Duckworks - Tall Ships in Tampa

Tall Ships in Tampa

By Rex & Kathie Payne - Bradenton, Florida - USA

Kathie and I trekked down to Tampa Saturday to watch the Tall Ships arrive. There were 2 steel hulled 3 masted square riggers and a 3 masted staysail schooner. They were, the Gloria hailing from Columbia which made a grand entrance into the harbor. The USCG Barque Eagle was preceded by a Tampa fireboat with water cannons spraying huge plumes of water. The Eagle came into the bay, turned around and proceeded around Harbor Island to moor 2 fixed bridges away. While they were docking we missed the Captain Miranda from Uruguay arrive. We did tour the Eagle after watching the Coasties dock, lower gangplanks, raise flags, clean and ready the ship for visitors. They allowed family members of the crew to tour the ship first. It was an educational and inspiring experience.

Barque Eagle stats:

length 295 ft
length at waterline 231 ft
beam 39.1 ft
draft 16 ft fully loaded
displacement 1816 tons
Ballast 380 tons fuel oil 24215 gal
Sail area 22,227 sq ft
speed under power 10 knots
speed under sail 17 knots
anchors 3860 lbs.

Gloria from Columbia

Maneuvering via tug to dock in front of the convention center.

Tampa Fire Boat and water cannons.

The USCG Barque Eagle enters the harbor, turns with assistance from the tugs and goes around the island to tie up a few blocks away to the left of this picture. There were 2 fixed bridges between the Gloria and the Eagle.

Barque Eagle

Barque Eagle

Baggywrinkle, saving the sails from the radar.

Lines were everywhere, really liked the bronze belaying pins.

Please refer to "The Young Sea Officer's Sheet Anchor" key to Rigging and Practical Seamanship for line assignments.

They kept the brass bright and the wood polished.

Looking Aft from upper deck.

Looking Forward from same spot on upper deck.

Main deck from same spot as above.

Kathie giving a size comparison to the block, she is 5'1.75" tall. Lines are a synthetic fiber.

Didn't lack for places to tie lines.

The compass binnacle and iron correcting spheres

Ratlines

As weather helm increases, add another crewman to help steer, gear driven. The crewman was greasing the gears.

Emergency steering station and the Captain's coffin. I should have read the description on this but didn't.

The Captain's coffin, guess if he is the last one off the ship, this will be his final resting place or not.

Again

Note the cadet from the Coast Guard Academy, boarded the ship in Cozumel, Mexico 4 weeks before. Tours of duty ranged from a few weeks up to 3 years. Eagle seagoing Classroom.