The Maritime Museum of San Diego: More Than 2 Centuries of Living History

Among the many tourist attractions along the downtown San Diego bayfront, none is more aesthetically and intellectually seductive than the collection of historic ships mooring at the Maritime Museum of San Diego where Ash Street runs into the bay. Established in 1943, the Maritime Museum of San Diego now houses 7 historic ships. All but one, the Berkeley, which now serves as the museum's headquarter, are still operational. For $14 (free for kids 5 yrs old or younger), you can board all of them and visit all the permanent and featured exhibits.

There are currently 7 historic ships under the care of the Maritime Museum:
1. Star of India: Built in 1863 on the Isle of Man and first christened as Euterpe (the Greek goddess of music), this iron-hulled bark is the world's oldest active ship and the star attraction at the San Diego bay-front. Having been at sea for more than a century, this beautiful boat holds many stories accumulated during her voyages all over the globe and is thought by many to be haunted by quite a few rather exotic (and, by now, very well traveled) ghosts.

You can visit all three decks of the ship as well as the exhibits aboard. The staircases are friendlier than on the other vessels, though the robe railing on the main ones that lead up and down from the upper deck may take some getting used to if you have to lean on it for support. This is a spacious ship (built for commercial purpose) with beautifully restored aft state and conference rooms. There are still some restoration work being done at various parts, though. The Age of Sail exhibit barely fills the lower deck with its many wonderful models and artifacts of tall ships. The current special exhibit is the 'New Treasures From the Lost Galleon, San Felipe 1573-1576', with samples of treasure recovered from the wreck of the San Felipe and educational tableaux and samples of intact porcelains from the same period for comparison.

The Star of India only sails a few times a year (usually during the annual Festival of Sail), but she is often used in kids-oriented educational programs hosted by the museum (some include overnight stay on the ship while play-acting as shipmates during an 18th Century voyage). If you happen to come by while one of those program is going on you'll also get to see museum staff in period uniform playing ship officers with relish, too (and they like, no, they love, posing for the camera).

2. HMS Surprise: Launched in 1970, this ship was known as the HMS Rose until it was re-christened in honor of the ship it played in the Ridley Scott film, Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, this beautiful replica of an 18th Century Royal Navy Frigate is 179 ft long and fully rigged. It is the sort of frigates used during Nelson's time, and is even equipped with 24 guns that fire convincing smoke cannons during special occasions (like during the annual cannon battles among the tall ships on the San Diego Bay). Museum visitor can walk the length of the ship on both decks, seeing what it must have been like living in the vessel on long voyage. They also have good photos from the film at various parts of the ship (usually with the uniform wore by the actors). And when you're down there all by yourself you get the feeling that Capt. Jack Aubrey had just passed that way only a few minutes ago.

The HMS Surprise doesn't take passengers out sailing nowadays, but she participated in cannon battles this past January and was everyone's favorite target...

3. Californian: This replica of the 1847 revenue cutter C.W. Lawrence that patrolled the San Francisco coast during the gold rush is now the state's official tall ship. The 145 ft long vessel is armed with 4 guns, which she loves to put in use. You can buy a special package to go to sail in this beautiful boat (and its 9 sails) on weekends... and the maritime museum even offers long cruises in it all the way to the Coronado Islands. If you are walking along the Embarcadero on Saturday afternoon, beware of this lovable sailing beast. She is liable to fire 2 really loud rounds of smoke cannon at the Cruise ship docking nearby as she returns from a bay cruise at around 4 PM or so.

4. Berkeley: This big 1898 iron & steel hulled steam ferryboat used to shuttle people across the San Francisco Bay. She doesn't sail anymore, but extremely well preserved and houses the museum's HQ, gift shops, library, model shop, special events venues, and 4 permanent exhibits along with a featured one down below in what used to be the Ramona Room (showing now it is 'The Art of the Boat'; a collection of really great black and white photos of yachts on an open sea by Mark & Stanley Rosenfeld). You can really spend the whole day just visiting everything on this ship, but of course you won't... Especially with the California, HMS Surprise, and the Star of India docked nearby. The things you really must see on the Berkeley, though, are the engine room (very well preserved and manned by a friendly curator who loves to walk you through the operation of the thing), the upper deck, which is available for special events (awesome rows of polished wooden bench and stained glass windows), and the special exhibit down in the Ramona Room. Going down to the engine room requires a bit of stair climbing.

5. B-39 Soviet Attack Sub: This ship is to be replaced by a retired American submarine later this year, I think, so if you want to visit her, you've better hurry here now. This is a well preserved 1970 diesel electric powered sub with Soviet Era artifacts (like clothing, decorations, food items) about the ship. It is the sort of submarine that was in used during the Cold War... and it is a really tourist-selective boat. You've better be in good enough a shape to climb up and down some really nastily steep and narrow staircases and you've better be able to get through the round hole that separates each compartment of the boat (I'd say, if you're taller than 5'10 and/or heavier than 180 lbs you are going to have quite a hard time down in that sub. I'm relatively slim and nimble and I still banged my head a few times down there... and the last compartment really couldn't come soon enough. Also, you have better not be a claustrophobic, too. Having passed through the length of that sub (300 ft) once really made me appreciate just how miserable it must have been for the crew to actually have to live in there for weeks (if not months) at a time. The toilets are so tiny they make the ones you get on commercial airplanes look like spas

6. Harbor Pilot: Harbor pilots are little brightly colored service boats that guide visiting boats in and out of the bay. This one was built locally and served as the San Diego Bay's official pilot for commercial ships from 1914 to 1996 (82 yrs of continuous service). She also served as a patrol and transport boat during WW II, earning the right to display six chevrons on her stack (one for each months of military service). Nowadays she gets her kick out of taking museum visitors out on cruises around the bay almost every afternoon.

7. Medea: Named after the mythical Medea (those who are familiar with the story of Jason and the Argonauts would remember her as the sorceress niece of Circe who helps him escape from Aeetes and the dragon guardian of the golden fleece), this sleek steamed yacht (originally ran on a coal boiler, but was converted to oil in 1964) is luxury afloat with its polished teak and oak interior. Originally built for use in hunting trips in the Scottish water, she briefly served as a gunship during both world wars (under 6 different national flags). The Medea doesn't get to go out on the bay much and only two rooms on the main deck are open to the public.... and no stair-climbing Yeah The parlor in the back has 4 really comfortable cushioned chairs that make for a good place to a rest stop where you can relax while pretending to be rich enough to own the thing and are just waiting for the butler to show up with the chilled bottle of champagne.

General admission to all the ships and exhibits is $14 (adult), $11 (senior 62 yrs and older, or active military with valid ID), $8 (children 6-17 yrs old), and free for children under 5 and museum members. You can add $3 to the admission to upgrade to a 'Discovery package' to include a bay cruise on the 1914 Harbor Pilot boat.

Do plan to spend at least 3 1/2 hrs at this museum and do upgrade to the Discovery Package admission. The 45 minutes guided bay cruise that comes with the extra $3 is more than worth the price. The museum is manned by very friendly and knowledgeable volunteers who love to tell you their sea and ghost stories.... along with how the ships work, of course. There is usually one curator aboard the Surprise and the Californian, and a few aboard the Berkeley and the Star of India (but none on the B-39 sub and the Medea). There is no concession stand (and no food and drink aboard... for obvious reason). There are lots of cool maritime books and gift items at the gift shop on the Berkeley. Be sure to check out the shelf at the back left of the store where the discount items are!

Some slide shows of interest: tall ships in cannon battles, bay cruise on the Pilot, tour of the historic ships

Some upcoming special events (2009):
May 17: Family Day (kids 12 and under get in for free)
May 17: Sea Chantey
May 22-25: Sailing trip to Catalina Islands on the Californian
June 20: Father's Day Sailing Celebration

San Diego Maritime Museum: 1492 North Harbor Drive (at Ash St), San Diego, CA 92101. Tel. (619) 234-9153 Open daily from 9:00AM - 8:00PM (9:00PM for Memorial Day - Labor Day)
Website: www.sdmaritime.com