Eagle by Stephanie Fracasso, New London Connecticut

EAGLE, the largest tall ship flying the Stars and Stripes and the only square-rigger in U.S. government service, is the seventh U.S. Coast Guard cutter to bear the name in a proud line dating back to 1792. Homeported at the Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, Eagle serves as a seagoing classroom for approximately 175 cadets and instructors from the Academy. To maneuver Eagle under sail, the crew must handle more than 22,000 square feet of sail and five miles of rigging. Over 200 lines control the sails and yards, and every crew-member, cadet and officer candidate, must become intimately familiar with the name, operation, and function of each line.