Words by

grapevine

A press release from the US embassy announces the arrival of a tall ship from the US Coast Guard will dock tomorrow morning at Reykjavík’s harbour:

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, “America’s Tall Ship,” is scheduled to arrive at the Miðbakki Pier, in Reykjavík Harbor, Iceland, Tuesday at 10 a.m. as part of their 2011 cruise celebrating the 75th anniversary of Eagle’s construction.
The Eagle will be open to the public for free tours on the following dates and times:
June 28 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
June 29 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
June 30 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
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 floating classroom to future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience.
A permanent crew of six officers and 50 enlisted personnel maintain the ship and guide the trainees through an underway and in-port training schedule, dedicated to learning the skills of navigation, damage control, watch standing, engineering and deck seamanship.

You can follow the summer cruise of the Cutter Eagle on Facebook, too.