USCG Barque Eagle Docks in San Juan, Puerto Rico

The U.S. Coast Guard Barque Eagle, “America’s Tall Ship,” arrived to San Juan, Puerto Rico Wednesday morning and is moored at Pier 1 east in Old San Juan, where the public will be able visit prior to the Eagle’s scheduled departure Saturday.

“The crew and cadets onboard EAGLE are very excited to be visiting San Juan,” said Capt. Wes Pulver, Commanding Officer of the EAGLE. “Puerto Rico is a true hub for Coast Guard activities throughout the Caribbean, and we are pleased to introduce these future officers to this dynamic part of Coast Guard life and operations.”

At 295 feet in length, the Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square-rigger in U.S. government service.

Constructed in 1936 by the Blohm and Voss Shipyard in Hamburg, Germany, and originally commissioned as the Horst Wessel by the German Navy, the Eagle was taken by the United States as a war reparation following World War II.

With more than 23,500 square feet of sail and six miles of rigging, the Eagle has served as a classroom at sea to future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience.

A permanent crew of seven officers and 50 enlisted personnel maintain the ship and guide the cadets and officer candidates through an underway and in-port training schedule, dedicated to learning the skills of navigation, damage control, watchstanding, engineering and deck seamanship.

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Press Release, May 23, 2014; Image: USCG