Eagle returns home
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New London ― There was a different crowd on board the Coast Guard barque Eagle on Tuesday as it sailed the final leg of a 12-day training cruise to Fort Trumbull where it will dock for the winter.
Family members of the crew helped raise the American flag, directors of local nonprofits helped raise the sails, politicians helped with navigation and members of Tall Ship America group helped draw the mooring lines.
Coast Guard Academy Provost and Chief Academic Officer Amy Donahue was one of the guests to join the tall ship for its final leg of the journey.
“This ship provides not just the academy, but the whole Coast Guard an opportunity to be out in the marine environment in a unique way,” she said. “You learn about the sea, and the basic functions and operations of a boat while building teamwork and representing the Coast Guard to the world.”
“It’s just such a unique experience,” said 1st Class Cadet Alexander Maties of the ship. “It’s a demanding boat that allows us to operate under pressure in ways we would not otherwise experience.”
It has been three years since the tall ship was docked at its home port for the winter, said Chief Warrant Officer Melissa Polson. There will be some short sails but the crews will now focus on maintenance and training through the winter.
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