Californian Rhapsody...

[Geo]

On my way back home, I'm making a few pitstops to avoid the worst of jetlag. First stop is a couple days in San Diego.

Now, I learned that Gray Whales have their own annual winter migration towards Baha California, and San Diego's coastline lies smack next to it...

Enjoy the show

[Geo]

Another one.

Sailing the seas in the Californian

[Geo]

And the final one.
Sorry 'bout the quality, but its the (Marine Protection) Law. Excursion boats have to keep their distance, and my tablet's camera isn't really up to the task.

SEAL without a gun (sea lion really)

[Geo]

Next to the USS Midway, I also visited the Maritime Museum next door so to speak. A couple historical ships are moored there. Let's start with the 'oldest' one...

1) Build as a replica of the HMS Rose, these days the ship is known as the HMS Surprise after being used as a tall ship in the movie Master and Commander.
2) If you don't believe me, here's the stern with her name all painted over it.
3) Detail of the bow, a statue of Niké, Greek goddess of victory.
4) View over the main deck towards the bow.
5) And a view of the bow.

[Geo]

There's an interior as well...

1) A detail of the gundeck, showing how the sailors' hangmats were put.
2) View over the gundeck. The girl standing there had nothing to do with me taking the picture.
3) Crew's table, between the gun mounts.
4) Boxes and cages to keep food (the latter for a more 'fresh' variety.
5) And finally a view of the captain's cabin in the stern.

[Rusty Edge]

Cool! I didn't know that the "Surprise" was in San Diego. It sure has a lot of rope. I guess I think more in terms of ships in ordinary, with only the standing rigging.

Is that the "Star of India" in the background of  #2 in the first group of photos?

[Geo]

Is that the "Star of India" in the background of  #2 in the first group of photos?

It is. Its pictures are next in line.

[Rusty Edge]

Nice job getting the gun names Nancy Dawson and Beelzebub in the picture.

 I was confused at first, things seemed out of scale. So the guns are on a platform about 3/4ths of a meter higher than where you stand?

[Geo]

Nice job getting the gun names Nancy Dawson and Beelzebub in the picture.

I hadn't even noticed! The ship closed quarter of an hour after I entered it, so had to rush to take my pictures. I'm not sure, but I think the 'warden' had to man the reception post on the main vessel (the so-called paddle boat). The rest of the museum was open until 8 pm.

I was confused at first, things seemed out of scale. So the guns are on a platform about 3/4ths of a meter higher than where you stand?

Yes. Look at the picture with the girl on it. Halfway her upper legs are about level with the platform holding the guns.

[Geo]

Lest I forget.

The Star of India (as she is currently known). Old migration transport. Gold rusher transport. And your ordinary cargo transport.

1) The ship moored at the quay.
2) I *finally* have now a schematic of how the sails are named related to their masts. At least for clipper-styled sail plans.
3) Someone mentioned excessive rigging on the Surprise?
4) A view from the bow towards the stern.
5) And vice-versa. Stern towards bow.

[Geo]

Some pictures of the interior at main deck level (the cabins so to speak).

1) The salo(o?)n in the stern.
2) and 3) The Masters' "luxury" cabin.
4) Navigation room regalia.
5) The ships' galley (or at least the stove).

1) through 4) are take in the stern area. 5) in the cabin between the main -and foremast.

[Geo]

A museum with lots of sailing ship models (ranging from Columbus' Santa Maria through I think the Italian Navy's Americo Vespucci training ship) and displays of emigrant life&conditions during the voyage is located on the 'tween deck.

1) An overview of the models' side of the deck, with a couple of what were probably lowest class emigrant berths on the side. Most ship models were behind me.
2) A display of sailors life at sea.
3) and 4) Second class cabin on the 'tween deck. The display tells tidbits of a family of seven or eight living there for 8-9 months before arriving in New Zealand. There were 4 cods in the cabin, and one of its occupants was a baby so doesn't really count. IIRC, the 'cruise ticket' was £25/person back in the later 18hundreds to a second-class cabin.
5) View of the cargo deck. Visitors weren't allowed.

[Rusty Edge]

Well, The Star doesn't look ( to me )as cluttered as the Surprise, maybe it's a similar number of ropes, but a wider, larger ship?

As far as square rig sail plans go, they would usually start at the bottom with-

1) mainsail
2) topsail
3) topgallant
4) royal
5) skysail
6) moonsail ( moonraker )
7) stargazer

1,2,and 3 would be "plain sail"
2 and 3 would be "battle sail" . The bottom sails made it harder to see, and easier for fires to start.
5,6, and 7 were only for very light winds. To remember - the stars are above the moon which is above the sky.
When Clippers came along ( with their larger sail area, the sails became less square, and more rectangular, and they started dividing topsails and topgallants  into "Upper & Lower" sails to make them easier to handle.

[Geo]

I recognize a (sail)master when I hear one.

[Rusty Edge]

It's all book learning. No practical experience.  I've never lived near the ocean, and being a farmer most of my life, I didn't get to travel very often. My dad was in the US Navy, but that was before I was born, and he was a paymaster in Virginia.

I'm jealous of your travel and sailing experiences.

 I've been to San Diego twice, but I never had time to set foot on any ships. The first time I took a harbor tour.  The USS Ranger CV61 was in port, and the Exxon Valdez in drydock for repairs, and renaming. The second time  I did ride past the Star of India from, perhaps a 1/4 mile away. As for the Surprise, I've read the novels and seen the movie. They are a good source of information. That's where the gun names came from.

The only sailing ships I ever set foot on were  the Niagara http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Niagara_(1813)  at the age of 5, I remember a lot of wood and rope, and standing on the main deck while somebody talked.
The USS Constitution
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Constitution  which had standing rigging only,
and a small re-created carrack at Jamestown, I think it was the far one.
http://www.historyisfun.org/jamestown-settlement/jamestown-ships/  I wouldn't risk my life in one of those on a trans-Atlantic crossing.