Fred's Place - The Place To Meet Old Coast Guard Shipmates

Welcome Aboard The CG Barque Eagle
24 August 2005 1,200 miles southeast of Bermuda The past few days have been relatively uneventful as the winds continue to blow and the seas remain somewhat calm. The officer candidates continue to receive training. All photos are credited: U.S. Coast Guard photograph by Officer Candidate Mark C. Dukti and PA2 A. R. Rask	The Coast Guard Barque Eagle, homeported in New London, Conn.

Captain's Log by OC Dan McQuate for Capt. E. J. Shaw

We continue westbound towards Bermuda under sail and making good speed. The tropical disturbance that we had a close eye on a few days ago has passed us to the south, but we continue to monitor it in the event it makes a turn to the northwest as many tropical systems do. Another tropical disturbance has developed off the coast of Africa and we will monitor that one over the next few days as well to ensure the barque, and more importantly, the crew remains safe.

The past few days have been relatively uneventful as the winds continue to blow and the seas remain somewhat calm. The officer candidates continue to receive training. Although the formal classroom training, such as stability training, is beneficial, most of the officer candidates prefer the training that is hands on. Today, a number of the OC’s observed as the crew conducted basic engineering casualty control exercises, better known as BECCE’s, in the engine room and enjoyed seeing that first hand.

All OC’s also receive training while standing watches on the bridge. They learn to use the sextant to measure the sun's position in the sky, which takes a keen eye and steady hand, as well as a lot of math to turn this information into the ship's actual position on the Earth. Some of the OC’s partake in this training because they want to, while others do it to get the required sign offs on their personal qualification standards that must be met by the end of the trip. Regardless the reason, the permanent crew is always standing by, more than willing to assist in the learning process in any way they can.

The galley staff of seven food service specialists continues to amaze everyone with the food they serve on a daily basis. This small staff serves nearly 450 complete meals a day. Although most of the crew goes through the chow line “cafeteria style,” meals are personally served to the Captain when he hosts officer candidates in his cabin, and for the wardroom and Chiefs' mess for every meal. Although we are out in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and the fruit and vegetables are running low onboard, the FS’s continue to find a way to serve healthy and hearty meals.

The countdown to Bermuda and then New London is on, as some of the crew has been counting down the days until they are home, while some of the officer candidates wish this trip would never end.

24 August 2005 by OC Erick Neussl

Officer Candidates Scott Troutman and Dave Corey, make baggy- wrinkle while standing watch on deck.

Officer Candidates Colleen Kovach and Julie Padgett make baggy- wrinkle while standing watch on deck.

Today I reflected back on the events that transpired on 15 August 2005. That night defined the essence of the Coast Guard and reminded me why I chose to join this organization. We just started our journey from the Canary Islands to Bermuda. Our sails were set and we were making good speed. I marveled at the vivid blue color of the water as the wind pushed us gently to the southwest along the island's coastline. The realization that I would be sailing across the Atlantic on America's Tall Ship kept me in awe most of the day. I found myself thinking back to the sailors of yesterday, who traveled the high seas with only a compass and sextant to guide them.

My moment of contemplation was interrupted when my division officer told me it was time for our watch. I was assigned to the lookout position for the 8 p.m. to midnight watch, and I dutifully reported to the bow. The off-going lookout informed me that there was a contact off our starboard bow that was closing in. As we got closer, it appeared that it was a fishing vessel and was not moving. Looking through the binoculars I noticed the vessel flash its masthead light. Then, not more than five minutes into my first lookout watch on a Coast Guard Cutter, I saw a trail of white smoke shoot up from the vessel, burst into a red glowing ball, and float gently into the ocean--a flare! From my rules of the road classes, I knew this was an international sign of distress. We notified the bridge of the sighting and made preparations to investigate.

Officer Candidate Steven Bor arrives at the cross trees platform on the fore mast.

OCS instructor Lt. j. g. Matt Weber shows officer candidates how to properly don battle dress, worn in the event of a fire or flooding onboard.

On a sailing vessel, making a quick 180-degree turn is not an easy task. The sail stations pipe was made and everyone mustered on deck. We hauled around on the fore braces and doused the headsails in order to slow down. The main diesel engine was engaged and we made our way to the distressed vessel. We launched the ready small boat (Eagle 2) and attempted to make contact with the vessel, only to find out that what was believed to be a search and rescue case was now an alien migrant interdiction operation (AMIO). The "fishing vessel" was actually a boat that had approximately 100 West Africans onboard! The Spanish Coast Guard was contacted and eventually arrived on scene. After providing some basic provisions for the migrant vessel, the case was transferred over to the Spanish authorities and the Eagle was released from the scene. By the next morning, we were back on course for Bermuda.

This experience really brought to life for me the Coast Guard's motto of "Semper Paratus." There we were, America's Tall ship, on a training cruise, deviating from our mission to assist a vessel in distress. To me, this is what the Coast Guard is all about, participating in this event made me proud to belong to such a fine seagoing service.

24 August 2005 by OC Brandon Munsell

Officer Candidate Phil Nail takes his turn washing dishes in the scullery.

There is no greater test of one's mettle than to throw your body and mind into an unknown and unrelenting environment. For 57 officer candidates, this is exactly what has occurred. For 21 days and nights, we are on a vessel controlled by the whims of nature and at the mercy of the unforgiving force of the Atlantic Ocean. She will test these young sailor's fortitude and push them all the way to their limits. I, one of these travelers, have always held a deep respect and understanding of the natural world, and now being totally immersed in it's presence, I find this connection to be solidifying. In the past days, I have witnessed moons of blood red rising over a silken sea illluminating the water through the darkness. Stars never visible through an urban jungle now become my only companion upon the bow as the hours of twilight pass by on the crests of the luminescent waves. Each and every aspect of our mother earth becomes present and screams for attention. No longer hidden beneath a veil of technology and progress, the primal forces that grant our existence become the foremost performers in a play of life and death. I am grateful for this challenge, hopeful for success, and thankful for my deeper understanding of my place in this hierarchy of survival.

23 August 2005 by OC Kimberly Mclear

Officer Candidate Mike Koehler arrives at the trees while climbing the fore mast.

Today was a great day! It was not like my typical days, because we got an extra hour of the day due to changing into a new time zone. My day actually started just before midnight on Monday. I was politely awakened by my quiet roommate, OC DiRoma by a loud, "Hey, McLear, are you up!?" at 10:55 p.m. They were serving pasta for those who were about to stand the midnight watch. I put on my safety harness on top of my foul weather gear.

"Lee side" signs indicate doors on the low side of the ship that shouldn't be opened, so Eagle doesn't flood in the event of a knockdown.

The rest of my day continued with a watch from midnight until 3:30 a.m. My watch was pretty slow. Usually we adjust the sails as needed by the changes in the wind, but the wind was fairly constant. So to pass the time, I gazed at the stars and talked with the crew and watch standers that rotated between the bow and helm. It was great just talking to each other about everything under the sun, or the moon in my case. The moon seemed to be brighter than ever and the sails were illuminated by its presence. It still amazes me that, no matter how far you look out in any direction, all you see is ocean. Then you look up, and all you see the pitch-black sky with stars that twinkle, almost just to remind you of how far away they are.

Fore mast OC captain Officer Candidate Collin Santulli receives and gives commands during sail stations.

Throughout the day, I remember transiting back and forth across the waist, up and down the ladders, and trying to locate people to inform them of changes to the dining schedule for the Captain's cabin and the XO's wardroom. This is my collateral onboard. For the most part, I am the dining liaison between OC's and officers. My shipmates have told me that they enjoy dining with the officers, but that it takes courage to dine in the Captain's cabin because it is probably the least steady area of the ship. Located in the aft of the ship, it rocks and rolls. Some OC's have some difficulty keeping their dishes in one place on the table. But it is an opportune time to converse with the Captain in a more personal setting.

(L to R) Officer Candidates Jeff Barnum and Chris Rosen enjoy the view from the fore mast royal before overhauling the the buntlines.

My second watch for the day was at 8:00 p.m. until midnight. I was on the watch that was responsible for the maneuvering of the ship. This was fun because I was on the helm. I was responsible for the rudder, or the "steering wheel" of the ship, which is very large and wooden. I had to account for the wind pushing us one direction, while maintaining our course. It was cool because the wheel was so huge in diameter. It was unlike anything I had ever done before. When a new course was ordered, I was the one that steered us there!

Overall, my day was filled with a lot of neat conversations and jokes with my shipmates and it was a full Coast Guard Day!

22 August 2005 by OC Jeffery Barnum

Officer Candidate Eric Rivera does some reading in his small rack before falling asleep.

This past Friday I was mess cooking. As anybody who has mess cooked can attest, it was a long and exhausting day. Multiple trips down to the reefer (what we call a fridge), two decks below the galley, accounts for much of the physical work involved. However, my fellow mess cooks were aggressively positive, which helped the day pass quickly. Additionally, the cooks put out a great spread, and the crew appreciated their efforts. It was cool to be a part of that.

A group of officer candidates study on the waist with Lt. Florentino (left), their instructor.

Additionally, this past Friday my wife and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary. It is not the first time we have been apart for our anniversary, and it probably won't be the last. As I was scrubbing the galley, I thought about how fortunate I am to have such a supportive spouse taking care of the home front. Truly, I would not be able to do my job (be it scrubbing pots and pans or serving on board a cutter) without my wife's amazing support.

Sweets, thanks for the help and love and support. It's been a great 10 years - let's go for another 100!

21 August 2005 by OC Eric Taylor

Swabs sit on the drying rack on the boat deck following field day, when the crew and OC's spend a few hours cleaning the entire ship.

I awoke this morning, as always, missing my wife, Arlene, and two children, Keegan and Camden. However, I knew that time would move quickly today because I was tasked with mess cooking. Mess cooks are assigned to several areas on the Barque Eagle. I was lucky enough to be assigned to the mess deck (in my opinion, the best of the mess cooking detail). My day was filled by squaring away the mess deck before and after meals. In addition, I made juice and cut up vegetables for the salad bar. I also volunteered to mess cook for midrats (a late night meal for the midnight to 4 a.m. watch) and I finished my duties for the day around 1 a.m. The day brought back vivid memories of mess cooking on the CGC Iris in 1992. Although the day was busy, I was able to take several breaks to enjoy climbing in the rigging, watching the intense blue water flow by, and thinking about our upcoming OCS graduation.

The archaic sound-powered phone system is one of the most reliable ways to communicate onboard because it needs no electricity to operate.

Lt. j.g. Tahni Holmes checks the radar for other ships in the area while serving as the underway officer of the deck.

Officer Candidate Eric Taylor prepares to don an immersion suit during an abandon ship drill.

"U.S.C.G.C. EAGLE" is engraved on the helm of the barque.

These sheets, connected to the deck on the foc'sle, run from the monkey rail to the flying jib, outer jib, inner jib, and fore topmast staysail.

OC's learn about principles of stability during daily training held on the mess deck from Lt. j. g. Matt Weber.