The full-scale replica of the vessel Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo used to discover San Diego Bay in 1542 will begin its maiden long-distance voyage over Labor Day weekend, the Maritime Museum of San Diego announced Monday.
The San Salvador’s two-month trip up the California coast will coincide with the museum’s annual Festival of Sail.
“The new San Salvador is a faithful, seaworthy recreation of explorer Juan Cabrillo’s flagship galleon,” said Ray Ashley, the museum’s president and CEO.
“She is the result of 20 years of planning and five years of construction by skilled shipwrights and dedicated volunteers,” Ashley said. “San Salvador is the newest of the Maritime Museum of San Diego’s world-class collection of historic vessels, and one that provides a unique educational platform.”
The 150-ton vessel, launched almost one year ago, was built by around 500 volunteers at Spanish Landing Park. It will be used as a floating classroom as it sails along the California coastline.
During the inaugural voyage, the ship will take part in the Festival of Sail, Sept. 3-5; and make stops at the Channel Islands Maritime Museum in Oxnard, Sept. 15-18; the Monterey State Historic Park, Sept. 23-25; and the Central Coastal Maritime Museum Association in Morro Bay, Sept. 30-Oct. 9.
The San Diego Maritime Museum is also offering a chance for enthusiasts to sail along on one of three legs of the trip:
- Morro Bay to Channel Islands to Oxnard, Oct. 10-14
- A circumnavigation of Catalina, Oct. 17-21
- Catalina to San Diego, Oct. 23-26
The excursions are open to a limited number of passengers, ages 12 and up, and are priced at $995 per person or $3,500 for a party of four, according to the museum.
The original San Salvador came to San Diego as the leader of three ships when Cabrillo was looking for new trade routes from Mexico to Asia and Europe. The galleon was the first recorded European vessel to sail along Southern California and survey its coastline.
Cabrillo, who had settled in Guatemala, called his discovery “a very good enclosed port” and named the area San Miguel, according to the San Diego History Center. He visited many of the islands along the coast and may have sailed as far north as Oregon.
While exploring around San Miguel Island — the westernmost of the Channel Islands — Cabrillo suffered a broken leg and died of infection in January 1543.
—City News Service