The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, America's Tall Ship, announced Friday the 2012 Summer Training Cruise schedule and participation during Operation Sail 2012. The crew of the Eagle is scheduled to depart their home port in New London, Conn., April 5, 2012, to train cadets from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.  During the training cruise, the crew and cadets will participate in Operation Sail, a gathering of the world's remaining windships. OpSail 2012 commemorates the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812.

In all, the Eagle will visit 12 ports, including:

• April 17 - April 20, New Orleans
• April 26 - April 29, Jacksonville, Fla.
• April 29 - May 3, Mayport, Fla.
• May 4 - May 7, Savannah, Ga.
• May 23 - May 28, New York
• June 8 - June 11, Norfolk, Va.
• June 14 - June 17, Baltimore
• June 30 - July 3, Boston
• July 6 - July 10, New London
• July 20 - July 23, Halifax, Nova Scotia
• July 27 - July 30, Portland, Maine
• Aug. 3 - Aug. 6, Newport, R.I.

"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. "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."

The Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the United States flag and the only active square-rigger in U.S. government service. A three-masted barque, the Eagle provides an unparalleled at-sea leadership and professional development experience for future officers of the U.S. Coast Guard. A permanent crew of six officers and 49 enlisted personnel guides the trainees through a rigorous underway and in-port training curriculum dedicated to the skills of navigation, damage control, watchstanding, engineering and deck seamanship.

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Wings of Eagle (via YouTube) An excerpt from a 1999 documentary following new cadets on their voyage aboard Eagle.

Cadet Executive Officer (via YouTube) Cadet Executive Officer Samuel Galli talks about his role aboard the tall ship USCGC Eagle.

Every Coast Guard officer sails aboard the US Coast Guard Cutter Eagle, and each and every one of them has climbed the rigging in order to set the 23 sails that power the 295-foot barque.

To many, it's a rite of passage. To others, it's an obstacle they know they must overcome.

For 20-year-old Third Class Cadet Lexi Ludewig of Groveland, Ill., it was an adrenaline rush fueled by her childhood passion for heights.

"I've always loved climbing, even as a kid growing up," Ludewig said. "It's an adrenaline rush for me to be up that high [on the mast] and look down as the boat is moving back and forth. It's a rush. I love it."

Like Ludewig, all 137 cadets aboard the ship will eventually climb at least one of the ship's masts. The tallest of the masts stands 147-feet above the water, and any misstep could be fatal. To reduce the risks inherent with climbing the rigging, each cadet is trained by the permanent crewmembers of the Eagle on how to safely maneuver and execute their mission, and each cadet climbs the rigging with a safety harness. The most valuable lesson they learn, however, is how to work and communicate as a team.

"Teamwork is very important," Ludewig said. "You can't do anything here by yourself. You have to learn that in order to get anything done. You can't pull in a line by yourself, you can't set a sail by yourself, and you can't even messcook by yourself - everything we do, we do as a team."