ARC ‘Gloria’ Now in San Francisco Bay

We should know not to presume sailboats always keep to schedule. Not even a 212-ft-long, three-masted barque visiting from Colombia. … On Monday we reported that the ARC Gloria would be sailing into San Francisco Bay on Thursday, October 9. She is in fact already in the Bay, having sailed under the bridge at around 8 a.m. today.

As far as we can tell, her weekend-long schedule remains the same, though one source said the Parade of Sail, expected for Saturday, has been canceled.

While we can’t confirm any more details right now, we can tell you what we know. Firstly, her advertised schedule.

Gloria is expected to be at Piers 15-17 from Thursday (possibly now today) to Monday, October 13, at which time she will sail out the Gate “in full ceremonial formation.” This includes crew lining the yardarms among all the colorful flags.

Visitors will be welcomed to tour the ship at the dock during certain hours across the weekend. According to Gloria’s schedule published on social media, the ship will be open for tours on Saturday, October 11, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; Sunday from 8:30 a.m. (no closing time specified); and on Monday, October 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m..

Unlike some other navy tall ships, Gloria doesn’t appear to have her own website, but the “Embassy of Colombia in the United States” Facebook page shares the image below outlining her schedule and inviting visitors to tour the ship.

Here are a few facts about ARC Gloria taken from the Sail Training International website.

Gloria was built in 1968 after the Colombian government “authorized the National Navy, with Vice Admiral Orlando Lemaitre Torres as its Commanding Officer, to acquire a sailing vessel like a three-masted Barque to become the Training Ship of the Colombian Navy.”

Her hull length is 183.63 feet, with a height of 155.16 feet.

She sails with 85 permanent crew, and 75 trainees.

Her home port is Cartagena, Colombia.