Dr. Raymond Ashley, president/CEO of the San Diego Maritime Museum, issued the following statement announcing the postponement of the San Salvador launch. “Thank you for your support of the Maritime Museum of San Diego and the San Salvador project. More than any other icon, the San Salvador has become the embodiment of California’s origin story. The voyage of 1542, with Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo at the helm, established California as one of the places in America’s landscape where we can say our country began. “The present day San Salvador is being built at Spanish Landing by the Maritime Museum of San Diego and its legion of about 500 dedicated volunteers. “A launch event was planned for April 19. Unfortunately, unanticipated technical complications involving the movement and lifting of the ship have arisen within the last four weeks. With no certainty that a comprehensive solution will emerge within the two weeks remaining, it is with sincere disappointment and regret that we announce the postponement of the public ceremony. “In making this decision, we are resolved to prioritize the safety to the people involved in the launch and the protection of the ship. We are continuing to engineer the launch of the San Salvador and have no doubts of a successful result, but the timing and duration of the operation will henceforth need to proceed in accordance with the technical and safety requirements. We apologize for the disappointment and inconvenience to anyone who may have made plans around this event. “Please stand by for further communications and plans to celebrate the launch of the ship and its successful completion.”
Details of the ship will be posted at www.sdmaritime.org/san-salvador-build/.
Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo’s ship, San Salvador, arrived in San Diego Bay on Sept. 28, 1542, and was the first recorded European vessel to sail along Southern California, surveying its coastline. She functions as an “origin symbol” for San Diego in much the same way as the Mayflower is the origin symbol of New England.
In the past four years the Maritime Museum of San Diego has embarked on the construction of a historically accurate replica. This construction is now complete at Spanish Landing, located along the San Diego Bay near the San Diego International Airport. Visitors are welcome to tour the build-site from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. until her launch. The new San Salvador will function much more than just a static museum display. While she will call the Maritime Museum of San Diego home, she will also sail along the coast of California, visiting its cities and towns as a floating education platform for California’s school children. To help with the cost of building and maintaining the San Salvador, there is a GoFundMe site (www.gofundme.com/sslaunch) set up for donations.