Selected Correspondence
Summer Cruise Eagle logs Letter to '05 parents about Eagle Phone numbers of area Hotels
(To Great Lakes Association parents: Please send any interesting tidbits for publication! They can be e-mailed to alan@alanblount.com.)
CAPT
Luke's Eagle logs:
20
May position: 52-00N 37-50W Comments: "A spectacular day for sailing a
well-found barque in the North Atlantic. A steady Beaufort force 6 wind out
of the SSE and moderate seas. Eagle touching 12 kts under topsails and
courses. This is what we came here for!"
21 May position: 52-07N 27-31W Comments: "Sunday was holiday routine and,
except for watches, all hands enjoyed a relaxing day off. Monday brings a
return of the routine of the day with training and ship's work parties in
full swing. Wind backed to NW and slackened. Still sailing, but at a much
more leisurely pace."
22 May position: 53-00N 25-45W Comments: "A frontal passage last night
brought varying winds. The watch on deck kept busy bracing the yards around
to compensate. By morning a fine SE breeze had filled in and we were making
good way toward Ireland."
23
May position: 55-10N 21-40W Comments: "Boiling along with a bone in our
teeth sharp on a stbd tack. Making over 10kts under shortened sail plan.
Today, graduation day at the Academy, marks the advancement of the class of
2004 to Third Class and the class of 2002 to First Class Cadets. Eagle's
contingent of both classes were promoted with appropriate ceremony on a
healing, wind and spray swept deck amidst the gray North Atlantic. Entirely
fitting for such salty square-rigger sailors!"
24 May position: 56-18N 18-45W Comments: "Having reached a point where we
were unable to make any more ground toward Cork under sail, we were forced to
douse sail and motor into the persistent ESE wind. Onboard training
continues unabated."
25 May position: 54-26N 15-26W Comments: "A fast developing low surprised
us
with westerly winds at daybreak and we had fun setting sail under gale
conditions. It is good to be back under sail power. Shifted clocks onboard
to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT)"
2
June position: 49-40N 09-12W Comments: "EAGLE is underway again
after a
wonderful visit to Ireland. A fresh NW'ly breeze promises to make the
crossing to out next port, Brest, France, quick and enjoyable under sail"
3 June position: 47-27N 05-57W Comments: "Still under sail in
excellent
conditions- A fresh breeze, clear skies and reasonable temperatures.
Nearing French coast under full sail. Sunday holiday routine
observed
onboard."
26
May position: 52-10N 11-35W Comments: "Fair winds only lasted a day. Back
to relying on Diesel power. Saturday afternoon holiday routine enjoyed
despite intermittent rain showers. Pizza night hosted by the First Class
cadets."
27 May position: 51-27N 08-50W Comments: "Arrived off the Irish coast.
Traditional Irish weather, gray overcast and light rain failed to dampen high
spirits in anticipation of coming port visit."
28 May - 1 June position: In-port, Cork, Ireland. Comments: "EAGLE crew and
cadets enjoying liberty and cultural exchange in Ireland."
|
An open letter to the Moms, Dads and families of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy Cadets of the Class of 2005 from the EAGLE’s Commanding Officer. |
Subject:
Your Sons and Daughter's
experience in EAGLE this summer
Hello Moms and
Dads!
I'm Captain Ivan Luke, EAGLE's Commanding Officer.
I had the pleasure of sailing with your sons and daughters at the end of
Swab Summer, introducing them to life at sea for a few short days, and now
we’re making plans to have them back aboard as Third Class Cadets.
Time sure flies by, doesn't it? I
know that right now they are in the midst of the academic year and the summer
seems a long way off, but it will be here sooner than they think. This letter is
to give you a little background info on what they can expect aboard EAGLE this
summer.
First let me tell you what a great bunch of young people your sons and
daughters are! We only had them in
EAGLE for a week last summer, but they made a real impression as enthusiastic,
bright and eager team players with all the makings of good professional maritime
officers. My shipmates and I are
very excited about having them back aboard, another year older and ready for the
adventure of a lifetime!
Just in case your Cadet hasn't been the best communicator, here's our
underway itinerary for the time they will be aboard.
(We'll typically sail on the morning of the first date listed and moor on
the morning of the second date listed):
Phase I, Class of 2005 long cruise:
·
13-22 May, New London to New
York (Fleet Week)
·
26-27 May, New York to
Washington DC (Commandant Change of Command)
·
3-11 June, Washington to
Nassau
·
14-21 June, Nassau to Ft
Lauderdale (including a Sunday beach call at Conception Island) - phase change
in FT Lauderdale
Phase
II, Class of 2005 long cruise:
·
24 June - 4 July, Ft
Lauderdale to Mobile (Mobile Tricentennial)
·
8-12 July, Mobile to Key West
· 15-26 July, Key West to Charleston (including a Sunday beach call at Gorda Cay) – end of Class of 2005 long cruises in Charleston
Your Cadet will only be aboard for one of the two phases, not both.
They do get to ask for one or the other, and their preference will be
taken into account. Of course, not
everyone will get their choice, but let me assure you both phases will be great.
We’ve got some spectacular liberty ports lined up for both as well as
the prospect of a lot of good wind for sailing.
When people ask me which to ask for, I tell them it’s a toss up.
We’re going to have a very positive, productive and fun time on both
phases!
So, what can your Cadets expect of their five weeks aboard?
My overall objective is for them to have a safe and positive
experience. Let me say this up
front: Safety is the number one
priority for all hands. Nothing
comes before my solemn responsibility to bring our "precious cargo"
back in the same (or better) condition than we got them.
All my officers and crew know this and we’re dedicated to instilling a
respect for safety in everyone and everything we do.
After safety, our objective is to make the cruise experience both
worthwhile and fun. In short, they
will be busy, learn lots of new stuff, be challenged mentally and physically,
grow a lot (probably without even knowing it), and also have a good time doing
it. Let me address those in turn.
Making their EAGLE cruise worthwhile means leaving them better prepared
to become Coast Guard officers than we found them.
Folks often ask me why we still use a sailing ship to train future
officers of the 21st century Coast Guard. The
answer is no matter how technologically advanced the equipment, the character
and capability of the leaders is what matters.
Sure we spend a lot of time in EAGLE teaching them the specific skills of
navigation, seamanship, damage control and the like, but it is much more than
that. A cruise in EAGLE is about
giving them a first hand understanding of the power of the mighty ocean, a
constant no matter what ship you sail. As
my friend Bill Pinkney, Captain of the Freedom Schooner AMISTAD so aptly put it,
"The only thing the sea cares about is whether you are prepared".
EAGLE is about preparing your sons and daughters not only for the sea,
but also for their role as leaders of the Coast Guard and the nation by building
character, self-confidence, teamwork, situational awareness, seamanship and
problem solving skills, as well as the enthusiasm to put those skills to use.
Making their EAGLE cruise fun is just as important as making it
worthwhile. In fact, you can’t do
one without the other. The
Academy's mission includes the phrase "liking for the sea and its
lore", and EAGLE is where we build that liking. Your Cadets will certainly
work hard this summer, and they will have to take their turn at the “less than
fun” details (someone has to scrub the pots and pans).
However, they will see first hand why many of us choose to sail Coast
Guard Cutters as a career. They will see how rewarding, challenging, worthwhile,
and mostly importantly how fun it is.
OK, but what does that mean in day-to-day terms?
In EAGLE, it is definitely learn by doing.
As third class, your Cadets will be our "workforce", the
majority of the ship's company, and fill a role analogous to junior enlisted
members in other ships. They will
be standing watch in the positions of helmsman, quartermaster of the watch,
lookout, radar plotter, watch on deck (sail trimming) and oiler (in the
engineroom). They will also take a
turn with the various "ships work" tasks necessary to keep us going 24
hours a day. Those include sanding
and painting, washing dishes, polishing brass, cleaning berthing areas, helping
with machinery maintenance and all manners of shipboard tasks.
But it is not just work. They
are here for training, and they will regularly participate in a variety of
hands-on training sessions covering fire-fighting equipment, deck seamanship,
navigation techniques, communications and many other topics.
We try to avoid lectures whenever we can because we like to make it
hands-on. The one exception
to the hands-on rule that you might hear about is their PQS, or Personnel
Qualification Standard requirements. PQS
is a service standard qualification system that verifies they've learned a wide
range of professional information. It
involves individual research and makes up the core of the "professional
notebook" they will need as Ensigns. PQS
will involve some "homework" during the cruise, but we'll give them
the time and resources they need.
They'll also do lots of celestial navigation.
They've already shown they can do it the "hard way" with pencil
and paper in class, so we'll have them use their laptops to "reduce"
their sights into a fix while aboard EAGLE.
That way, we can focus our efforts on teaching them how to accurately use
the sextant, and then what to do with the "fix" information after they
get it.
If that was not enough, we'll do lots of sailing too!
Sailing anything is fun, but sailing this beautiful ship is a blast!
We've carefully designed our schedule and route this summer to give us a
high likelihood of sailing the majority of the time. We sailed over 75% of the time last summer, and I think we'll
come close to that this year. As
long as the wind holds out, we'll be sailing and only "motor" when we
have to. While sailing, we'll work
the ship two or three times a day. "Working"
a square-rigger means setting or dousing sail, bracing the yards around to
compensate for changing wind, and of course, tacking and wearing ship.
No evolution on a ship this complicated is a small deal, and it takes all
hands on deck for most tasks. Your
sons and daughters will be right in the midst of it all.
They will be hauling on lines, climbing aloft in the rigging, trimming
sail and learning all the time. Working
the ship builds team work, communication skills, self confidence and character.
Our professional crew will always be watching close at hand (safety comes
first), but the goal is to train your Cadets and then step back and let them
handle it. As we get farther into
each phase, the Cadets become more experienced and need less guidance. Before they leave, they will become confident, competent
"square-rigger sailors", certainly something to be proud of!
After all of that, it may sound like they will never get a chance to
catch their breath, but I'll make sure they do.
Sailing EAGLE is an experience of a lifetime, and as I said earlier I
want it to be not only productive, but also a good time for your Cadets.
I'll make sure we provide opportunities to kick back and reflect of the
majesty of it all once in a while. The
sunrises and sunsets at sea are beautiful, and it would be a great loss if my
shipmates were too busy to notice. That,
after all, is what going to sea is all about!
Your sons and daughters can also take pride in being representatives of
the United States military and the U.S. Coast Guard in some exciting ports this
summer. In addition to being a
training ship, EAGLE is often thought of as an ambassador of good will for the
Service and the Nation. It is
really the fine young men and women sailing EAGLE who are the true ambassadors,
and I am confident they will make us proud.
I know the chance to pull some good liberty is a major source of
anticipation for them. It is for me
too! But more importantly, the
opportunity to represent the Coast Guard and the Nation is an essential part of
their Academy education, and we'll make sure they get a chance to go ashore in
each port (assuming no conduct problems, of course!).
Since we’re sailing to mostly U.S. ports this year, I know many of you
are wondering if you could or should travel to meet your Cadet in one of our
ports. If you can, I very much
encourage you to do so. I still
clearly remember how good I felt when I saw my Mom and Dad waiting on the pier
in Ft Lauderdale when I was a third class Cadet in EAGLE in 1973.
I was as proud as I could be, and your Cadets will be too.
And if you do come aboard this summer, please flag me down and say hi!
If you do plan to meet
us somewhere along the way this summer, you need to realize that your son or
daughter will be required to stand some in-port duty. It won’t normally amount to more than one or one and half
days in any particular port, so please be understanding. Other than that, they will be free to go explore with you.
And most of the time they will be allowed to wear civilian clothes; the
big exception will be New York where uniforms will be required.
One very important thing, if you do take your Cadet on liberty, don’t
let their excitement cause them to misunderstand exactly when they have to be
back to the ship. “Missing
Movement” is a serious offense in the naval services and being late returning
from liberty would ruin a good liberty call!
One more thing to be aware of, don't be surprised if your Cadet doesn't
call or email as often as you'd like this summer.
It’s not that they have forgotten you, but rather that they can’t
call or email while we’re at sea. We
don't have the technology onboard for them to send or receive personal email
while underway and we will be out of cellphone range most of the time.
They can, however, write letters and postcards, and mail them as soon as
we make port. You can write to them
too, using their regular CGA address, and we will do the best we can to get mail
forwarded to us at each port. Don't
send anything time critical, though, because every summer at least one bag of
mail gets temporarily "lost" and doesn't find its way here until we
get back.
Finally, keep an eye on our web site, www.cga.edu/eagle.
We'll try to keep it updated with cruise news and pictures as often as or
technology allows. We will post pictures of your Cadets working side by side
with the most professional officers and crew with which I have served, and I
will provide a Captain’s Log during the days underway. We also have our position charted, our port schedule, and
other great information that you will find interesting.
Again, let me stress how excited I am about sailing with your sons and
daughters. I assure you I'll do
everything in my power to make it a safe, exciting, productive and positive
experience for them. Keep us in
your prayers, wish us fair winds, watch the web page and I'll be looking for you
on the pier- Be sure to wave!
Regards
Ivan Luke
Captain, USCGC EAGLE
Red Roof Inn, New London 1 860-444-0001 (within about a 1/2 mile from the Academy)
Holiday Inn, New London 1 860-442-0631 (within about a 1/2 mile from the Academy)
Radisson Hotel, New London 1 860-443-7000 (Located in downtown area near train and ferry stations)
Spring Hill Suites, Waterford 1 860-439-0151 (within about a mile from the Academy)
Lighthouse Inn, New London 1 860-443-8411
New London Lodgings, New London 1 860-443-3440
Queen Anne Inn, New London 1 860-447-2600
AmeriSuites Mystic,Ct 1 860 536
9997
Comfort Inn of Mystic 1 860 572 8531
Day"s Inn Mystic 1 860 572 0574
Groton Inn and Suites 1 860 445 9784
Hampton Inn Groton 1 860 405 1585 or 1800 426 7866
Old Mystic Motor Lodge 1 860 442 0631
Howard Johnson Inn Mystic 1 860 536 2654
Mystic Marriott (located in Groton, actually) 1 860 446 2600 brand
new
Residence Inn of Mystic 1 860 536 5150
Seaport Motor inn 1 860 536 2621