets left the ship to explore the International Festival of the Sea and the small maritime city of Portsmouth. Many chose to represent their country and service by wearing their uniform out and about. Other crews excitedly invited Eagle sailors aboard to show off their ships. Those more adventurous chose to hop on the train to London, about one and a half hours ride.
Everyone really wanted to stay in Portsmouth for a few more days, as the festival will continue on through Sunday. Eagle, however, has plans to be in Waterford, Ireland on Tuesday evening. There, we will meet up with many of the other tall ships that were moored in Portsmouth, and race on to Cherbourg. Before then, Eagle will most likely set as much sail as possible, to grease elbows and get our hands ready for some tactical sailing which will, hopefully, win us the race.
02 July 2005 by 3/c Beth Stevick
Crew, cadets, and an auxiliarist render honors to U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Collins, as he is greeted by Capt. Eric Shaw.
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(R to L) Fireman Kevin Hampton and Seaman Aaron Brown man the rail while cadets stand aloft on the yards, rendering honors to the Queen's passing vessels.
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It’s a bright sunny morning in Portsmouth, England, and Eagle sits ready to be underway at 10 a.m. We are expecting some heavy weather, maybe about 10 foot seas. The ship we are moored to (Amerigo Vespucci) has been extremely nice and they liked to feed us the whole time we were here. One of my classmates got a loaf of bread because they saw her eating dinner and wanted to give her more food. Even this morning they decided to cook us breakfast pizza because they like us so much! Italian food is awesome! Hopefully we can finish it off rather quickly because there is a lot to do before we can leave.
Last night nine of my shipmates and I went to a bowling alley and realized how horrible we are at bowling. As we were about to leave we realized there was a dance floor and the music had just started. So we decided to stay and dance the night away. Picture this: 10 Americans in the middle of a small dance floor with the English DJ laughing at us when a European song comes on and we don’t know what to do. We started the night and we ended the night while on the way making friends with people from Germany and Colombia. Every one here loves the U.S. Coast Guard. Everyone who found out who we were was so excited to meet someone who was on the Eagle, or from America. Time to go eat some pizza!
02 July 2005 by 3/c Matthew Lam
Auxiliarist Richard Asaro (R) watches his U.S. Coast Guard Academy classmate Adm. Collins address Eagle's crew. Aux. Asaro, a volunteer on board Eagle for the summer, is a retired U.S. Coast Guard captain.
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Fireman Stephen Philpot's homemade ranch dressing is a big hit on the mess deck.
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I don’t think they have bowling in Colombia. A bunch of my classmates and I spent the day touring the festival here in Portsmouth and going aboard several ships similar to the Eagle. To my surprise, many were training ships like this one for cadets at their respective academies. One boat in particular had a crew of our equivalent first class cadets aboard the Colombian ship Gloria. We probably stayed on that boat for an hour, getting the grand tour. As their salsa music blared over their speakers on the ship, we continually battled the language barrier to get to know our new friends. Later that night we were killing time before we were to go out dancing, and we found ourselves at the bowling alley in town. We found our friends there and saw that we had the same plans for the night. Being the competitive Americans that we are, we arranged to bowl next to each other and have a “friendly game,” the only prize being bragging rights for our ships here and for the race coming up next week. As the game progressed, we laughed together as they soon got better and began hitting the pins. By then it was too late, though, and the score was set. There’s no need to mention any numbers here, however, I think it’s fair to say that the only bowling these Colombians have ever seen before was on ESPN.
02 July 2005 by 3/c Stacy Chmielecki
While at anchor in Portsmouth, Eagle viewed a spectacular 40-ton fireworks display in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
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Ahh, Portsmouth. As I stand my dutiful pier watch, I turn to my left and right and find myself surrounded completely by sailing ships from all over the world. From where I am, I can see the web of colorful masts decorated in full dress ship, and the majestic flags each vessel has so proudly hoisted. It is kind of disappointing having 24 hours of duty this in-port. But if I had to pick which watch I could stand, it would have been this one. I get to see all the bedazzled faces of those tourists, crew, midshipmen and officers from all over the world, who have come to see the Eagle today, some of whom have traced the ship in its travels for years.
While at anchor in Portsmouth, Eagle viewed a spectacular 40-ton fireworks display in celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
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Luckily, yesterday I was able to go out for a while. After having been completely jipped during a cash exchange at the nearest shopping center, 3/c Emily York, 3/c Sara McGuigan and I were a little hesitant about buying anything at all (Somehow, I gave the nice English man 60 dollars to change over and only got 21 pounds back. Yikes.) Anyhow, after filling up on crepes and Nutella, we headed back to the pier, before we were tempted to buy anything more.
Cadets man the shrouds as H.M. the Queen passes.
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Somehow, even after visiting hours were over, we scored a tour on one of the South Korean ships. There, Sara decided she would barter with the crew for any kind of souvenir she could get her hands on. She almost had one man take the shirt right off of his back, until he was stopped by one of the officers on deck. We ended up leaving the ship with a T-shirt and some stationery from the Korean Naval Academy. Regardless, we were just happy to have gotten on the boat.
Eagle crewmembers form up next to the mizzen mast on top of the chart room to render honors.
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Being from Portugal, I thought I would try my luck with the Sagres, Eagle’s Portuguese sister-ship. They, too, were closed for tours. Between 3/c York’s baby blue eyes, 3/c McGuigan’s striking military presence, and my severely mangled Portuguese, however, we were able to find ourselves below decks, sharing Pepsis and stories with the entire Portuguese crew. There, we met the executive officer of the Cisne Branco, Brazil’s tall ship, and shortly thereafter found ourselves aboard their ship as well. Three cheers for international relations!
Anyhow, as I write this, we are on our way to Ireland. I hope that our experiences there will come close to matching those, which were had in Portsmouth. Cheers!
29 June 2005 by 3/c Justin Stoeber
A view of Eagle ready for passing honors with the rail, shrouds, and yards manned.
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Okay, even though I told my parents not to expect any journal entries from me, I was persuaded to write one anyway. A few nights ago, I stood my first watch on board Eagle as a qualified helmsman and lookout. I have to say, it felt pretty good to be up there, on my own, and having that responsibility that was endowed upon me.
(R to L) Seaman Sara Johnson, Storekeeper 2nd Class Christine Lynch and Health Service Technician 2nd Class Stormy Morgan line the rail to pass honors.
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Honestly, I did not expect much more from Eagle than a “camp Coast Guard.” Soon, though, I realized everything is about perspective and how you look at things that makes all the difference in the world. Up until the moment that the lieutenant junior grade actually gave me the command to “steady up on course 190 degrees," I was just rolling through my experience, just waiting for the next port call and trying to learn as much about the “real Coast Guard” as possible. After that command I realized something, I am IN the real Coast Guard. Granted, cadets don’t really have any other outstanding goal other than to graduate and move on to bigger and better. We don’t even have a rank slot to bubble in on our security clearances or military insurance forms; instead for the next three years,
Adm. Collins addresses Eagle's crew on the waist while Eagle is at anchor.
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my classmates and I are still considered in the “other” category. Aside from all that, life is all about perception. The cadre, last year, were intent on trying to drill into our heads that perception is reality. I always thought that idea a bit bogus until now. I perceived that Eagle was going to be summer camp before I even truly experienced it, and because of that premature perception, it was. I was lucky enough to actually see things in a different point of view when I took it seriously. When I was given the trust and the responsibility to keep the ship on course, I saw that I am not being treated as a child, instead
The H.M.S. Patricia glides by Eagle for the International Fleet review, carrying Prince Charles and his wife.
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I am being treated as if my life and the lives of over two hundred others were being balanced on the training I was receiving. Granted, the big picture says that a mere helm and lookout qualification does not mean much of anything, but even Admiral Collins, our Commandant for those that didn’t know, started with the most basic of qualifications. Eagle has been one of the greatest experiences of my life so far and I still have a month left. I have only visited Scotland, twice now, which was fantastic, and am currently anchored outside of Portsmouth and ready to actually arrive in port tomorrow. And as hard as it is to say, and I am sure hard for some to hear, the port calls are not what makes this trip so great. It is instead the things you learn and the people you come to know and love between the ports that make all the difference in the world. Mom, you were right again…
28 June 2005 by 3/c Linden Dahlkemper
(L to R)Engineering Officer Tim Whelihan and Lt. John Stone stand with the officers on the bridge rendering honors.
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Have you ever watched the crew of a sailing ship wave nonchalantly coming into port and thought of how cool that would be? That is how I always felt and now here I sit on the other side. Today has a sort of "after party" feel. All morning, a parade of foreign and British warships has slowly passed us by. Fighter jets flew low circles
The H.M.S. Endurance carries the Queen around the 166 ships, filed in ranks, during her fleet review.
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overhead as a remnant of yesterday's airshows. Small boats with Royal Marine hovercraft and helos whizzed about before returning to their respective ships. Even the thousands of yachts and personal sailboats have all but disappeared. And on Eagle, we go about the day's work; anchored in sight of Portsmouth, England, with dozens of other ships and Navy vessels. We wave nonchalantly at the steady stream of spectators sailing by. It is totally sweet to have cheered the Queen, been under an airshow, sit among an endless amount of international warships, and finish off the end fireworks with a resounding ship's horn. But that is just the Eagle. Today, the Commandant visited, while less than a week ago we had almost constant sail stations, setting all sail, tacking, dousing all sail, and harbor furling. Every day is just an ordinary day and yet so awesome!
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