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32 | OHCC LIVING | NOVEMBER 2019 | As we wrap up our sailing year for 2019, we can look back on an outstanding club excursion to the San Diego Maritime Museum and a cruise aboard a Navy Swift Boat, used during the Vietnam War. Our Vice Commodore Allan Paloutzian also arranged for us to board the Star of India, the San Salvador and the HMS Surprise, complete with docent led explanations about the ships rigging, the boats' history and sailing destinations and what life was like living onboard. The Star of India was the largest ship with many original equipment displays above and below decks, with beautiful rigging overhead used to fill the sails when she was underway. However the big surprise happened aboard the HMS Surprise, a 24 gun British Frigate. Our docent led us below decks, and then explained that this ship was actually used in the filming of the Academy Award winning movie The Master and Commander starring Russell Crowe. A sample photo from the movie was displayed onboard, and since I had seen the movie I also immediately recognized the Captain's quarters and his dining area at the stern of the ship. The docent then went on to explain how difficult and dangerous it was in sea battles, to repeatedly fire the cannons located in cramped quarter below the main deck. We then went aboard the San Salvador, the Spanish built galleon replica built and crafted right here in San Diego. She was the first European vessel to discover San Diego Bay back in 1542 by Captain Juan Cabrillo and then she went on to explore most of the California coastline. We shifted gears and boarded a more recent Navy Swift boat for a cruise around the bay complete with docent stories about how these boats were used along the Mekong Delta Rivers on assault and recovery missions. All in all this was the most fitting conclusion to our year of sailing in 2019. And all hands managed to walk up and down stairways, boarding ramps, and wander the decks, with no injuries. Eight Bells and All's Well. Our last club meeting in November will be an awards evening for all the members that have contributed to making our monthly sailings, club parties and excursions possible. Yes it does take a village to make sailing possible for the residents here in Ocean Hills. We hope you will join us on Do Dues Day to become a club member in 2020 for some blue water sailing on San Diego Bay. Let's cast off all lines and get underway… Commodore Forrest Newburg Sailing Club