I had a chance to tour the US Coast Guard Ship
Eagle on Friday with a reception hosted by Linda L. Bean. (Yes thats L. L. Bean's granddaughter) It is a beautiful ship, heres so info about the ship and a couple pictures.
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Training Ship: The Eagle offers future officers (cadets) the opportunity to put into practice the navigation, engineering, and other professional theory they have previously learned in the classroom. Upper class trainees exercise leadership and service duties normally handled by junior officers, while underclass trainees fill crew positions of a junior enlisted person, such as helm watches at the huge wooden wheels used to steer the vessel. Everyone who trains on Eagle experiences a character building experience.
Originally built to train German U-Boat crews the United States Coast Guard Tall Ship Eagle is one of five sister ships built for sail training in Germany in the 1930’s. Eagle was handed over to the United States as reparation following World War II and the Coast Guard took her over as a training ship.
Named the Horst Wessel, when she was built in Germany in 1936, she was one of three identical vessels ordered by Adolf Hitler as training ships for naval cadets. They were not built to train sailors, but to covertly train U-Boat crews. The three ships were constructed, with their engine rooms and frames exactly like the U-Boats that would soon terrorize the open sea. Eventually, a total of five of these ships were built, for the soul purpose of training submarine crews.
Commissioned by Hitler himself, the Horst Wessel was home ported in Kiel on the Baltic Sea. During the war she operated as a cargo ship, while continuing to train U-Boat crews. Credited with three kills, downing Russian aircraft, and one friendly fire incident where a German war plane was downed by her deck guns.
After the war, she was confiscated and brought to America. Russia, Portugal, Romania and West Germany took over the remaining four ships. The Horst Wessel came to America and was commissioned into the Coast Guard on May 15, 1946. With the German Captain and crew assisting on board, she was sailed to her new home port at New London.
She has a crew of 6 officers and 56 enlisted sailors. The Tall Ship Eagle sails with as many as 230 people on board when training. Over 200 lines must be coordinated during a major ship maneuver, and the cadets must learn the name and function of each. Each year taking a long cruise to the Caribbean, or Europe and a couple shorter ones around the east coast.
Flag: USA; Rig: Barque, Three Masted; Class: A; Homeport: New London, Connecticut; Normal Cruising Waters: Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Caribbean Sparred Length: 295 ; Draft: 17 ; Sail Area: 22,245 Square Feet; Hull: Steel
Fenn Fotographics offers a Baby Steps photography plan in which we photograph your baby at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months. At the end of the year you choose the photos you want to go into a 10 x 20 frame. Here is the results for one I just finished. 
My sister Tina and I went hiking the other day. The best thing about getting to the top is the view.
There was good weather and a good turn out for the North Atlantic Blues Festival held here in Rockland, Maine July 11 and 12th. Rockland is home to many festivals during the summer including the most famous Lobster Festival held at the end of this month. Rockland boasts as being the Lobster Capital of the World.
