Pacific Heritage Tour is back and BOOKING NOW! Multi-day sailings August 2023
Adventure AWAITS. SEAFARERS Wanted.
Adventure Sailing legs on the Pacific Heritage Tour 2023 are for people who love history and sailing. Very few people have sailed on galleons of the sixteenth century and on our San Salvador sailing legs when public will get a chance to see California through the eyes of explorers.
New entertaining and educational programs on Channel Islands archeology and natural resources, Spanish seafaring history, Cabrillo’s journey, California’s origin story, and first peoples encounters with the unknown will be led by a group of world-renowned historians and educators.
Join us as we set sail for these unique tall ship experiences. For the novice or the experienced sailor, each leg allows passengers the opportunity to join the crew with sail training lessons and shipboard activities including hands-on demonstrations and practical experience of traditional and celestial navigation, cartography, and sail handling, including knots.
09-10-2016 The beginning, preparation and Casting Off.
Final adjustments to the boarding ramp and provisioning.
Crew meeting.
Captain, Captain, and First Mate.
Leaving San Diego 09-10-2016
09-12-2016 Avalon for a bit of shakedown before Oxnard.
A quick stop to Santa Catalina Island and Avalon before heading to the Channel Islands Maritime Museum at Oxnard. I took the opportunity to see if I could find the San Salvador on Avalon’s live webcam. She was not hard to spot! Taken 09-12-2016 at 1630.
09-14-2016 Channel Islands Maritime Museum, Oxnard
San Salvador arrived early morning of the 14th. She was greeted by the Chumash tribe entering the bay among many others. Once San Salvador was docked, the day was spent in preparation for opening to the public, starting tomorrow at 9am. Everyone from the Channel Islands Maritime Museum have been really helpful and the enthusiasm is over the top!
Click on any image to enlarge.
Public tours, Day One at Channel Islands Maritime Museum, Oxnard 09-15-2016
Our first day at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum was a hit! We started off the day with school groups and the crowds just never stopped after that. It was truly amazing to see the wonder and awe from both the young and the young at heart.
Lots of questions, yes the masts are solid Douglas Fir from the Pacific Northwest, and the hull is all wood, even below the waterline. Lots of interest about sailing aboard, especially after stepping aboard such an amazing ship. Plus how often does one get to sail aboard a Galleon? Leg One from Morro Bay to Oxnard (October 10 to 14) seemed the be the passenger leg that was drawing the most interest from people I talked with today. 4 days and 3 nights aboard the San Salvador with all meals included for only $995 per person seemed to many people an amazing opportunity for adventure.
The San Salvador is truly a special and unique ship.
For visiting and sailing information Click Here.
Channel Islands Maritime Museum, Oxnard updates 09-17-2016
Entering Channel Islands Harbor, docking at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum, and our first welcome.
San Salvador video
San Salvador during last nights Harvest Moon.
Monterey 09-22-2016
Starting this update with something adorably cute. When I picture Monterey, I always picture Sea Otters
San Salvador left the Channel Islands Maritime Museum at about 0830 Monday 09-19-2016 and had a favorable window to get around Point Conception, and boy did she take the opportunity. Arriving at Monterey late 09-20-2016 and docked early morning 09-21-2016.
View from the poop deck last night.
Early morning display prep work and adding some chaffing gear to the dock lines. Old firehose makes excellent chaffing gear!
San Salvador looking good in Monterey
I call this shot, “Can you spot the Galleon?”
Some random images from my walk about the waterfront and enjoying the scenery. Monterey is truly beautiful.
Before we left Oxnard the Coast Guard came by wanting to check out the San Salvador. It was only fair for us to check out their boat too!
One final shot of the San Salvador this evening. She’s ready for guests to view her starting tomorrow 09-23-2016 from 10 to 6pm for the next 3 days.
Monterey Wrap-Up 09-26-2016
Port of call tour stop Monterey is done. Next stop Morro Bay.
Today started with an early morning muster, breakfast, packing up the exhibit, and removing the gangway.
All gear put away, and we are ready to go sailing! Plan is to leaving Monterey Tuesday 09-27-2016 8am. 1st stop will be an overnight at San Simeon, then Morro Bay on the 29th around 10am.
The Salinan Tribe will reenactment meeting the San Salvador in homemade Tule Reed boats made just for this occasion. The plan is to arrive about 10am provided weather, tides, and winds all cooperate. This should be a sight to see! If you want to watch this event it is recommended to arrive early by at least 9am.
Click here for the Salinan Tribe website.
Depart Monterey 09-27-2016
San Salvador departed Monterey Tuesday 0-27-2016 at about 0800 A few crewmembers stayed behind to release the dock lines and the small boat picked them up and brought them to the ship. Jacobs ladder was rigged along the starboard side so we could climb board and get underway. Sea’s were nice and flat which made departure a breeze. Some of our encounters on the way out included, sea lions, dolphins, a whale breaching, and one lone person who rowed way out just to say bye!
Small clip from when we departed Monterey.
Morro Bay 09-28-2016
Thursday 09-28-2016 started with pulling up anchor at 0600 from our overnight at San Simeon Bay. San Simeon Bay to Morro Bay was smooth but with plenty of fog. We were greeted by a large number of vessels, sailing, power, paddle, you name it! They love water here, and it was especially thrilling to see the reception by the Salinan Tribe in their homemade Tule Reed canoes that was fashioned just for this occasion.
The crowd that showed up just to see us dock was amazing. Little did I know at this time what kind of crowds would be coming to see the ship once we opened. Partly why I’m many days behind writing this.
Morro Bay 09-30-2016
Friday 09-30-2016, we opened to a sizable crowd that was steady till closing time. It was a pretty amazing start to our last Ports of Call tour stop, Morro Bay.
Morro Bay 10-03-2016
Our first opening weekend crowds were…well…astounding. Early morning is especially beautiful here in Morro Bay. I’ve developed the habit of waking early walking across the street to the bakery for a coffee, take a seat, and simply look at the San Salvador with the rock in the background. What a sight!
Saturday night was the Maritime Museum gala. These outstanding pictures were donated by local photographer Marlin Harms.
Morro Bay 10-09-2016, last public viewing day of the Pacific heritage Tour 2016.
Morro Bay has been great! The enthusiasm of the crowds and the many wonderful people of this community that have helped to make this tour stop an astounding success has been stellar. I consider you all a part of my family.
All the volunteers and the crowds have been fantastic. This view has pretty much not stopped the whole time we have been here.
Salinan Tribe homemade Tule Reed canoe.
Distance learning programs and many school groups saw the San Salvador this week.
A parting shot. Now it’s time to get set up for the day, Cheers.
Leg One of the Pacific Heritage Tour 2016. Morro Bay to Oxnard. October 10-14, 2016.
Leg One is a wrap. It was a fantastic group of people that had the chance to sail with us aboard the San Salvador, and frankly it felt like one large crew. It was our home for 4 days, and we were one crew, sharing something truly special. Everyone had a chance to man the whipstaff, set the squares hauling the sheets & tacks, and then haul the clews, bunts, & martinets to douse the sails.
Monday started with a trip to the fuel dock in preparation for departure. Once guests arrived at the dock we shuttled people back and forth via small boat. The adventure starts with a climb up the jacobs ladder to board San Salvador. After everyone is aboard and safety talk and we are underway! We spent our first night anchored at San Luis Obispo Bay.
Tuesday’s destination was San Miguel Island, Cuyler Hbr. Along the way we passed Vandenberg and you could see the large structure build for a west coast launch of the Space Shuttle. Rounding Point Conception our Captain has a tradition of giving the “Gods” a bottle of rum thanking them for fair seas. We arrived at San Miguel Island close to night fall. Happy, hungry, and ready for dinner.
Wednesday started with launching the small boat and explore the island. Once done, it was time to set sail. One couldn’t have asked for a better day for sailing. Many had a chance to work the Spritsail. Once at anchor the Spritsail was furled and it was time for dinner and entertainment. Final destination for the day, Santa Rosa Island, Bechers Bay.
Thursday we left Santa Rosa early, to explore Painted Cave on Santa Cruz Island. Wow that was a lot of fun and it sure was amazing. The photos really don’t do justice as to the magnificence of this cave or the size! Once we left Painted Cave and rounded Prisoners Hbr, the sun and wind came out and it was time to set sail. Final destination for our last magnificent night out, Smugglers Cove on Santa Rosa.
Next adventure stop, Avalon.
Pacific Heritage Tour 2016. Deadhead Leg, Oxnard – Santa Barbara Island – Avalon. October 15-16, 2016.
After dropping everyone off from Leg One, it was time for provisioning and preparation for Leg Two. We left Oxnard Saturday the 15th, our first destination an overnight at Santa Barbara Island. The day was more perfect than I could have imagined, beautiful seas and clouds spanning endless miles, and then the dolphins. Schools of dolphins like I have never seen before, easily numbering into the thousands. Seeing Santa Barbara Island appearing on the horizon I had to wonder what the crew of the original San Salvador must have been thinking and feeling when seeing this for the first time?
After a somewhat windy night at Santa Barbara Island it was time to pull up anchor and head to Avalon. We sailed past the west side of Santa Catalina Island and then approached Avalon from the south. For the longest time we didn’t spot a single boat on the horizon, nothing, zero sign of anyone else on the ocean. We started to joke if somehow we went back in time and it was 1542.
Studio 8 was aboard doing filming during this leg and deployed a drone to get some aerial footage too. Really cool guys and it was a pleasure to have them aboard. We were greeted with a rainbow as we approached Avalon. Once we secured our ship to a ball, it was time to hit the water taxi for dinner in Avalon.
We will be leaving Monday October 2nd approx 3pm for Leg Two of the Pacific Heritage Tour 2016. Stay tuned for the next update coming in about 4 days. Cheers!
Pacific Heritage Tour 2016. Leg Two, Avalon to Avalon. October 17-21, 2016.
Leg Two is a wrap. Once again we had a fantastic group of people aboard the San Salvador. The weather was not so much in our favor for Leg Two but we had plenty of opportunity for shipboard and island exploring fun.
Leaving Isthmus Cove we were treated to an especially beautiful morning. Couldn’t have asked for better views seeing the sun rise in the morning. We even saw a large pod of dolphins moving along. Once we were set in Avalon, it was time to say good bye as we ferried our guest crewmates to the island.
Seeing the dolphins is always a treat, especially so in the beautiful clear waters of Santa Catalina Island. We had navigation classes, ship building over the centuries talk, archeology hike from Little Harbor and the endless beauty of the sunrises and sunsets. At the high point of Two Harbors one can view the Pacific looking to the east and to the west from the same vantage point. When crossing over the northern end of Santa Catalina Island the day was so clear that one could see Santa Barbara Island, San Clemente Island and the mainland, simply amazing.
Secured at Avalon it’s time for provisioning, laundry, showers and some rest as we prepare for Leg Three, our final leg of the Pacific Heritage Tour 2016. It’s with both some excitement and sadness that we will be home Wednesday the 26th. I have been onboard since September 21st catching up with the San Salvador in Monterey, and a number of the crew have been onboard since departure September 10th. It’s been a long journey and I am so proud to have been a part of this.
Stay tuned for the final update of the Pacific Heritage Tour 2016 coming in about 5 days. Cheers!
Pacific Heritage Tour 2016. Leg Three, Avalon to San Diego. The final leg. October 23-26, 2016.
Leg Three is a wrap. The Pacific Heritage Tour has been a special trip with amazing guests. While it’s great to now be home, a piece of me longs for being back out on the sea. The many great memories and moments will last a lifetime.
Wednesday 10-26-2016, Land HO! Preparation of the heaving lines for docking and we fired the guns.
Tuesday 10-25-2016, Catalina Harbor. Activities included shore exploration at Two Harbors, and a ship building discussion thru the ages. Later in the day we put our tops’l sails into gear, and then set sail for the return to our home port of San Diego. We departed Catalina Harbor at about 4pm on the 25th and sailed thru the night. Winds were light but steady. A number of our guests participated during the night watches. The skies were clear and it was easy to pick a star for steering a course at the whipstaff, with the occasional compass check for course verification. The smooth motion of the ship, the sound of the hull cutting thru the water and the amazingly clear skies is not something one normally gets to experience.
Monday 10-24-2016. Itinerary for the day was leaving Isthmus Cove, head to Little Harbor for a hike and finish the night at Catalina Harbor. Had a little bit of rainfall early morning which treated us to amazing skies all day long, from sunrise to sunset.
Sunday 10-23-2016. Started the day in Avalon preparing for our guests to arrive. Once everyone was aboard and after the safety talk we jumped right into line handling. Leaving Avalon our destination for our first night, Isthmus Cove.
Learn more about the San Salvador:
Click here for EXPLORE page, includes lesson plans, down-loadable San Salvador paper models, and interpretive text panels.