Maritime Museum of San Diego Celebrates ‘Star of India’s 161st Birthday

The Maritime Museum of San Diego is inviting museum members, volunteers and the public to celebrate the legendary Star of India’s 161st birthday. The celebrations will run from Thursday, November 14, through Sunday, November 17. Last year Star of India celebrated her 160th birthday with a sail on November 11 and 12 — it was her first sail in five years. According to Maritime Museum of San Diego president/CEO Raymond Ashley, Ph.D., K.C.L., “We want this year’s dockside celebration to be a welcoming invitation to the community to learn more about her complex and impressive maritime history.”

While the party started on Thursday, there’s still a weekend’s worth of entertainment available, incuding the music of Many Strings, a San Diego-rooted duo performing a treasure chest of maritime- and history-blended vocals, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Star of India’s birthday celebration culminates on Sunday, November 17, when museum volunteers serve up complimentary birthday cake and beverages starting at 12:00 noon, while supplies last.

Built in 1863, Star of India is the world’s oldest active sailing ship and is also the oldest iron-hulled merchant ship still afloat. She was launched as the fully rigged ship Euterpe (named after the Greek goddess of music and lyric poetry) at Ramsey Shipyard on the Isle of Man in 1863. In 1871 she was purchased by the Shaw Savill Line of London, and for the next quarter century she transported hundreds of emigrants to New Zealand and Australia. During this period, she completed 21 circumnavigations.

Euterpe was eventually sold to the Alaska Packers’ Association. In 1901 her new owners changed her rig to that of a bark (her present configuration), and later changed her name to Star of India. By the time of her retirement in 1923 she had made 22 voyages from San Francisco to Alaska, returning each year with her hold laden with canned salmon.

In 1926, Star of India was sold to the Zoological Society of San Diego as the projected centerpiece for an aquarium and museum. The Great Depression and World War II saw these proposals languish from lack of funding. Eventually in the late 1950s and early 1960s, thanks to a groundswell of support from local San Diegans, Star of India was restored to sailing condition. In 1976, she set sail once again. Her preservation continues as a living reminder of the great Age of Sail, thanks to the tireless efforts of curators and volunteers at the Maritime Museum of San Diego.

If you’re on the fence about going to see this historic ship, perhaps these interesting facts will convince you. The Star of India was launched five days before Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address; sailed around the world 21 times; has never been fitted with auxiliary power; ran aground in Hawaii; was trapped in ice in Alaska; became an “American” ship by Act of Congress; and still sails the ocean, these days with a volunteer crew.

General admission tickets include entrance to all Maritime Museum of San Diego vessels and exhibits. Tickets are $24.00 for adults, $18.00 for seniors/military/students (13-17), and $15.00 for children 3–12. Ages 2 and under are free. Tickets can be purchased in advance online at sdmaritime.org or at the Maritime Museum of San Diego ticket booth located at Star of India Wharf, 1492 N. Harbor Drive (between Grape and Ash streets) next to Portside Pier), San Diego. The museum is open daily 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Last guest entry at 4:00 p.m.

Star of India relies on Maritime Museum of San Diego volunteers and a committed staff for her upkeep. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit Maritime Museum of San Diego relies on donations and the support of members, volunteers, and visitors to sustain its waterfront collection of historic vessels and maritime exhibits.

*Editor’s note: While researching this story we came across an interesting anecdote in a 2002 edition of ‘Lectronic Latitude. It appears that Star of India has been wooing sailors for quite some time.