Gloucester High School NJROTC Battalion Commanding Officer Kiley Pryor and Cadet Dominic Davis, along with senior naval science instructor Capt. Ed Merkle (USCG-ret.) had the opportunity to sail aboard the USCGC Eagle when it came into Hampton Roads for a stop in downtown Portsmouth on Sept. 17.

After boarding a Coast Guard 87-foot Marine Protector class patrol boat, they went out to board the Eagle which was waiting at anchor for the trip down the Elizabeth River. At 295 feet in length, Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the stars and stripes and the only active square rigger in United States government service.

The sailing barque Eagle has served as a classroom at sea for future Coast Guard officers since 1946, offering an at-sea leadership and professional development experience as part of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy curriculum.

In another sailing experience, seven GHS NJROTC Senior Cadets traveled to Deltaville on Sept. 25. Seniors Reagan Perkins, Kevin Culbert, Kento...