There was a steady line of about two thousand people waiting to board the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Eagle on Sunday.

Known as America’s tall ship, the Eagle is the only active-duty tall ship in the  U.S. military.

The last time the Eagle was in Portland was about five years ago.

Originally built in Germany, the Eagle has served as the floating classroom for the U.S. Coast Guard academy since 1946.

There are three masts, 23 sails, and five miles of rope on board.

“Eagle is a perfect guest to help celebrate our bicentennial,” said Paul Wolf who works on the Maine Bicentennial Commission.

“[The Eagle has] been in Iceland, they’ve been in the Azores, they’ve been in Bermuda and they’ve been in Portland, Maine.”

The Eagle has been docked in Portland harbor for the past three days, and will return home to New London tomorrow morning.