One way to perform an “Egyptian walk” in San Diego? Become a volunteer at the Maritime Museum of San Diego and help carry a tall ship’s long mast or yard!
Today the lateen yard was being removed by a small army of volunteers from the museum’s Spanish galleon replica San Salvador. The ship will be heading down to Marine Group Boat Works in Chula Vista to be lifted out of the water for the periodic hull cleaning and inspection. Removing the yard is necessary before this operation.
A line of people, walking in unison, with arms bent or extended as they hold up a heavy spar does appear a bit like Egyptian hieroglyphics. One of the volunteers called what you see in my photographs an Egyptian walk!
(No, that popular song by The Bangles wasn’t playing in the background.)
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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.
It’s almost New Year’s Day. It’s one of those days when we pause to think about the passing of time.
During a walk along San Diego’s Embarcadero this morning, I took these interesting photographs. They demonstrate how human technology has advanced over the course of five hundred years.
The historic San Salvador galleon was about 100 feet long. The two Nimitz-class aircraft carriers have a length of 1,092 feet. That’s more than ten times the length of an old Spanish galleon.
A galleon, built primarily of wood, would have a displacement weight of about 200 tons. The gigantic, mostly steel aircraft carriers? Their displacement weight is 116,800 tons–that’s 584 times heavier!
A Spanish galleon could travel at a maximum speed of around 8 knots (under ideal wind conditions). These enormous, nuclear powered aircraft carriers can travel at a speed over 30 knots, no matter the weather, without refueling for 20–25 years!
Today technology is progressing at a mind-boggling rate. Is it possible to imagine the distant future? In another five hundred years, will an advanced civilization still need or have ocean-going ships?
Only time will tell!
Happy New Year!
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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 X.
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!
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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!
Do you live in San Diego? Do you love adventure, the outdoors, and exciting new challenges? If so, then listen up!
You now have the rare opportunity to learn to sail one of the world’s most famous tall ships, the Star of India! Not to mention other amazing sailing ships belonging to the Maritime Museum of San Diego, such as the replica Spanish galleon San Salvador, and the official tall ship of the State of California: Californian!
The classes are free but require an annual museum membership, which for most individuals is a mere fifty dollars. If I didn’t work full time, I’d seriously consider signing up!
I saw the following sign on the Embarcadero today. As it says, many people dream of this opportunity. The orientation is coming up this Wednesday, January 5, so quickly inform anyone you know who might be interested!
You can also learn more by visiting this page on the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s website!
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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 fantastic video produced by the National Park Service and Aperture Films, with a very big assist from the Maritime Museum of San Diego, recreates the historic Voyages of the San Salvador!
If you’ve ever visited the Maritime Museum of San Diego, you’ve certainly boarded the amazing working replica of a Spanish galleon. The San Salvador was built to recreate, as closely as possible, explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo’s flagship of the same name, which he sailed during his voyage of discovery up the California coast. It was Cabrillo who discovered San Diego Bay for Spain in 1542.
A few years ago a film was made about Cabrillo’s historic Pacific Ocean voyage, using the Maritime Museum’s galleon during a trip to the Channel Islands. The film, titled Voyages of the San Salvador, was meant to be seen in the theater at Cabrillo National Monument, but I learned today from its leading actor, Al Sorkin, that you can view it online!
Voyages of the San Salvador, as described by the National Park Service: “…follows the 1542 expedition led by Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo on a journey to find a route to China to trade for valuable spices. The film explores the motivation behind this incredible risk and the lasting effects European exploration has had on the native Kumeyaay people. This expedition marked the first European landing on what is now the west coast of the United States.”
As you watch the video, you might recognize that the segment concerning Cabrillo’s departure from his home was filmed in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park, at La Casa de Machado y Stewart. And the beach scene beneath towering cliffs was filmed at Torrey Pines State Beach.
Watch the incredible and very educational Voyages of the San Salvador–in English or in Spanish–by clicking here!
Al Sorkin, who played Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo in the National Park Service film Voyages of the San Salvador, poses for a photo at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
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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!
This evening I arrived at the Embarcadero around sunset. I intended to photograph the County Administration Building, which is illuminated at night this week with blue and white to celebrate Hanukkah.
But as the sun set, I had to turn my camera to the west to capture more beautiful photos over San Diego Bay!
Sun setting over Point Loma, beyond the Grape Street pier.A sailboat passes behind one of the docked Hornblower ships.San Salvador and Californian a few minutes after the sun vanishes behind Point Loma.HMS Surprise darkens while sunset colors linger.Lights are strung high above on Star of India.
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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!
Early this morning I walked from Cortez Hill down to San Diego Bay. I spent a few quiet minutes between the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the Grape Street Pier.
The sun was very bright. It wasn’t long before I noticed wavy reflections of ships on the water!
Without reading the photo captions, can you identify each ship by its mysterious reflection?
Reflection on the water of Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water of HMS Surprise and Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water near USS Dolphin of Steam Ferry Berkeley.
Reflection on the water of Medea, Pilot, America, San Salvador, and Californian.
Reflection on the water of Admiral Hornblower.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
Reflection on the water of Star of India.
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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!
Star of India and Californian navigate south down the channel of San Diego Bay, heading out into the Pacific Ocean.
I will remember this amazing morning for the rest of my life.
Standing on the Bayside Trail of Cabrillo National Monument, near the end of the Point Loma peninsula, I watched as Star of India, oldest active sailing ship in the world, headed out of San Diego Bay into the wide blue Pacific Ocean.
It was a truly historic moment, and magical.
The Star of India, now 155 years old, is sailing this weekend for the first time in five years.
Tall ships Californian and San Salvador, which also belong to the Maritime Museum of San Diego, accompanied the Star of India, as did two other tall ships based in San Diego: America and Cloudia. I saw Bill of Rights, a tall ship that makes its home in Chula Vista, heading out of the channel a bit later in the morning.
Please enjoy these photos.
People walk down Cabrillo National Monument’s Bayside Trail in order to watch a bit of sailing history.
The north part of San Diego Bay is visible from the Bayside Trail. In the distance, with other tall ships, Star of India makes its way around Coronado.
Star of India is towed past Naval Base Point Loma as it heads out of San Diego’s harbor toward the open ocean.
Star of India is accompanied during its historic sail by Californian, San Salvador, America and Cloudia. Bill of Rights would leave the channel a bit later in the morning.
Californian and Star of India pass Naval Air Station North Island.
The downtown San Diego skyline behind Star of India and Californian.
Two beautiful tall ships of the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Star of India and Californian, head out into the Pacific Ocean.
The amazing group of tall ships is almost out of the channel and into the wide open ocean.
Star of India, oldest active sailing ship in the world, and Californian enter the Pacific Ocean together.
Behind come America, Cloudia and the Spanish galleon replica San Salvador.
Pure magic. Like a dream.
The beautiful tall ships continue past Point Loma, making their way south.
A view of the tall ships from Cabrillo National Monument’s sunny Bayside Trail.
155 year old Star of India and its companion tall ships sail across the water on an historic weekend in November, 2018.
I and a few other photographers head back up the Bayside Trail to get more photos as the ships head out to sea.
Californian and America on the distant water. Mexico lies on the horizon.
Five fantastic tall ships together on the peaceful, blue Pacific Ocean.
A magical vision of historic tall ships seen from the end of Point Loma. Time’s curtain seems to open for a moment, and we peer into the past.
People enjoy the magic near a bench on the Bayside Trail.
Star of India crew members can be seen upon its yards. The sails will soon billow in the wind.
The ships sail past the end of Point Loma. My old camera can barely photograph them at this distance.
Out into the wide, hazy Pacific Ocean.
People just below the whale watching overlook of Cabrillo National Monument watch the ships. They gaze past the New Point Loma Lighthouse, which is down by the water’s edge.
Among smaller boats, the tall ships are just visible in the hazy distance.
Photographers with powerful cameras do their best to get good photos of the tall ships that are now very far away.
Light reflects from a passing plane. The distant Coronado Islands poke out of the haze. And the Star of India sails proudly upon the Pacific Ocean.
A vision I will remember for the rest of my life.
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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!
The Maritime Museum of San Diego’s replica of explorer Cabrillo’s galleon, San Salvador, comes in from a short trip out into the Pacific Ocean.
This afternoon I ventured out onto the dock behind the steam ferry Berkeley, the hub of the Maritime Museum of San Diego. I learned from several people this floating dock is often referred to as “the barge” and that an extensive workshop runs beneath it from end to end. Until my visit today I had no idea!
All sorts of boats were coming and going across San Diego Bay. As I breathed in the fresh air, I watched one very cool ship come in to dock at the barge…
On a beautiful late January afternoon, many sailboats were gliding across San Diego Bay.
A California Dreamin’ Match Race hosted by the San Diego Yacht Club was being held near the Maritime Museum.
Lots of activity this Saturday at the Maritime Museum of San Diego. I learned museum volunteers and employees call this floating dock behind the Berkeley the barge.
While I stood on the barge at the Maritime Museum, I spotted San Salvador turning as it made its approach.
Californian’s sail crew was gathered on her deck having a meeting.
Here comes San Salvador!
Someone waits for the arrival of the amazing Spanish galleon replica.
Tying up San Salvador. Lots of action to see out by the water today!
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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!
Masts and furled sails of the Spanish galleon replica San Salvador turn golden shortly after sunrise. Photo taken past the figurehead of Star of India.
I apologize, but I love tall ships so much I’m presenting another small batch of photographs.
I captured these images of San Salvador at the Maritime Museum of San Diego yesterday morning and this evening. Both the early and late sunlight performed magic, transforming the furled sails into gold.
San Salvador in early morning light, and its glowing reflection in San Diego Bay.
Morning magic at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.
Photo of the San Salvador shortly after sunset. The amazing tall ship is a replica of the galleon commanded by explorer Cabrillo in 1542.
Visitors to the Maritime Museum of San Diego pause on the beautiful ship San Salvador as evening slowly turns to night.
The last golden rays of sunlight strike the furled sails of San Salvador, under a nearly full moon.
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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!
Cool San Diego Sights! 