Ships

Everytime we go to San Diego we are always trying to find new things to see and do since there are so many things to see there.  Again we were blessed with amazing weather to be outside enjoying the day.  We decided to go down to the port and see the ships at the Maritime Museum.  None of our kids had ever seen a real ship with sails and it was neat to not only see them, but go on them and get to explore them.  When we first pulled up, I may have been more excited than anyone.  As a girl I LOVED the book the True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle which takes place on a ship and seeing these ships made me feel as if I was going back in time and into the story. Aren't they beautiful????

 The museum tour included two submarines, three sailing ships and an old riverboat that has been turned into the museum.  We decided to tour the subs first.

 The kids loved that we had to turn around and go down the stairs backwards to climb down inside and that the passageways were all narrow and filled with knobs, dials and buttons.

 They took multiple turns looking at things above through the periscope...

 It was neat to see but it made me feel so claustrophobic.  I can't imagine being inside with an entire crew all trying to work together and live together day in and day out.  Hudson sat in the missile tube..

 After checking out the subs we were able to tour an actual working ship that had docked in san diego just for the weekend from Columbia.  It was neat to get to compare the older ships with one that actually sails today and see how they both run.

 Next we toured a ship that was used in some of the movie Pirates of the Carribean-On Stranger Tides.  It was so awesome.  I wished that I could be a kid again and play pirates on its deck.  Wished that I could take a ride on it out in the ocean and see what it would be like.  Couldn't help but go over to the side of the ship and look out at all the water and forget everything that was happening around me.  It stirred up the adventurer inside of me.    

 Seriously, I could have cut off the ropes and sailed away with Deke on a romantic sailing adventure.  The sounds of the water, the aging of the ship, the ropes and the sails blowing in the wind.  I can't even imagine how romantic it could be out on the water by only candlelight surrounded by the darkness of the ocean.  

 We also toured the Star of India.  As we toured a group of school kids were there doing an overnight activity that all the fifth graders have the opportunity to do in their district.  The kids get to spend one day and night aboard the boat and act as the crew.  The staff all have roles and the kids get to do duties as a crew member all day and eat and sleep below in special "crew's quarter's."  Lucky kids :) :)

 Down below they had a play ship that the kids quickly took command of and started their own play scenario. They took turns being captains and giving their crew orders to run the ship.  I could have sat and watched them play for hours.

 It was my favorite thing I have seen in San Diego so far.  We were there the entire day.  We stayed until dinnertime and then headed to Island's to have some delicious hamburgers before we went to see Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2.  I'm going to dream about sailing on ships tonight I am sure of it :) :)