Cal Maritime’s Eric Jones — Tall Ships and Tall Orders

From Naval Leadership to Academic Challenge: Eric Jones Leads Cal Poly Maritime Through a Sea of Change and Opportunity

In the latest episode of Rising Tide: The Ocean Podcast, David Helvarg speaks with Superintendent Eric Jones of Cal Poly Maritime Academy—the only one of seven U.S. maritime academies located on the West Coast. A retired Coast Guard Rear Admiral credentialed to captain virtually anything afloat, Jones spent 13 years of his distinguished career at sea, commanding three Coast Guard cutters, including the three-masted barque Eagle, known as “America’s Tall Ship.”

The episode explores Jones’s early life working aboard fishing party boats off the California coast, his Coast Guard career responding to hurricanes and vessels in distress, and his years commanding the Coast Guard Academy’s training ship Eagle, including during the bicentennial of the War of 1812.

The conversation also examines changes in the U.S. maritime industry, Jones’s leadership in overseeing the integration of Cal Maritime in Vallejo with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo—one of California’s top technical universities—and what today’s maritime students can expect from future careers in ports and at sea.

Listeners are invited to tune in to this especially salty edition of Rising Tide: The Ocean Podcast.

Eric Jones’ connection with the ocean began in Half Moon Bay, California, where childhood jobs on boats sparked his love for the sea. His maritime path took a significant turn when a near-incident on a flooding fishing boat introduced him to the Coast Guard Academy. Encouraged by a young Coast Guard lieutenant, Jones applied and was accepted, graduating in 1987. From that point, his Coast Guard career spanned command positions and noteworthy events like hurricane responses and daring rescues in the Caribbean.

The Tall Ship Eagle: America’s Majestic Maritime Classroom

A tantalizing highlight of Jones' career was commanding the iconic tall ship Eagle, a vessel with captivating historical origins as a German training ship post-World War II. Jones describes Eagle as an unparalleled leadership laboratory for cadets, offering hands-on experiences in seamanship and teamwork. With voyages across the Atlantic, reaching as far as the Arctic Circle, the ship serves as a floating university for up-and-coming Coasties, laden with tales of nautical traditions and cutting-edge maritime education.

Cal Maritime and the Integration with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Eric Jones’ current challenge involves overseeing the integration of Cal Maritime into the Cal Poly San Luis Obispo system—a decision aimed at elevating visibility and recruiting efforts. Despite its outstanding job placement rates and salaries, Cal Maritime experienced an unforeseen enrollment decline. Jones attributes this to a lack of awareness, which he hopes will change as the institution aligns with Cal Poly’s “learn by doing” philosophy.

Training the Next Generation of Mariners

The Cal Maritime’s training vessel, the Golden Bear, will soon be succeeded by the advanced Golden State. With twice the cadet capacity and state-of-the-art facilities, the new ship epitomizes the blend of tradition and innovation that defines Cal Maritime’s approach to maritime education.

What motivates a veteran Coastie like Eric Jones to lead a maritime academy? For Jones, it’s an enduring love for teaching and the invaluable life lessons learned at sea. His return to the Bay Area marks a personal and professional homecoming, rounding out a career inspired by a desire to foster the next generation of maritime leaders. In closing, this candid conversation between David Helvarg and Eric Jones on the Rising Tide Ocean Podcast provides a profound look at the maritime world—rich in history, challenge, and opportunity. Whether you're a seasoned sailor or landlocked explorer, stories like these remind us of the oceans' enduring allure and the dedication of those who chart their course across its vast horizons.