Sailing through time
It is hard to pass by Harbor Blvd in San Diego and not be intrigued by the moored maritime vessels. How could one resist stepping onto one of these large vessels and pretending you are about to set sail for a distant country with nothing but a few clothes and a dream. I have heard stories of how difficult crossing the ocean was a hundred years ago or more. To look directly at the amount of space these travelers and crew had to work with, though, is to really appreciate more deeply the commitment it took to make such a journey.
Take the Star of India, for example. This is the world’s oldest seafaring ship. Built in 1863 it was an experimental design using iron instead of wood. She served as a cargo ship to India, a passenger vessel hauling emigrants to New Zealand, and a commercial salmon fishing and packing facility. By 1897 she had made 21 round-the-world trips. Unlike many preserved or restored vessels, her hull, cabins and equipment are nearly 100% original. Going on-board you are able to see the accommodations given to a family, with period-dressed mannequins demonstrating where one might sleep a family of five. I estimate 
this size as about equal to a walk-in closet, if that.
If you prefer imagining yourself part of the Royal Navy, you can board the HMS Surprise. This is a very detailed replica of a 18th Century Royal Navy frigate. The attention to detail and authenticity led it to be the filming location of the academy award winning film, “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.” Or if you would like to know what life aboard a submarine was like, there are two you can board; a Soviet-era diesel electric sub or the USS Dolphin, the deepest diving submarine in the world. The Soviet sub, B-39, carried a crew of 78 men. I will tell you there is not room for very many beds. They apparently slept in shifts and you 
can forget privacy or dim lighting.
At $14 per adult ticket and $8 for kids 6-17 (5 and under free) you get to explore ten historic ships. On the ferry there is an extensive display of model ships, as well as a gift store and refreshment stand. All in all, our self-guided tour lasted about an hour and a half. I think the whole experience would have been even more thrilling if we were able to take advantage of any of the sailing packages offered. My choice would be to venture on the America to go whale watching. Because I have two young kids and one sea-sick prone husband, my opportunities for a whale-watching trip are limited. However, since this yacht has a large balancing keel deep below the surface, the folks on America are so confident that you will not get seasick that they will provide a $40 gift certificate at San Diego’s famous “Fish Market” restaurant if your day is spoiled by motion sickness. ($20 child certificate) That sounds like an offer I’d like to take. Other sailing adventures include sunset tours, Catalina Island tours, and more.
Checking out the ships on our own was pretty interesting. From their website, there appear to be many opportunities to enhance your own Maritime Museum Experience with educational tours or sailing adventure packages. Next time we return to San Diego, provided my kids are old enough for me to trust on a moving ship, I will look into being able to experience these ships on a more intimate level.
Wow! I remember going to see the Star of India as part of a class trip in sixth grade. You just brought back memories for me! You seem to be especially good at that.
Sounds like a great museum. I want to go! I love all maritime museums. They are such doorsteps through time. My best memory of a maritime museum is the Amsterdam Scheepvaart Museum. They had daily pirate battles onboard the ships that were quite a trip. Also lots of artifacts from the East India Trading Co. Now it looks like they are closed for renovation until 2011. Can’t wait to see the new building. I’ll get to San Diego first though…