Star of India takes to the high seas for gala two-day celebration
- Christene Meyers
- Nov 9, 2018
- 3 min read
Updated: Sep 28
WORLD'S OLDEST STILL OPERATIONAL SAILING VESSEL MAKES HISTORY AT 155 YEARS OLD
STORY By CHRISTENE MEYERS
PHOTOS By BRUCE KELLER
FOR AS LONG as I've been a part-time San Diegan, the Star of India has been a beacon on the waterfront. She's a beautiful sight to behold, built in 1863 on the Isle of Man, and with many miles around the world under her majestic sails.
The mint-condition, full-rigged iron windjammer will make a sail in San Diego Bay and out around Point Loma. "Royal" is the operative word, for the Star of India is truly sailing-ship royalty.
She spent the first of a many-decades career transiting the sometimes rocky seas from Great Britain to India and New Zealand, hauling freight and whatever else was trading. Years later, she became a salmon hauler on the route from Alaska to California.
THE STAR of India was built in 1863 at Ramsey in the Isle of Man as Euterpe, a full-rigged iron windjammer ship. Sometime in the last century it was sold for a pittance to San Diego and languished in the harbor until 1957 when activists launched a movement to save her from further neglect.
For the past decades she has sailed sometimes as often as once a year, with a crew of 60 and no more than 150 passengers.
Five years have elapsed since the last time Star of India sailed, so the opportunity to join her under sail this November makes for a unique experience
On two days, Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 17 and 18, the Star of India sailing celebration takes place, including the rare opportunity to view the world's oldest active sailing vessel from aboard three other legendary sailing vessels. The trio of escort ships will join "Star" on the historic occasion as she sails through San Diego Bay and heads out off Point Loma. Guests may reserve tickets aboard the other vessels visitors find at the Maritime Museum for passage on:
• Californian, the official tall ship of the state.
• San Salvador, the 1542 Spanish galleon replica built in San Diego by staff and volunteers.
• America, a replica of the historic yacht which won the America’s Cup in 1851.
Tickets are $249 per person for all ages and includes a catered breakfast, lunch, drinks, and celebratory champagne. Each ship will carry an on-board historian to enhance guests’ understanding of Star of India, the history behind all vessels and the city's world famous Maritime Museum. Check-in is at 9 a.m. and ships will return to the Museum at 5 p.m.
The museum sponsors many other activities and educational events throughout the year, including school tours and concerts. The Hausmann String Quartet is on tap Nov. 11, the weekend before the Star of India companion sail. The San Diego based quartet will play Haydn aboard the Berkeley, an
1898 steam ferryboat which operated for 60 years on San Francisco Bay. It -- like the Star of India and Berkeley -- is a national landmark, also part of the city's proud Maritime Museum fleet kept largely afloat by a devoted group of sailing enthusiasts and volunteers.
Space is limited and includes admission to the Maritime Museum. Haydn, known as the father of the string quartet, is an ideal choice for a pleasing afternoon in San Diego harbor.
For more on the concert or Star of India sail, go to sdmaritime.org
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