OpSail 2012 Dominates Eagle's Summer Tour

Most of the Coast Guard barque Eagle’s summer training cruise will involve participation in OpSail 2012, according to the .

The tall ship, used for training cadets at the academy, is scheduled to depart from New London on April 5 to join a fleet of ships in a tour of ports along the Gulf of Mexico and East Coast. OpSail commemorates the bicentennial of the War of 1812 between England and the United States, and ships will visit seven cities that played a notable role in the conflict. The tour starts in New Orleans, La.—the site of the war’s last major conflict in 1815, a battle which occurred before word of an armistice reached the combatants—on April 17 and ends on July 8 in New London, according to the OpSail website.

Between those two ports, OpSail will visit New York, N.Y.; Norfolk, Va.; Baltimore and Annapolis, Md.; and Boston, Mass. The ships will be in New London between July 6 and 8. The choice of New London for historical significance relates more to Stonington, according to the OpSail website, in recognition of that town’s repulsion of a British naval raid led by Sir Thomas Hardy in August of 1814.

The Eagle will visit New Orleans from April 17 to 20. The ship will make three other additional stops on the way to New York, visiting Jacksonville, Fla. from April 26 to 29, Mayport, Fla. from April 29 to May 3, and Savannah, Ga. from May 4 to 7. Eagle will then return to the OpSail visits with a stop in New York City from May 23 to 28, Norfolk From June 8 to 11, Baltimore from June 14 to 17, Boston from June 30 to July 3, and New London from July 6 to 10.

After OpSail, Eagle will depart for Halifax, Nova Scotia and visit that port from July 20 to 23. On its return, the ship will stop in Portland, Me. from July 27 to 30 and Newport, R.I. from Aug. 3 to 6.

"It is an honor to participate in commemorating the War of 1812 with the United States Navy and other international tall ships," said Capt. Eric C. Jones, the Eagle’s commanding officer, in a press release. "The Eagle's 2012 schedule provides challenging at-sea opportunities for training future Coast Guard officers, while also building an appreciation for our nation's rich maritime heritage through our participation in Operation Sail 2012 and War of 1812 commemoration events."