Sculptures on Harbor Drive

While walking back and forth from the Maritime Museum to the docks where the Mexican vessel was, I passed by these sculptures.  They've been in place for years & I've seen them before, but this is the first time I've taken the time to photograph them.

"Green Fire" 

"Green Fire" by Robert Varhees (2006)  Port of San Diego Tidelands Collection.

I went to their web site & apparently there are/were 30+ of these sculpture pieces along Harbor Drive.  I'll have to be more observant, because I've just seen 4 of them.  

"Orange Tree"

"Fish Tree" 

"Orange Tree" sculpture by Guy & Ellen Mayenobe (2007)

and the "Fish Tree" by Zbigniew"Ben" Pinget & Toby Flores (2005).


They are surrounded today by construction fences & hard to really appreciate.  Hopefully when the construction is finished, they'll be polished up a bit and everyone will be able to see them.  Can you spot the moon in each of these?  

More photos from the Mexican Sail Training Vessel

Check out the shiny brass, lots on this ship to keep sparkling!

More hats.  

Cadets waiting to climb the rigging.  

Big job feeding everyone.

Always work to be done.  

A few more photographs as I was wandering around the ship.  Cadets were relaxed, welcoming & ready to go.  A few were double-checking lines.  The boat was spotless & polished -- lots of work!  They were just waiting for the visitors to leave and to pull in the lines.  I learned that it is traditional for the home town Navy to cast off the lines from shore.   Our Navy was here to do that & the Mexican Navy pulled them in.  

Final good-bye.  Heading out of the Bay for Seattle. 

ARM Cuauhtémoc

The Mexican sail training vessel ARM Cuauatemoc  has been in San Diego for 3 days.  I was down on Harbor Drive this morning to see them leave & wasn't disappointed.  For more info on the vessel click here:    l http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ARM_Cuauht%C3%A9moc_(BE01)

It's exciting to see a vessel such as this size in our Bay  (220 ft 4 in at the waterline) with 186 officers & crew plus 90 trainees).   I met a young woman from Vera Cruz Mexico, who shared that she flew up here to meet up with her boyfriend who was a cadet on the vessel.  It was a lovely reunion (I took lots of photos for her on her camera).   One of the officers had a visit from his family, including twin babies (looked about 6 months old).  Very emotional morning for everyone.

I arrived in time to see the Mexican flag being raised in the stern of the boat while the Mexican national anthem was played, then the US flag was raised while they played our national anthem.  During this time the crew were standing at attention & saluting the flags.   I was invited on board (!) and was very excited.  The young woman from Vera Cruz said "you are my friend, you can come aboard."   Felt very honored & was shown around by her boy friend.   Lots of photo opportunities as the crew also welcomed me aboard.   As the left, the cadets were up on the spars, waving & saluting as the music played.

Just a few photos her to show the overall ship with cadets on the spars.   More photos to come.  Exciting morning in San Diego on the Bay.  

Raising the Mexican flag. 

Bringing in the lines/nets.  Getting ready for departure.

Cadets up on the top spars!   

Leaving the dock with the help of tugs.  Very impressive!

Balboa Park

A quick trip this morning to Balboa Park.  Discovered the water lilies blooming and a very curious duckling ready to taste them.

Lone Pine CA

A recent photo workshop (Packtrain Tours) with Kati & Ernie Cowan was held in the Lone Pine/Bishop CA  area.  We were at the Bristlecone Forest, Patriarch Grove, photographing the moon rising.  Here are a few photos from that weekend.  

Bristlecone Pine Forest

Alabama Hills Full Moon