On Thursday, March 2nd, members of the Hyde Street Pier Model Shipwrights got an opportunity to tour the facility where all the big stuff belonging to the San Francisco Maritime National Park are stored. The trip was set up and organized by Paul Reck and R. Karnell of the Park Service, who gave the tour.
This was a rare and unique opportunity to see what’s stored away in the enormous San Leandro warehouse. Some of it was there in preparation for use at Hyde Street Pier, like the C.A. Thayer’s and Balclutha’s spars. Other items were there waiting for restoration. Other’s still were just being stored there to protect them from deterioration, in the hopes that they will be displayed or worked on at some time in the future.
The tour lasted about 2 hours and was the first given by Mr. Karnell in a couple years, since there haven’t been any public tours in that long. We’re told that the tours may start up again soon.
After the tour, the group caravanned to a nearby cafe for lunch and discussion, then visited the Ages of Sail and ModelCraft Tool shop in San Lorenzo.
It seems pretty clear that after such an interesting and enjoyable outing, the shipwrights will make arrangements to visit the Museum’s collection of models stored in the basement of ‘E’ building in coming months. Also, one of the people who joined us on the tour was a volunteer crew member of the Alma, reminding us of our past idea of doing a group sail aboard the scow schooner. Ω
View the slideshow of photos taken by a couple of our members:
Hyde Street Pier Model Shipwrights 