Welcome Aboard The CG Barque Eagle
|
Click on chart for Eagle's current position
|
1,000 miles southwest of Tenerife, Canary Islands
|
"The chart shows that Eagle is more than one-third of the way to Bermuda, as does the calendar. Eagle is making its way to its next port call, as are the officer candidates to their on board sign-offs and personal and professional training goals."
All photos are credited: U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Petty Officer Second Class Andrea Rask.
|
22 August 2005
The Coast Guard Barque Eagle, homeported in New London, Conn.
|
Captain's Log by OC Dan McQuate for Capt. E. J. Shaw
| |
The chart shows that Eagle is more than one-third of the way to Bermuda, as does the calendar. Eagle is making its way to its next port call, as are the officer candidates to their on board sign-offs and personal and professional training goals.
As the winds shifted on Thursday, all sails on the main and fore masts were set, raising our speed to nearly 10 knots. A short time after all the sails were set on Thursday, the lookout spotted sea life in the waves beside the bow. Following a pipe to inform the crew of this, a large number of crew and officer candidates were on the foc’sle watching a pod of six or eight pilot whales swim along with us. This is something that most people don’t even dream of seeing; those that did see it will never forget it.
A number of OC’s had another experience that they will never forget as they finally got the chance to climb aloft to the royal on the foremast. Several sails needing overhauling, along with an entire Sunday to climb aloft, have given OC’s the chance to test their goals, fears, and courage. Many OC’s have signed off their trip to the royal yardarm, roughly 140 feet above the water, gaining confidence and even exceeding personal climbing goals they had for their three-week sail to Bermuda.
A week underway and the morale remains high. Saturday night’s pizza night put on by the operations department got rave reviews. After pizza was skit and karaoke night on the waist where the OC’s and crew showed off their skills in singing, dancing, and making jokes. Others, who knew that they didn’t have many skills in these areas, simply entertained the crew and played along with the rest. Even the wardroom put together a skit that received many laughs. It’s debatable, however, that OC Bor, who performed a couple poems that he wrote himself, quickly upstaged them.
Sunday was holiday routine, completely. No sail stations, no classes, no muster or quarters. Just time to sleep, stand a watch, watch a movie, lie in the sun or read a book.
While Eagle’s Captain and crew are diligently watching a low-pressure system moving toward us, Eagle is currently sailing at 8 knots in calm seas and fair winds. Whatever weather we find heading our way, we are sure to make direction changes accordingly and have plenty of fuel in our tanks t1o keep us safe.
Both on four-month journeys that started only a few weeks apart, the crew is another day closer to home and the officer candidates are that much closer to their commission.
21 August 2005 by OC Mark Dukti
Seaman Johnson is one of the junior members of Eagle's deck force, which is responsible for maintaining all of Eagle's 22,300 square feet of sail.
|
|
Today started for me with a 3 a.m. wakeup for the 4 to 8 a.m. watch. We had a fairly uneventful watch, which gave me lots of time to think about the events of the last week. It has been quite an experience with each day bringing new challenges. On Monday, we set sail from the Canary Islands and I was at the helm as we pulled out of port. Once we were out on the open ocean and went to sail stations, I got to serve as a line captain through a couple sail stations evolutions. I would call "Heave!" followed by a "Ho!," from multiple OC’s hauling on the line. It was an awesome experience seeing the sails go up for the first time.
Baggy-wrinkle, made by tying together portions of line, prevents chafing of the sails against standing and running rigging.
|
|
On Tuesday, I made my way up to the royal (top sail) on the fore mast for the first time. It is a little scary being up on a sail some 140 ft. above the churning ocean. I had to overhaul the lines, leaving slack so that the sails could bellow with the wind. Wednesday, I had a few minutes between standing watch and training to make my way out onto the bowsprit, where was taking pictures of a pod of dolphins that began to play in the surf beneath us.
(L to R) Officer Candidates Desjardins and Montoya mind the helm during some heavy weather, coached by Seaman Yates, a qualified helmsman.
|
|
On Thursday, my duty section was assigned to "mess cooking." I spent the day in the scullery washing dishes for the approximately 135 people onboard. If you do the math, with three meals a day and some snacking in between, that adds up to a lot of dishes. Not to mention lots of pots and pans. After starting the day at 5:30 a.m. and washing my last dish at 9 p.m., I was ready for a shower and to hit the rack. By Friday, I was getting used to the routine and I think my body was finally adjusting to the constant rocking of the ship as we sailed. I had the operations watch in the morning and got to serve as conning officer during morning sail stations. I called out the commands to the mast captains though a brass megaphone. They then relayed them to their crew and shouted back as tasks were accomplished. It was pretty cool yelling out phrases like "On the fore! On the Main! On the Mizzen! Brace your yards two points on a starboard tack!" Some of my friends later commented that they did not think that I could get that loud.
(L to R) Officer Candidate Wenk, Fireman Brandon, and Officer Candidate Suitor take a quick break from mess cook duty in the galley.
|
|
Saturday night, the operations department treated us to pizza before others put on a skit and karaoke show. I can't believe how creative some of the skits were. The Captain and the officers did a “Monty Python” skit that was really great. Then, several of the OC’s re-enacted two scenes from “Three Amigos.” There is nothing like seeing a group of future officers singing, "My Little Buttercup," while doing a dance number.
Operations Specialist 1st Class Gillespie serves pizza with the operations department for Saturday night's pizza dinner.
|
|
That brings me to today. After my watch, I got to head back to the rack and catch a few Z's. After I got up, I spent the better part of the day working the sails and climbing aloft. I am starting to get pretty good at it. I took some pictures for the website that I hope our families and friends will enjoy. That's the only hard part for many of us here. We all miss our loved ones at home. It seems that we are far away out here in the middle of the ocean. But we keep them in our hearts and in our thoughts and we know that we will see them again soon.
21 August 2005 by OC Tom Pauser
During meals, the ship's galley is filled with 140 OC's and crew members, all hoping to get some space to sit and relax.
|
|
Fores, mains, topgallants, and the mizzen . . . names all foreign to me even though I have been in the Coast Guard for more than 13 years. Now aboard Barque Eagle and seven days into our voyage across the North Atlantic, I have climbed to the royals on the fore mast and main mast, sea furled on the topgallant and upper topsails, and have pulled enough line on the weather decks to last a lifetime.
Lt. j. g. (R) Weber leads a group of officer candidates in a congo line during a "Three Amigos" skit.
|
|
Life aboard Eagle today is amazing. Crisp clear blue skies, light winds, and temperatures in the mid 70's. We’re sailing with all squares up on the fore and main masts, with rich blue Atlantic water beneath. Outside of almost reaching the summit of North America's highest mountain, sailing across the Atlantic on a 295-foot barque is definitely in my "top 10" list of life's accomplishments. Excitement is high on board with all the officer candidates, and we are all having a great time. Were all standing vigilant watches. What an amazing way to gain a first shipboard experience for all the "first-timers!" We have fewer than two more weeks of sailing to go before we reach Bermuda. If nature is on our side, we will miss any hurricanes that wish to cross our path. I would like to say hello to my wife, Tifanie, and to all my friends and family back home in Alaska. I know they are looking for updates on the trip and I would like them to know I am having a great time and will see them soon.
21 August 2005 by OC Angelique DesJardins
Officer Candidate DesJardins cuts loose while singing "Copa Cabana" on karaoke night.
|
|
Canadian Sea Cadets Ioana Madulara and Anne Phillips take a turn at the microphone with Eagle's own Chief Food Service Specialist Richard Faria (center) during Eagle's skit/karaoke night.
|
|
The Eagle! If you had asked me 10 years ago where I would be in 2005, I would have never imagined it would be on a sailing ship in the middle of the Atlantic. This is huge for a little country girl from northern New Brunswick, Canada. None of this would have occurred had my mother not set certain events in motion. Thank you, mom!
This trip is exciting and somewhat scary at the same time. Exciting because I'm learning to sail "America's Tall Ship," serving as the "conning officer," giving the helmsman orders to change our course, climbing up the masts, cleaning decks, standing early morning and late night watches, etc. Somewhat scary in the sense that I look out to sea and I see nothing but water. It quickly makes you realize how small you are in comparison to the whole world.
My favorite watch since being here has been the midnight to 4 a.m. watch. It was amazing to lie on the deck and look up at a clear sky filled with stars, with none of Corpus Christi's big city lights hiding them from me.
Officer Candidate Towers unwinds by playing his ukulele and relaxing on deck.
|
|
A group of officer candidates enjoy themselves singing during karaoke night.
|
|
Our first night out was certainly a long one, we went to sail stations twice that day and just as our day was winding down, we encountered our first search and rescue / migrant case. We came across a small boat with approximately 100 people onboard. They claimed to have been out to sea for two months and looked to be African migrants. It felt good being able to help them with food and water before handing the case over to the Spanish authorities, but it was sad to think that they may be sent back home. As Americans, I believe we should realize that freedom is not something to be taken for granted.
21 August 2005 by OC Jessica Barbeau
The wardroom performs a "Monty Python" routine to entertain the officer candidates and crew.
|
|
After my first week underway, I think that I've finally gotten my sea legs . . . Well, almost. I've been learning a lot and meeting a lot of cool people. Today, we had DC (damage control) training and last night I stood watch as quartermaster of the watch. And, of course, I am learning more than I ever wanted to know about the wind and sails. Between standing watch, getting my qualifications done, and training, it is hard to find time to sleep. And, I still haven't been able to go up to the royal yet. Tonight was the best night onboard so far. One of the crewmembers was playing his guitar up on the foc'sle while my friends and I lay down on the deck. It was so relaxing with the sound of the music, the rocking of the ship, the cool breeze, and the sounds of the ocean. It was so soothing. We had a good time just talking and hanging out. The only thing that could have made it better would have been if it was a clear night and all the stars were out. When I think about what we're doing it's pretty cool. Not too many people get to sail across the Atlantic. But, of course, I still miss my family and friends. I hope they are all doing well. I'll be thinking of them as I'm sailing across the Atlantic on "America's Tall Ship" . . . Awesome.
21 August 2005 by OC Collin Santulli
Officer Candidate Moreno overhauls the fore topgallant sail.
|
|
(L to R) Officer Candidate Wenk, civilian guest Maggie Flanagan, and Officer Candidate Geyer stand on the cross trees platform on the foremast.
|
|
Sunday means holiday routine on the Eagle. Lots of happy faces all around from the crew to the wardroom. After a late breakfast, the chairs and hammocks made their way to the waist, fantail, and foc'sle. There were no military obligations all day with the exception of the regular watches. Most of the crew and trainees spent the day working out, reading, or just plain relaxing in the sunshine.
I spent the first part of the day serving as watch on deck. We got lots of our personal qualifications done this morning while standing watch. Reaching the royal was the highlight of the morning. After some good pictures and good views from the top, I headed to CIC to work on the navigational brief for Bermuda. It is an interesting and tough collateral duty, but beneficial for me as I hope to head to a 378-foot Coast Guard cutter. I plotted the course lines and waypoints for our planned route into Hamilton, Bermuda. It will be nice to know that I was responsible for the course as we sail into port in Bermuda in 12 days. I am hoping this next week brings some wind changes so that I can get some more practice as mast captain. The trade winds have been steady and strong, which makes for minimal sail stations. Not much more time left to master the fore mast.
Officer Candidate Pauser climbs up the Jacob's ladder at the top of the fore mast, making his way to the royal.
|
|
Officer Candidate Whalen accomplishes her goal of climbing to the tops platform on the fore mast for the first time.
|
|
(L to R) Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Summers and Fireman Philpot show that the officer candidates are not the only ones that enjoy climbing aloft.
|
|
Information Specialist 2nd Class Millar climbs over the futtock shrouds to the tops platform during sail stations.
|
|
|
