Veteran’s Day, 2015 was a gathering time for members of the Hyde Street Pier Model Shipwrights as they took a cruise aboard the U.S.S. Potomac, which is based out of Jack London Square in Oakland. The ship, originally built in 1934 as the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Electra. She was late transferred to the U.S. Navy and renamed the Potomac, and was used as President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s presidential yacht.

Club member Jerry Bellows serves as engineer aboard the ship and arranged our club outing, which consisted of 18 members and guests.

The two hour cruise took us under the new span of the Bay Bridge, over to Fishermans’ Wharf close to Hyde Street Pier (actually just got as far as the Liberty Ship Jeremiah O’Brien and submarine Pampanito), then back along the San Francisco waterfront and back under the Bay Bridge and back to Jack London Square.

Along the way, one of the unexpected sights was the C.A. Thayer in Alameda where she is being worked on.

It was interesting to see her there out of the water, but we did find ourselves wonder when she’s going to be getting her masts.

Being that it was Veteran’s Day, there were many veterans aboard and the narrator gave special honors to each and every one. Including many of our own club members.

All in all, as you can see, it was a really nice day to be out on the water. Special thanks to Jerry and Fran Bellows for organizing the trip and for giving us a special tour of the engine room and for helping to keep us out of trouble. Ω