the Spirit of Dana Point

The Spirit of Dana Point, a Baltimore Clipper Schooner, was our home for a week-long Elderhostel along the coast of Southern California. Built for racing near the end of the Twentieth Century, it was based on plans found in the Smithsonian Institute for privateer ships in 1776. The United States had no navy then, but it authorized private ships to become buccaneers and capture foreign ships on the high seas.
Tall Ships: "A tall ship under sail is a glorious sight. The Irving B. Johnson, a brigantine owned by the Los Angeles Maritime Institute and used for education of youth groups, was one of the ships we saw at Catalina Island. It and the identical Exy Johnson were built in 2003. They carry more sail than the Spirit of Dana Point, but the square-rigged sails are furled in this picture."