U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle (WIX 327) departed Fort Trumbull in New London, May 11, at 2:30 p.m. to begin the training vessel’s annual summer cruise.
U.S. Coast Guard Academy cadets on board will have the unique and experiential learning opportunity of sailing aboard a tall ship, which provides them with their first introduction to life at sea and is a foundational experience in their leadership development journey toward becoming future officers in the Coast Guard. During the cruise, cadets take classes on numerous subjects that are key to life at sea, including navigation, seamanship, ship and boat maneuvering, line handling, sailing, first aid, weather patterns, damage control, engineering, career development, and more. They will stand their first watch, and assist with setting, dousing, and trimming the sails, often requiring trainees to climb the rigging, and push themselves outside of their comfort zones.
While the primary mission is training the cadets, the ship also performs a public relations role for the Coast Guard and the United States, making calls at foreign ports as a goodwill ambassador. During this year’s cruise, Eagle will leverage its unique ability to foster international relations with critical partners throughout the Americas.
During its 2024 deployment, Eagle will sail through the Caribbean Sea, visit South America, and make port of calls in the northern Atlantic Ocean.
Eagle’s 2024 full summer schedule includes port visits to:
- May 11: Departs from New London
- May 25 – May 28: Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
- June 4 – June 7: Cartagena, Colombia
- June 14 – June 17: San Juan, Puerto Rico
- June 24 – June 27: Bridgetown, Barbados
- July 7 – July 10: Hamilton, Bermuda
- July 18 – July 21: Halifax, Nova Scotia
- July 26 – July 29: Portsmouth, New Hampshire
- Aug. 2 – August 5: Rockland, Maine
- Aug. 9 – August 12: Boston, Massachusetts
- Aug. 16: Returns to New London
Eagle is scheduled to return to New London on Aug. 16.
Known as “America’s Tall Ship,” Eagle is a 295-foot, three-masted barque used as a training vessel for future officers of the United States Coast Guard. It is the largest tall ship flying the Stars and Stripes and the only active square-rigger in U.S. government service.