Kastle's Journey: Maritime Museum Feb 27

Tuesday with the forecast for the sun to come out later in the morning, we decided to go downtown and visit the Maritime Museum. First we went to a tortilla shop for fresh made corn tortillas for our dinner tonight. Ray said there's lineups and he the only "gringo" there lol

As we arrived before the museum opened, we managed to find a parking space almost right in front of the entrance. Once paid up, we chose to see the Star of India first, as there would be school groups going through all day and in fact one class is "queing up" to go on ... we beat them. :)

Star of India is an iron-hulled sailing ship, built in 1863 in Ramsey, Isle of Man as the full-rigged ship Euterpe. After a career sailing from Great Britain to India and New Zealand, she was renamed, re-rigged as a barque, and became a salmon hauler on the Alaska to California route. Retired in 1926, she was restored as a seaworthy museum ship in 1962–3 and home-ported at the Maritime Museum of San Diego in San Diego, California. She is the oldest ship still sailing regularly and also the oldest iron-hulled merchant ship still afloat.[4] The ship is both a California Historical Landmark and United States National Historic Landmark.

Captain's quarters

Huge Singer Sewing Machine to sew sails,

The Galley on main deck.

Captain's Quarters

Berkeley

The Berkeley is an 1898 steam ferryboat that operated for 60 years on San Francisco Bay. A California State Historic Landmark, and a National Historic Landmark. She is, in a word, “irreplaceable.”

During the 1906 San Francisco earthquake Berkeley carried thousands of survivors to safety. Her captain and crew, not knowing the fate of their own families, worked night and day to help victims escape the burning shores of San Francisco. Their unwavering and unselfish efforts saved many, many lives.

Berkeley’s importance to the Maritime Museum cannot be overstated. Aboard the vessel are the museum’s offices, a major maritime research library, workshop, model shop, the museum store, special events venue with room for 800 guests, and numerous dry storage and archive areas.

They have many model ships on display.

Amazed at the number of ack-ack guns

Lego model

The Californian

HMS Surprise.

We missed seeing inside this one as Ray wanted to see the USS Dolphin submarine before it got too busy and we forgot to come back to this one.

555 USS Dolphin

The deepest diving submarine in the world, Dolphin is responsible for many “firsts”, but is not primarily associated with any specific historic event or time frame during her nearly forty years of service. Rather, it is her unique, extreme deep-diving capability that sets her apart and has continually placed the vessel at the forefront of undersea naval research during her entire career.

In November 1968, she set a depth record for operating submarines that still stands. In August 1969, she launched a torpedo from the deepest depth that one has ever been fired. Employed by both Navy and civilian researchers, the submarine is equipped with an extensive and impressive instrumentation suite that can support multiple missions. Since the boat’s commissioning in 1968, it has amassed a startling record of scientific and military accomplishments.

The boat was designed to be easily modified both internally and externally to allow the installation of special military and civilian research and test equipment. A recent example of this modification for research and development was Dolphin’s test run of the Navy’s newest sonar system. She is presently configured to conduct extensively deep water acoustic research, oceanic survey work, sensor trials, and engineering evaluations.

The Medea

An elegant 1904 steam yacht and walk into the wealthy world of the early 1900's. She began her life as a gentleman's hunting yacht, served in both World Wars, spent time in Sweden and brought to British Columbia for restoration.

The smoking room.

San Salvador

In 1543 was the first recorded European vessel to arrive at the port we now call San Diego.

Napoleon Canon

Pilot Boat

San Diego Harbour

After wandering through the exhibits for a couple of hours we decided on lunch at the Ketch Grill and Taps a short walk down the promenade. They have a great harbour view.