If you haven’t been to Dana Point, California in a while, you are in for a treat. The already beautiful harbor area is undergoing a $600 million revitalization. And now, for a true retro tall ship experience, you can sail on the Spirit of Dana Point. A replica of a 1770s privateer schooner, the ship transports you back to the days of the American Revolution.
Dana Point harbor revitalization
The old harbor dates back to 1971. Now, a half-century later, a complete renovation has produced new docks and boat slips, named after the colored lanterns that used to signal what products were being carried onboard the various sailing ships. The commercial core of restaurants, shops, hotels and more is also being totally revamped. Some might call it gentrification, removing some old haunts, while others point out overdue improvements with respect for the past.
Ocean Institute
At the far end of the 2,000+ harbor boat slips sits the Ocean Institute, an organization offering educational programs for school children. Maritime history programs include sails on a tall ship. That ship used to be a replica of the Pilgrim, which keeled over in 2020, replaced now by the Spirit of Dana Point.
Richard Henry Dana, Jr.
Dana Point is named after the young man, who as a student at Harvard in the 1830s, contracted ophthalmia. He was advised that a sea voyage would do him good. Rather than opt for a cruise, he enlisted as a merchant marine on the hide-carrying brig Pilgrim, which brought him to this area of California.
For two years, Dana experienced the plight of the common seaman, including flogging and scurvy. When he returned to Harvard, he became a prominent attorney and wrote the famous “Two Years Before the Mast” about life aboard the Pilgrim.
Journey into a seafaring past
Now you can pretend to be like Henry Dana and sail on a tall ship, the Spirit of Dana Point. Every Saturday afternoon, the ship takes guests on a 3-hour sail out of the harbor into the Pacific Ocean along the coast. There are only 18 of us onboard, as you can see from my video below.
Guests can help hoist the sails. And there are many on this 118-foot 1770s replica. Two 98-foot Douglas fir masts carry the main sails, with two jib sails aft. In all, there are some 5,000 square feet (576sm) of sails. The small crew has a few professionals, plus volunteer students from the Ocean Institute.
The ship is a 1770s replica of a privateer schooner and the result of a $1 million restoration. It is a teaching platform during the week, with thousands of students boarding her each year.
An education, as well as fun
We hold a hardtack, the biscuit that would feed the sailors on their long journeys. It is said that weevils would embed themselves in the biscuit dust and would have to be tapped out before eating. That didn’t get rid of all the critters, but left the sailors with ingesting the “lesser of two weevils.”
The crew demonstrates how to load and fire a cannon, armed with a 3-pound charge. It can’t do a lot of damage, but it’s still loud. We learn that some ships would carry 24-pound charges that could crack a mast or blow a hole in the hull of an enemy vessel. We also take a turn at the wheel. But mostly, we sit back and enjoy the ocean.
Every September, this ship is joined by other tall ships in Dana Point’s Maritime Festival. They reenact a battle, with guests onboard each. That’s another journey worth experiencing. Want even more to do in Dana Point? Check out my post, Dana Point is SoCal’s hidden gem.
Have any questions or comments? Feel free to add them at the bottom of this post.
What’s upscale?
Not many places in the world offer the opportunity to sail on a tall ship any week of the year.
What’s budget?
The price is very reasonable, much less than chartering a boat for 3 hours, and more interesting.
