(Mission Times Courier, San Diego, CA) – Students from two San Diego schools—two classes in one public school and a third class in a private school—will board the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain for exciting living history adventures when the vessels visit San Diego for 11 days this month. The ships are scheduled to arrive at 4 p.m. Wednesday, January 21 and tie up at Kona Kai Marina, 1561 Shelter Island Drive, San Diego and fire a cannon salute to the city. Lady Washington appeared as HMS Interceptor in the 2003 movie Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

The students will work with crew in period costume dockside and in nearby waters learning how 18th-century sailors lived during voyages of exploration and commerce. Lady Washington is a replica of the first US-flagged ship to visit the west coast of North America in 1788. She also sailed to Hawaii and was the first American ship to visit Japan in 1791. As the replica plies the waters of San Diego Bay, the students will raise a sail, take the helm, and sing a sea shanty.

The two vessels will also open to the public for dockside tours and public sailings. Walk-on tours for both boats are scheduled for Jan. 21-23, 27-30, 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day, as well as Jan. 24 and 31, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A $3 donation per person is appreciated.

Public sailings include Battle Sails and Adventure Sails. Battle Sails, scheduled for January 24, 25, and 31, 2 p.m. each day, feature booming cannons and close-quarters maneuvers. Tickets are $60 for adults, $55 for seniors, students, and active military, and $45 for children under 12. The family-oriented Adventure Sail, scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday, January 25, features demonstrations of tall ship handling, maritime storytelling, and possibly a sea shanty sing-along. Tickets are $55 for adults, $45 for seniors, students, and active military, and $35 for children under 12. Call 800-200-5239 or visit www.historicalseaport.org to make reservations for both Adventure Sails and Battle Sails.

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority is a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) public development authority based in Aberdeen, Wash. that owns and operates the tall ships Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington, the Official Ship of the State of Washington. GHHSA’s mission is to provide educational, vocational, recreational and ambassadorial activities and experiences that promote and preserve the maritime history of Grays Harbor, the Pacific Northwest, and our nation while serving the needs of the community.