FROM MY ARCHIVES - THE STAR OF INDIA, SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 2010

These photos were taken near the Maritime Museum, San Diego in September 2010. The ship is the Star of India.

The Star of India is the world's oldest, active sailing ship. She began life on the stocks at Ramsey Shipyard in the Isle of Man in 1863. The first name she bore was Euterpe and would remain so until 1901.  (For those who are not familiar with that part of the world, the Isle of Man is in the Irish Sea between Great Britain and Ireland. The island is not part of the United Kingdom or European Union, but has the status of crown dependency, similar to Jersey and Guernsey, with an independent administration. Its inhabitants are British Citizens.)

The Star of India began her sailing life with two near-disastrous voyages to India. 

On her first trip she suffered a collision and mutiny. 

On her second trip a cyclone caught Euterpe in the Bay of Bengal, and with her top masts cut away she barely made port. 

Shortly afterwards her first sea captain died on board and was buried at sea.

More interesting facts about her:

She was launched five days before Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. 

She sailed twenty-one times around the world. 

She was never fitted with auxiliary power. 

She went aground in Hawaii.

She became an American ship by Act of Congress. 

She was trapped in ice in Alaska. 

At the time of writing, she still sailed every November with a volunteer crew. Whether this is still the case, I don’t know.

More information about her can be found at the link I gave under the first photo.

Years ago, back in the days when we actually lived in San Diego, Gregg and I decided to drive into the city and visit the ship. We noticed quite a crowd of people and standing on my tippy toes I saw Walter Cronkite walk by and watched as he was escorted on board. I am not sure what he was there for but I do remember seeing him on the news that night. I always enjoyed listening to him.

If you want to learn more about Walter Cronkite you can click here.

This friendly man gave us a wave after his photo was taken.

"I'm not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship."

~Louisa May Alcott~

Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

FROM THE ARCHIVES - THE STAR OF INDIA, SAN DIEGO - PIRATE JIM

 

Pirate Jim

~Shel Silverstein~

"Walk the plank!" says Pirate Jim

"But Captain Jim, I cannot swim."

"Then you must steer us through the gale."

"But Captain Jim, I cannot sail."

"Then down with the galley slaves you go."

"But Captain Jim, I cannot row."

"Then you must be the pirate's clerk."

"But Captain Jim, I cannot work."

"Then a pirate captain you must be."

Thank you Jim, says Captain me."

Looking through my old photos I found this from a trip we took to San Diego in 2010. There will be a post tomorrow of other photos taken next to the Star Of India.

Until then, Avast me Maties.

Yo-ho-ho and a Bottle of Rum!

Thanks for walking the plank with me.

Fair Winds and Following Seas!

Groan as you please.

CONTINUING OUR WALK ALONG THE POTOMAC RIVER

It was a beautiful day as you can see by the sky.

We are looking at National Harbor across the Potomac River.

We have had a few storms passing through these last few months.  A branch had broken off this tree...

and landed on the old picnic table.

Another photo of one of the pair of ducks included in yesterday's post...

and also the Osprey tending its nest. Gregg took these photos from a different angle showing the bridge in the background.

and a collage of both our photos.  The Osprey was once known as the fish hawk as they live on fish that it catches by snatching them in a shallow dive from the surface of the water.  Fish is their main diet but they also have been known to eat a wide variety of other prey, including birds, reptiles and crustaceans.  Ospreys are one of the world's most widely distributed bird, and can be found through much of North America, Northern Europe and Asia, and around the coast of Australia.  I found these facts and many more at this website.

There is no trail by this part of the river.  We walked along the grass to a marina which we explored for half-an-hour.

Always fun being around boats, and it's been a while since we did this.

We have known people with them.  In fact, when we lived in the area all those years ago, a friend introduced us to a relative who had invited us all for a weekend ride on his boat.  Our friend steered and I will never forget being stopped by the river police because he was driving too fast.  I was wide-eyed when I saw and heard the sirens of that police boat. 

 He was told by the officer that our speed was causing a wake that affected yachts participating in a race some distance away, was given a warning and not a ticket.  Our friend's reasoning was that he wanted to put distance between us and that race.  His heart was in the right place, and that was the first and only time I have been or will ever be stopped on the Potomac for speeding!  

And on we walked along the river where all these memories came flooding back... 

as they seem to do these days.

Reagan National Airport isn't too far away and the plane was coming in to land.

This large building with the high rise was across the river at the National Harbor.  The last time we were there it had not been built.  It is the MGM National Harbor Casino and Resort.  I read that it has 23 stories, 308-rooms and a 135,000-square-foot casino floor, a 3,000-seat theater, seven restaurants, a spa, plus other retain and event spaces, and let's not forget the 4,800-car parking garage. 

Below you can see the Woodrow Wilson Memorial Bridge.  We have taken that many times on our trips into Maryland. You can read about it here for more information.  In part it read that it was named for the 28th President of the United States, Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924), a native of Staunton, Virginia.  While he was president, Wilson reportedly spent an average of two hours a day riding in his automobile to relax.  President Wilson was an advocate of automobile and highway improvements in the United States.  You can read more at the link I provided.

We were now on our way home.  (There is a marsh wildlife preserve nearby but we decided to leave that for a future walk.)  We passed by Mount Vernon and saw the tavern (Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant) we have visited often over the years.  We have lived in this area for 32 years.  You can see one of those visits if you click here.  There is also another link within that post, from yet another visit when a relative was visiting us.  It is lovely inside and the meals have been excellent.  When you go to the gift shop and to the tavern, you don't have to pay for the ticket that allows you to go into George Washington's home, and also the grounds which has a very pretty garden.  We have been there many times when taking relatives and friends over the years, and I daresay we will be taking others on future visits.  But I do enjoy going to the tavern and gift shop, especially when looking for those birthday and Christmas presents.

And that's it for today's post.  I hope you have enjoyed seeing a little more of our area.

Thanks for visiting and take good care of yourselves.

MONDAY FOOD POST - A RESTAURANT WITH BOATS NEARBY

When I don't have a recipe on Monday, and whenever possible, I will share a restaurant we have visited.  This one is the Blue Water Grille and Row Bar in Manteo, when we were in North Carolina a few weeks ago.

My sister-in-law found this one.  

It was a very enjoyable experience...

and the food was delicious.

If you would like to take a look at their website, this is the link.

We ordered off the lunch special menu.  One of the appetizers they were offering was fried pickles, which we shared.  

Gregg and I ordered the Asian-style Crab and Broccoli Soup.  It also was very good.

We all ordered the Seared Scallops Salad.

Scallops are one of my favorite seafoods.

And for dessert?  The Banana Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding.  It was decadent, one of the best I had ever tasted, and we shared so that we wouldn’t be too naughty after such a scrumptious meal. 

I also enjoyed looking at the art on the walls...

and the stained glass hanging in the windows.

Afterwards we took a walk outside and enjoyed the boats.  If you saw my other post you might remember this area from another photo I included. 

The sculpture of a Marlin, as if jumping out of the water.

We always enjoy trying another restaurant, especially when on vacation.

Thank you for looking and have a great week.