Trading Ship Gives Visitors Glimpse of Past

Twelve-year-old Amber Byrd held on firmly to the wooden helm of the 1790s-style trading ship and pretended that she was taking off for the wild sea.

“It’s a lot of fun,” said the Oak View girl, spinning the wheel. “It’s like taking a trip back in time.”

Amber was one of about 200 adults and children who began the new year with a tour of the Hawaiian Chieftain, a 103-foot vessel docked at the Ventura Harbor during the weekend.

Based in Sausalito, the vessel and its crew spend the winters touring seaports in Southern California and offering sailing trips as well as educational programs for schoolchildren.

“Our goal is to give people a glimpse of what life was like for sea merchants in the late 1790s,” said the vessel owner, Ian McIntyre, adding that this was the third year the crew spent the New Year’s holiday in Ventura.

Besides the free tours Monday, about 100 people had a chance to take a paid two-hour sail on the square-rigged topsail ketch, a trip that included brunch.

“It was a lot of fun because it’s a huge boat and you feel like you’re in an expedition that took place 100 years ago,” said Mitchell Dexter, 15, of Ventura. “I had never been in anything like this.”

After the morning sail, the vessel docked at the harbor where dozens of people took a quick tour. Mr. and Mrs. Pirate stood at the entrance, dressed in gold, red and yellow costumes decorated with swords and necklaces.

“Happy New Year,” greeted Mr. Pirate played by Michael Bradley, a fencing instructor and actor from Ojai.

As visitors left the vessel, Bradley gave each visitor a chocolate coin that he pulled from a small, worn wooden box under his arm.

“I love the boat. Everything looks really real,” said an excited Billy Meinke, 11, of Moorpark, adding that he wanted to go sailing on the vessel.