Kongo visits the building site of the San Salvador, the flagship of Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo sailed in when he became the first European to discover San Diego Bay on September 28, 1542. The 200-ton galleon is an exact replica of the original ship sailed by Cabrillo.
The ship is being built in Spanish Landing Park on Harbor Boulevard about half a mile west of San Diego Airport on San Diego Bay. The building site is open to the public and you can watch the workers recreating history. Kongo chatted briefly with a blacksmith who was using original methods to create tools and implements that will be used in the boat after construction.
The picture above is a model of what the San Salvador will look like when it is completed sometime in 2013. You can learn all about the construction process of this ship here
In addition to the shipbuilding, there are examples of indian dwellings that were prevalent in San Diego and a history of how the Spanish interacted with the local Kumeyaay Indians.
When the construction is complete the ship will sail up and down the coast as an ambassador of goodwill from the City of San Diego.
Below, Kongo checks out some of the construction techniques and conquistador helmets.
Travel safe. Have fun.
My monkey saw this when they first started to build it. It’s really gotten far along and looks gorgeous. Maybe all the monkeys can have a sail when it’s complete…if they can get along. My monkey can be difficult, yours seems very nice. Good breeding I suppose.
Kongo is an extremely cultured simian who can get along well with most creatures. Even baboons.