The Californian is the only official tall ship of California, and makes a cruise outside San Diego bay on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. A 4-hour cruise is $44, which I thought was pretty reasonable.
Built locally in 1984, it is a replica of the 1847 Revenue Cutter, the CW Lawrence, which tried to collect taxes, etc., along the California coast - just the opposite of a pirate ship :-) Captain Chuck gives us a safety and head-use orientation.
Do not hold onto the bar that the traveling block traverses or you may lose some fingers.
On a ship these are guns - not cannons.
Lots of pulling to get sails up.
The sail and spars weight 1,800 lbs, so passengers are encouraged to help.
Going up.
There is a limit of 45 or so passengers, but on this beautiful day there were less than 20, even counting the 5 or 6 crew.
The captain at the helm.
More line pulling. I don't think you should call it rope.
Jib stuff.
More pulling.
There is an art to coiling the line. You can try it if you want.
Moving along.
The navy occupies North Island, at the entrance to the bay.
If you are a sailing ship moving under motor-power, you hoist one of these "steam cone" things to notify other ships. There are some convoluted right-of-way rules partially determined by your maneuverability.
Captain Chuck and San Diego.
The bay.
Guns.
Last time I passed by here I was on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier :-) There was a submarine in dry-dock with a privacy curtain across the opening, I suppose to hide the special propeller...
To raise and lower the small square sails at the top of the masts means going up the rigging.
The crew members are volunteers.
The lighthouse in the background is often in fog, so they built another lower down and on the point. This one is a museum-type building now.
In the rigging.
More line pulling.
Lots of these on the bay.
More sail fixing.
Just sailing.
In the rigging again, taking down the sails.
Boats.
A crew member telling a story about Henry Dana and his famous book, Two Years Before the Mast.
Prepping the gun.
They load only 1/2 lb of powder.
The USS Midway carrier is a museum now.
In actual use, 2 lbs of powder was used to fire a 6 lb ball.
Star of India is part of the 6-ship maritime museum.
I was a half-second late on the first shot. I was contemplating moving to a better position on this second gun when it was "now or never". Oh, well.
The dock also shot off a couple just before we arrived.
More line pulling.
Pilot boat cruise.
We are actually under steam-power for maneuvering in and out of the bay. I believe this is "furling" the sail, the opposite of unfurling.
I think this was a Muslim wedding.
Tossing the land-line.
Stairs down, we're done.