Tall Ships Sail In for 2-Week Visit

Their entrance into Ventura Harbor on Tuesday afternoon was announced with cannon fire.

Shortly before 2 p.m., the two ships, 19th century replicas with tall masts and large white sails, appeared through the drizzle at the harbor entrance. The ships slowly made their way to the docks in front of Milano’s and Hornblower’s restaurants.

The 112-foot-long Lady Washington and 103-foot Hawaiian Chieftain will remain in Ventura Harbor through Feb. 21 before continuing their journey north along the West Coast.

During the Ventura Harbor docking, the ships will hold tours, run educational programs and conduct battle reenactment sails.

Despite the rain, a small crowd was waiting as the ships docked.

“Normally, docking would be easy, but the wind kind of made things a little troublesome,” said Mason Marsh, the communications officer of the Lady Washington.

The public was allowed free access to both vessels for the afternoon.

The Lady Washington is a replica of the first American ship to sail around Cape Horn at the southern tip of South America and into the Pacific Ocean, according to Marsh. The Hawaiian Chieftain was built along the lines of a merchant vessel from the era between the 1790s and 1830s.

The dockside tours will be on weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m., with an extended tour Feb. 15 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Presidents Day. Tickets are $7 for families, $3 for adults, $2 for students and seniors, and $1 for children.

On weekends, the two ships will head to sea and stage battle reenactments, with crews exchanging mock cannon fire. The reenactments will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, and 9 a.m. to noon and 3 to 6 p.m. Feb. 21. Tickets are $40 for adults and $25 for children.