San Francisco
Maritime National Historical Park Activities and Programs for June
2003
Life in Nelson’s Navy
Saturday, June 7, 2PM. Meet
aboard Balclutha at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
Slide show about life in the
British Royal Navy at the time of Nelson, featuring period food
and clothing.
Hercules Engineering Tour
Sunday, June 22, 1PM. Meet at
the gangway on the Pier. Reservations required: 415-561-7100.
Vessel admission.
Explore the major engineering
spaces and learn about steam piston technology and its effects on
the working environment of the marine steam engineer. (Note:This
tour includes climbing moderately steep ladders and entering
cramped spaces.)
Birds of the Bay
Sunday, June 1, 9:30AM. Meet at
Hyde Street Pier entrance. No fee.
See shore, migratory, citified,
and resident birds on this birdwalk. Bring binoculars, bird books,
and dress warmly.
Eureka Engine Room Tour
Sunday, June 1, 3PM. Meet at
gangway on the Pier. Vessel admission.
Join this special tour of Eureka’s
engine room and get up-close-and-personal with her giant walking
beam engine.
USS Smith
at Santa Cruz
Sunday, June 15, 2PM. In the
Maritime Museum. No fee.
A slide program recounting the
unsung heroics of a Mare Island-built destroyer at the Battle of
the Santa Cruz Islands during World War II.
Art of the Sailor: Palm and
Needle
Sunday, June 29, 2PM. Aboard Balclutha
at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
During the Age of Sail, the art
and technique of sailmaking and repair was a necessary component
for working sailors. Watch a ranger demonstrate the skill of palm
and needle.
The Past, Present and Future of
the Schooner C.A. Thayer
Saturday, June 14, 2PM. Meet
aboard Balclutha at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
Adapting to multiple careers,
the C.A. Thayer has survived more than a century. Learn how
the restoration of this 1895 West Coast schooner will preserve not
only the vessel itself, but a variety of vanishing maritime
traditions.
I.K. Brunel: The Man and His
Ships
Sunday, June 8, 2PM. In the
Maritime Museum. No fee.
A fascinating look at an
engineering genius, using museum models of three of his vessels: Great
Western, Great Britain, and Great Eastern--all
ancestors of the modern passenger ship.
Living History: A Day in the
Life: 1901
Saturday, June 14, 10AM-3PM.
Aboard the historic vessels. Vessel admission.
Meet Balclutha’s
captain and his wife. Discuss SF Bay ferries with Eureka’s
captain. Visit a San Francisco lady of distinction aboard the Ark
houseboat.
Living History: Set the Topsail
Saturday, June 14, 10:30AM.
Aboard Balclutha. Vessel admission or watch free from the
pier.
At the officers’ command,
watch the Living History crew aboard Balclutha go aloft to set the
topsail. They may need help with some other work around the ship,
so look lively and lend a hand!
Chantey Sing
Saturday, June 7,
8:00PM-midnight. No fee. Aboard an historic vessel at Hyde Street
Pier. Reservations required: call 415-556-6435 or e-mail peter_kasin@nps.gov.
Sing traditional working songs
aboard a floating vessel. Bring a cushion and a mug for hot cider!
Music of the Sea for Kids
Saturday, June 21, 2PM. Aboard Balclutha
at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
History comes alive for kids in
this special program, where the songs are geared for younger ears
and chosen especially for fun. Ages 8 and up.
Just What Do You Do With A
Drunken Sailor? ... History Through Song
Sunday, June 15, 2PM. Aboard Balclutha
at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
Songs tell the story of the
past. Join a park ranger to learn about the life of sailors at sea
through the work songs they sang.
A Singing Tour of the Balclutha
Sunday, June 8, 3PM. Aboard Balclutha
at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
Walk the decks of the 1886
sailing ship Balclutha to locate places where shipboard
songs were sung. Help turn a capstan and a bilge pump while
singing along (optional).
Wreck of the Balclutha
Saturday, June 28, 2PM. Meet
aboard Balclutha at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
Nearly a century ago, Balclutha
was "totally wrecked" on Alaska’s barren coast. Learn
about this true story of disaster and terror on the high seas.
Pet Goats and a Charthouse of
Her Own
Saturday, June 14, 3PM. Aboard Balclutha
at Hyde Street Pier. Vessel admission.
Only the ship’s captain could
bring his family aboard. Join a park ranger to learn about the
unusual life of families at sea.
Introduction to Bronze Casting
Weekend of June 21-22, 8AM to
5PM. Fee: $100. Instructor: Samuel Johnson.
Learn how to build your own
melting furnace, make patterns for boat hardware, and cast them in
bronze. Construct a furnace suitable for melting most non-ferrous
alloys as well as basic blacksmithing. Learn how to build all
necessary foundry equipment. Patterns for cleats, oarlocks, port
lights, and other boat hardware will be made and cast in bronze.
The casting session will focus on split-patterns and cope &
drag sand casting. Skill Level: No experience in working metals
needed, moderate experience in woodworking helpful but not
necessary.
Gunkholing!
June 8-13. Fee: $160.
Instructor: Pete Evans. For reservations, call 415-561-6662.
Explore the rivers, bays, and sloughs of the
area with a fleet of traditional small craft. Bring your camping
gear, a seaworthy vessel, and a taste for adventure. The park’s
scow schooner, Alma, will follow as a base camp.
Reservations necessary. Limited space available.