If you live in or near Maine, the Coast Guard has a treat for you.
Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, “America’s Tall Ship,” will be visiting Portland, ME for the Maine Bicentennial with cadets and crew as part of its summer training program.
Eagle is scheduled to arrive in Portland at Ocean Gateway Terminal on Friday at approximately 10 a.m., with a welcome ceremony to be hosted by the Maine Bicentennial Commission to follow at 11:30 a.m., according to a release.
“Sector Northern New England is honored to have the Barque Eagle in Portland to help commemorate Maine’s Bicentennial,” said Capt. Amy Florentino, commander, Sector Northern New England.
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At 295 feet in length, Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square-rigger in United States government service. Eagle has served as a classroom at sea to future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience as part of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy curriculum.
This summer, Coast Guard Academy cadets completed a transatlantic voyage and experienced port calls in Azores, Iceland, and Bermuda.
Eagle will be moored at the Ocean Gateway through Monday and will host free public tours on the following dates and times:
Saturday: 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Military/First Responder Tours. 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. Public Tours.
Sunday: 10 a.m. – 11 a.m. Military/First Responder Tours. 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. Public Tours
Cameras and water bottles will be allowed, but large bags and backpacks are not permitted on board the ship. On-street parking is available and at multiple commercial lots surrounding the venue. Guests are required to wear masks for public tours onboard the Eagle.
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Eagle is a three-masted barque with more than 22,300 square feet of sail and 6 miles of rigging. She was constructed in 1936 by the Blohm and Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany. Originally commissioned as the Horst Wessel by the German navy, Eagle was a war reparation for the United States following World War II. Eagle is homeported in New London, Connecticut.
Eagle is commanded by Capt. Mike Turdo.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
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