Coast Guard Cutter Eagle Meets Coast Guard Cutter Bertholf

SAN FRANCISCO -- U.S. Coast Guard cutter Bertholf approaches U.S. Coast Guard cutter Eagle in the San Francisco Bay here July 23.

This represents the first time the oldest built cutter and the newest built cutter in the Coast Guard have transited together.

Bertholf, the Coast Guard's first 418-foot National Security Cutter homeported here, is the lead ship in the new Legend class of cutters designed to be the flagship of the modernized Coast Guard fleet.

Eagle, a three-masted sailing barque with 21,350 square feet of sail homeported in New London, Conn., is the only active commissioned sailing vessel in the U.S. maritime services.

Eagle serves as a seagoing classroom for approximately 175 cadets and instructors from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Sailing in Eagle, cadets handle more than 20,000 square feet of sail and 5 miles of rigging. Over 200 lines must be coordinated during a major ship maneuver. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Melissa Hauck 230708-G-9417H-180)

If you look at the small boat just off the stern of the EAGLE you can see a blur on the bow, which is me taking THIS shot.