The United States Coast Guard ship Eagle, one of the world’s “tall ships,” docked this past weekend in the Port of Santo Domingo and is currently tied up at the pier of the Dominican Navy in Sans Souci, on the east side of the Ozama River. The ship is open to the public on Monday, 27 May 2024 from 10 to 7pm, and the tours are free of charge.
The Eagle is the three-masted clipper ship that is used to train young Coast Guard cadets in seamanship, navigation, and command.
The visit by the tall sailing vessel is a step back in time. According to her captain, the Eagle has a long history of visiting the Caribbean. Captain Jessica Rozzi-Ochs explains the cadets are anxious to share the history of the 88-year-old vessel with all the visitors.
Originally christened as the Horst Wessel in 1936 in Germany as a training ship for young German naval officers, the vessel flew the flag of Nazi Germany during the Second World War and was seized by the United States at the end of the war. Currently, it is the only ship of its class in the United States. The tallship is based in New London, Connecticut.
\The ship’s dimensions are impressive. There are 23,500 square feet of sails and nearly 10 kilometers of lines, ropes, and cables. There are about 8 officers and 200 cadets and enlisted personnel currently on board.
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Diario Libre
27 May 2024