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Tall Ship EagleSwab Ann Fecskovics
Let me start by saying that being on Eagle is awesome! It’s so nice not getting yelled at and being able to look at your food. After five weeks of Swab Summer, it is a wecomed break. Most of all, it is a unique and special opportunity that most young people would never even dream of. Eagle, “America’s Tall Ship,” is also America’s perfect training ship. As my classmates and I rotate through duty sections, we gain a better understanding of life in the fleet. Things that we have learned at the Academy (cleaning, sounding off, and not leaving gear adrift) are directly connected to the fleet. Germs spread quickly on ships, so regular cleaning is necessary. As a line captain, people need to be able to hear your commands, so sounding-off is crucial. As far as gear adrift, a single piece of it can prohibit a pump from functioning properly and can lead to a sinking ship! These things, although simple, really matter. As a result, everyone is forced to step up and assume responsibility.
Eagle is not all work, though. Climbing the rigging is so much fun! Who knew that I, at 18 years old, would be fixing sails on my first night on deck-watch duty? Not only did I get to climb the rigging, but I also got to secure a sail in the dark. The seaman taught me how to tie a slip clove-hitch under the same conditions! Today, we doused several sails, which was tiring, but also exhilarating because you are leaning over the yard arms (that’s over 100 feet with nothing between you and the deck but the line you’re standing on!) There is no other feeling like it!
I’ll be sad to leave Eagle, but will take with me numerous learning experiences and memories. Being on Eagle has reminded me and many of my classmates how lucky we are to be at the United States Coast Guard Academy.
Swab Fecskovics
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