Ahoy, Tall Ships in Oakland!

Two tall ships return to Jack London Square from March 6th to March 24 bringing unforgettable maritime history experiences to school children and the general public.

Photo by Robert Esposito

Published: March, 2008 

Brig Lady Washington, a full-scale replica of the first American vessel to explore the Pacific Northwest coast, will be sailing into Oakland this month for the Tall Ships Tour. She is accompanied by the Hawaiian Chieftain, a replica of a typical European merchant trader at the turn of the 19th Century.

Lady Washington, the original, sailed from 1750-1798. The replica, launched in March 1989, is certified by the U.S. Coast Guard to carry passengers, and is as close to the original as historical records and Coast Guard regulations allow.

She also played the role as the HMS Interceptor in the Disney movie Pirates of the Caribbean. She has sailed the Pacific Coast from Panama to Alaska, usually sailing the southern coast of the US in winter and the northern coast in the summer.

Launched in 1988, Hawaiian Chieftain is a 103-foot long topsail ketch (two masts). Her hull shape and rig are similar to those of the European explorer’s ships used in expeditions along the California Coast. The Chieftain has sailed Pacific waters, with its crew conducting education programs on marine science, sail training and history.

Both, Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain, will be open for dockside tours. Visitors can also come aboard for special sailing activities such as the Battle Reenactment Sails featuring cannon fire and close-quarters maneuvers or the hands-on Adventure Sails program. In addition to public activities, the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will welcome hundreds of school children from northern California private and public schools for educational programs. For details on school programs contact Carrie Roberts, 800-200-5239, carrie@historicalseaport.org.

Both Tall Ships will be at San Francisco’s Pier 40 before heading to Jack London Square and will travel back across the Bay to the Port of Redwood City’s Seaport Center on March 27^th.

Tuesdays - Fridays 4-5PM

Saturdays - Times Vary

Weekends 2-5PM

Sundays 10AM-1PM