Tall ship Eagle sails Delaware Bay

The Eagle, celebrating its 75th anniversary, is the Coast Guard Academy officers’ training ship. MacElrevey piloted the 295-foot ship from a weekend stop in Philadelphia.

Every day and night, Delaware Bay and River pilots and launch crews in Lewes brave the elements to carry out the time-honored tradition of boarding and piloting ships headed up the Delaware Bay to Philadelphia, Wilmington and Delaware City.

Pilots navigate an assortment of tankers and ships, but they rarely get the opportunity to navigate a historical U.S. Tall Ship.  This week, Lewes Pilot Dan MacElrevey boarded the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, the Coast Guard Academy officers’ training ship.

Docked at Penn’s Landing in Philadelphia, the ship was open for tours over the weekend to promote awareness of the Coast Guard in the area, to generate interest in the Coast Guard as a career and to help generate income for the Seaport Museum.