Voodoo Ranger “pirate ship” arrives for Comic-Con!

The “pirate ship” promoting Voodoo Ranger IPA arrived behind the San Diego Convention Center early this morning, in time for Comic-Con 2025! The amazing ship is now docked across the bayside boardwalk from the King of the Hill offsite, between two other Comic-Con offsites: Brawl Stars and Abbott Elementary.

Why is “pirate ship” written in quotes? Because this beautiful tall ship, San Salvador, is actually a faithful replica of the Spanish galleon Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed in when he discovered San Diego Bay in 1542!

This modern day San Salvador was built by the Maritime Museum of San Diego back in 2015, and is now a seaworthy part of the museum’s ship collection.

Would you like to see photographs of San Salvador being built in Spanish Landing park, near San Diego International Airport? If you would, click here!

Do you live in San Diego? Do you love ships, history and adventure? Join me in becoming a Maritime Museum of San Diego member!

The Voodoo Ranger’s black pirate sails will beckon Comic-Con visitors who are looking for music, live entertainment, drink and a good time. The floating activation will be open to the public Thursday through Sunday from 10 am to 6 pm.

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.

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How an Adult Swim(s) into a Pirate Parrrty!

Is this how a pirate parrrties? If you’re at San Diego Comic-Con in 2024, the answer is yes!

The Adult Swim Pirate Parrrty on the Green is a big, happening offsite activation that the public can freely enjoy behind the San Diego Convention Center. It starts each day at 1 pm and goes late into the night until 10 pm, through Saturday.

I swam into the piratical fun this mid-afternoon after a practically nonexistent wait in line. The first 1000 people to enter each day get free merch. I missed that.

But I did get to observe lots of would-be pirates having a blast, peering into silly porthole peepholes, taking their aim at a dunk tank, climbing an inflatable shipwreck and into the jaws of an alien monster, seesawing on a shark, beanbag tossing into the mouth of an friendly alien, riding a dinosaur…

Um, a dinosaur among pirates? It’s Adult Swim. When Rick and Morty are present, anything weird is possible.

Later in the evening there would be entertainment (on Thursday, Battle For the Booty wrestling) plus raffle prizes and DJ laser sets. You know pirates can get pretty wild.

Find more details about the Adult Swim Pirate Parrrty on the Green by clicking here!

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Pirates, cosplay, and San Diego Comic-Con fun!

The crazy good times at Comic-Con 2024 in San Diego have begun!

I took one final walk late this afternoon, a couple hours before the San Diego Convention Center would open its doors for Preview Night. And what did my camera capture?

Fun people! Creative activities! Cool sights in every conceivable direction!

And Comic-Con hasn’t even begun in earnest! I can’t wait for tomorrow!

Reporter for IGN prepares to go on camera in San Diego’s Gaslamp during Comic-Con 2024.

IT’SUGAR candy store in the Gaslamp has exclusive tokidoki merch for sale.

Crowds are growing in the Gaslamp near the San Diego Convention Center on the afternoon of Comic-Con Preview Night.

Dragon Tamer cosplay!

Batman nemesis Penguin has brought his Gotham Ice truck to San Diego. Uh, oh!

Banners on Harbor Drive indicate Heroes At Work.

Have a question about Comic-Con? Ask this friendly guy!

Here comes Tinker Bell!

Do you dare enter the Adult Swim Pirate Parrrty offsite? You have to pass through this gigantic skull!

It’s a pirate parrrty! And one heck of a big nose ring!

These pirates seem awfully civilized. What are they really up to?

These guys can spell A.V.A. FEST. They get a passing grade.

Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed cosplay! Very cool!

Fans are already exploring the Dragon Ball offsite.

Here’s the end of the line for Dragon Ball exclusives, I believe.

Hot Wheels is back again with their cool truck!

However, the Sharpie truck is stuck in Harbor Drive traffic.

Looking for a restroom? Watch for this sign!

Part of the Bathroom Battlestation under construction. Looks like he needs a laxative.

Cool artwork by a local artist along MLK Promenade.

I’m now back to Fifth Avenue looking at the Omni Hotel’s big FOX Animation Domination building wrap.

My goodness! These Borderlands Psychos seem to be everywhere!

I’ve seen this caricature artist in Balboa Park.

Gambit cosplay!

Batgirl cosplay!

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Pirate ship arrives for San Diego Comic-Con!

This morning the Voodoo Ranger pirate ship arrived for Comic-Con 2024. It crept silently across the bay and pulled up to the dock behind the San Diego Convention Center. Unsuspecting citizens on shore were no doubt startled by the sudden arrival of the fierce marauders!

No, the crew wasn’t really that fierce. Because they were friendly members of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, and their supposed “pirate” ship was actually the seaworthy Spanish galleon replica San Salvador, one of the amazing ships in the collection of the world famous museum. San Salvador used its motor this morning, but it does sail.

Would you like to see photographs of the galleon San Salvador being built years ago in San Diego? Yes? Then click here!

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

Getting a pirate ship ready for Comic-Con!

Pirates must be more conscientious than we think, because the Voodoo Ranger pirate ship is being carefully painted the day before it sails for Comic-Con!

This morning I noticed a volunteer at the Maritime Museum of San Diego touching up the beautiful tall ship. It isn’t really a pirate ship. It’s far more amazing. San Salvador is a working replica of a Spanish galleon built and operated by the folks at the Maritime Museum.

The Voodoo Ranger sails are already up, ready to unfurl for all of San Diego and Comic-Con goers to see. Early tomorrow morning the make-believe pirate ship will head down San Diego Bay to its place behind the San Diego Convention Center.

Landlubbers beware! Even not-so-despicable pirates might engage in a little mischief!

I’m covering Comic-Con again this year. To see all my current and past blog posts concerning Comic-Con, click here and scroll down!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Gold coin, weird volleyball on Coronado ferry.

Those who ride the Coronado ferryboat Cabrillo might notice a mysterious display at the concession counter near the center of the ship.

Displayed in one case is a single gold coin that was found on the beach in Coronado. The rare coin is believed to have been stolen from a pirate’s chest. Greedy passengers on the ferry might wish to avoid this gold, however, because it is said to be cursed.

Another display case features a very weird volleyball. The ball was found floating in San Diego Bay by Cabrillo crew members in 2001. A strangely smeared hand print, that resembles a face, suggests the ball was cast away by an unknown someone out at sea. At least, that’s one plausible theory.

Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Pirate ship full of beer arrives at Comic-Con!

A full-size, working Spanish galleon docked this morning behind the San Diego Convention Center for Comic-Con!

San Salvador, a replica of explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo’s famous ship, will be hosting a special 2022 Comic-Con offsite. Visitors will think they are boarding a pirate ship to sample Voodoo Ranger IPA adult beverages!

Of course, they’ll actually be on a ship of the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The San Salvador was built on Spanish Landing near the airport seven years ago.

If you’d like to see photographs of this amazing Spanish galleon replica being built, click here!

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

Spanish galleon prepares to sail to Comic-Con!

A full size Spanish galleon will be sailing to 2022 Comic-Con in San Diego next week!

I visited the Maritime Museum of San Diego today, home of San Salvador, a working replica of the famous Spanish galleon sailed by explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo back in 1542.

The beautiful tall ship is being prepared for its big journey . . . a mile or two down San Diego Bay. Next Tuesday it will dock behind the convention center, and during Comic-Con it will welcome visitors to experience Voodoo Ranger IPA beers.

(It appears that for this event the galleon will be called a pirate ship. Funny. The museum’s famous iron-hulled merchant ship Star of India is also referred to as a pirate ship by most tourists. Oh, well. It’s what you see in the movies, I guess.)

If you’d like to view my coverage of Comic-Con so far, which includes hundreds of cool photographs, click here!

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A famous Disney movie ship in San Diego!

Some passengers who embark on a cruise aboard the Disney Wonder don’t realize there’s another “Disney ship” that makes San Diego its homeport. And it’s docked just a stone’s throw (or cannon shot) away!

HMS Surprise, of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, was one of the ships used in the filming of Disney’s 2011 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. The museum ship portrayed Captain Hector Barbossa’s HMS Providence.

HMS Surprise, a beautiful replica of the 18th century Royal Navy frigate Rose, spent three months off Long Beach during the Pirates of the Caribbean filming.

HMS Surprise is better known for its leading role in another film. The tall ship co-starred with Russell Crowe in 2003’s epic, multiple Academy Award nominated Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World.

Going on a Disney cruise out of San Diego? Are you a fan of the popular Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise? Walk a short distance along the Embarcadero and step aboard a cool Disney movie ship!

Learn more about HMS Surprise at the Maritime Museum of San Diego website here.

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

See the history of rum at the Maritime Museum!

Visitors to the Maritime Museum of San Diego view a display concerning the history of rum.
Visitors to the Maritime Museum of San Diego view a display concerning the history of rum.

A cool new exhibit opened this weekend at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Rum: Sailors, Pirates and Prohibition follows the colorful history of rum, from its origin to the present day, with a focus on its surprising history in San Diego.

There are all sorts of interesting artifacts, old photographs and displays, as you can see from the few photos I took this afternoon. Among other things, visitors to the exhibition can learn how rum is made, about the use of rum by sailors, including those of the British Royal Navy, and how rum runners used sea caves in San Diego during Prohibition.

Anyone with a love for history should check it out!

Rum: Sailors, Pirates and Prohibition is a cool new exhibit inside the Steam Ferry Berkeley, at the Maritime Museum of San Diego!
Rum: Sailors, Pirates and Prohibition is a cool new exhibit inside the Steam Ferry Berkeley, at the Maritime Museum of San Diego!

A display in the Gould Eddy Gallery shows some of the coopering tools used in making oak rum barrels.
A display in the Gould Eddy Gallery shows some of the coopering tools used in making oak rum barrels.

Slave collars from the 18th century. Some believe African slaves in the Caribbean discovered the process of distilling the residue of sugar refining--molasses and sugarcane juice--into alcohol.
Slave collars from the 18th century. Some believe African slaves in the Caribbean discovered the process of distilling the residue of sugar refining–molasses and sugarcane juice–into alcohol.

A display features an explanation of grog and rum on British Royal Navy ships. Grog was rum diluted with water to prevent drunkenness. The grog ration was abolished in 1970.
A display features an explanation of grog and rum on British Royal Navy ships. Grog was rum diluted with water to prevent drunkenness. The grog ration was abolished in 1970.

Old photo of the Malahat, the Queen of Rum Row. The five-masted schooner successfully delivered rum and other spirits along the West Coast during Prohibition.
Old photo of the Malahat, the Queen of Rum Row. The five-masted schooner successfully delivered rum and other spirits along the West Coast during Prohibition.

Local sea caves and coves in La Jolla and Sunset Cliffs were used at hideouts for rum runners arriving from Mexico during Prohibition.
Local sea caves and coves in La Jolla and Sunset Cliffs were used at hideouts for rum runners arriving from Mexico during Prohibition.

Photos of the Monte Carlo, San Diego's Prohibition era floating casino. In 1937 it became beached on Coronado during a winter storm. Her wreckage can still be seen underwater at low tide.
Photos of the Monte Carlo, San Diego’s Prohibition era floating casino. In 1937 it became beached on Coronado during a winter storm. Her wreckage can still be seen underwater at low tide.

Photos of Blind Pigs and Speakeasies. A Speakeasy sold alcohol during Prohibition, and provided entertainment. Their drinks were tastier than the poisonous rums and moonshines concocted in bathtubs.
Blind Pigs and Speakeasies. A secretive Speakeasy sold alcohol during Prohibition, plus provided its guests with entertainment. Drinks were tastier than the poisonous rums and moonshines concocted in bathtubs.

A photograph of anti-alcohol activists taken during Prohibition. Lips that touch liquor shall not touch ours!
A photograph of anti-alcohol activists taken during Prohibition. Lips that touch liquor shall not touch ours!

Display celebrates the rise of local San Diego distilleries. Our city is now considered the craft beer capital of the United States.
Display celebrates the rise of local San Diego distilleries. Our dynamic city is now considered the craft beer capital of the United States.

I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to share and enjoy!