Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A sail around San Diego Bay
Having sold an article that pays a bit more than usual, I decided to celebrate by buying a $17 Discovery Package ticket to the Maritime Museum that includes a short (45 minutes long) cruise along the middle part of the San Diego bay on the Pilot, the original 1914 boat that served as the harbor pilot that guide ships safely in and out of the bay and is now a part of this floating museum of historic ships... aside from getting to see all the historic ships and museum exhibits.
I haven't got a video camera, and so this is a slide show of many still photos instead. We had a guide along with us who pointed out various notable features along the waterfront and told us many amusing stories about them. It was a good tour even though the sky was rather hazy and cloudier than usual. We didn't run into any navy ship (aside from the speeding security patrol boats), but did catch the America, another historic replica that usually moors at the Marriott Hotel Marina, as she took off for a whale watching trip.
The music in the background is Arthur Rubinstein playing 'adagio' from Tchaikovsky's 1st piano concerto (in B-flat minor).
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3 comments:
hi mister Smorg
great job with the slide show! you know? i've been living in San Diego since 2001 and i have never taken one of those cruises along the bay, i have visited the Maritime Museum and was glad to visit the Star of India, but specially the Berkeley, as an Industrial Designer, i was fascinated to be able to walk by the steam engine of the ship
i visited the museum long ago and they didn't seem to have this Discovery package that includes the cruise, but after reading your lovely blog, i will have to wait for a sunny day (not a long wait surely) to do the cruise you did, thank you for the tip! it's sooo cool to read your blog being a local, i bet our European and American friends might get a little jealous of our beautiful city heh heh heh
love your selection of song, as a piano player i loooove this Tchaikovsky's classic, performed by yet another classic
thanks for a lovely post!
your sandiegan friend :)
Hola amiga,
Thanks! I'm glad you like the clip. That was my first real bay cruise, too (I had only taken a $7 round trip on the Coronado ferry before). I actually missed half of the cruise since the $17 Discovery package allows you 2 rides (one north to Shelter Island before coming back, and this south one to just below the Bridge). It really is an awesome deal! :o)
You're absolutely right about the engine room at the Berkeley. I got down there just when the curator was explaining to two bikers how the whole thing works. It was fascinating! They really keep the thing in such a beautiful shape.
The one thing I miss (aside from getting aboard the Californian) is seeing the Star of India out of port! I thought she was going to join in the fun during that Cannon Battles shows in January, but she didn't. Maybe we'll catch her during this year's Festival of Sails instead, ay? :o)
Thanks a bunch for stopping by. Hope your weekend has started well!
Smorgy (is a closeted Tchaikovsky-fan) ;o)
hola again amigo Smorg
thanks for your cool replies, oh I see, so you did go into the Berkeley, that's great! yes indeed the steam room is a beautiful puzzle and you are right! the decks are wonderful too... also I had NO idea that the Star of India goes out to sail!! I thought she was too old for that ;) heh heh, it's good to know she functions still!
you got me started with your blog on repeating the visit to this place! i do LOVE the San Diego bay, along with taking visitors to the Cabrillo monument on their arrival, I think part of the success of our city is the fact of landing near to such a beautiful bay!! the curve that brings you from the airport that reveals the bay to visitors is their 1st breathtaking scene, right?
very cool to read you!
have a good weekend yourself, from one Tchaikovsky-fan to another ;)
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