FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 24, 2007
CONTACT: Molly Dannenmaier
Director of Marketing and Public Relations,
409-765-7834

Galveston Historical Foundation’s Restored 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA to Embark on Harvest Moon Voyage to Aransas Pass and Corpus Christi Thursday

Ship Will Reopen to the Public in Galveston November 10

Galveston’s signature tall ship and the Official Tall Ship of Texas, the 1877 Elissa, will join Lakewood Yacht Club’s 21st annual Harvest Moon Regatta, leaving Galveston at 2 p.m. on Thursday, October 25. The restored square rigger will sail in company with more than 250 sailboats racing the 150 miles to Port Aransas.

ELISSA, the Official Tall Ship of Texas, makes a passage in the Gulf of Mexico. No. 19 on the Places to Visit Map. (click on the picture to download it in a press ready format)

The ship will reopen to the public at her pier at the Texas Seaport Museum, 22nd Street and Harborside Drive, on November 10t. In her absence, admission to the Texas Seaport Museum, open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., will be half the normal price of $8 for adults and $6 for students 7 to 18. Children 6 and under, as always, are free.

The Harvest Moon Regatta starts at 2 p.m. off the Flagship Hotel pier, 2501 Seawall Boulevard. Elissa should arrive at Port Aransas the following day, and receive visitors on October 27 and 28 at her berth across the channel from Port Aransas at the McDermott Dock on the Aransas Pass side of the channel. A ferry service is available from the city to the Ferry Dock, adjacent to the McDermott site. Public visiting hours will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. There will be a $5 admission charge for adults and $3 for students 7 to 18. Children 6 and under are free.

Elissa will celebrate the 130th anniversary of her launch at the Lakewood Yacht Club’s Harvest Moon Awards Party (by invitation only) before leaving Port Aransas on Monday, October 29, to continue to Corpus Christi.

“Elissa is nearly unique among historic ships in that she sails,” said John Moran, interim director of the Texas Seaport Museum. “She is not only fully restored to sailing condition, but she has a large crew of volunteers who are trained and eager to sail her. She represents the maritime history of Texas. That’s why it’s important to take her to other seaports more often, to show the flag and gain wider support than just Galveston.” Elissa’s last port visit to Corpus Christi was in 1985.

As the guest of the City of Corpus Christi, Elissa will berth at the Barge Dock, near the Corpus Christi Museum of Science and History and the Convention Center. The ship will be open to the public for tours from Tuesday, October 30 through Sunday, November 9.

Hours of public tours in Corpus Christi will be:

Tuesday, October 3 through Friday, November 2,
from 3 to 6 p.m.

Saturday, November 3, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.,

Sunday, November 4, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission to the ship is $5, $3 for students 7 to 18, and free for children 6 and under.

Special events and programs during Elissa’s stay in Corpus Christi include:

School Tours

Elissa’s crew and staff will partner with the Corpus Christi Museum to offer educational field trips for school groups from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., October 30 through November 2. Area teachers may contact Sandra Linderman at the museum, 361-826-4655, to make reservations to take their classes on an educational tour of the ship. Educational materials detailing the Official Tall Ship of Texas are available for download by teachers at http://www.galvestonhistory.org/tsm-educational-programs1.asp.

Captains’ Lecture

On October 29 at 7 p.m., a lecture entitled “Sailing Traditional Tall Ships in a Modern World.” will be presented by the officers of Elissa, led by Captain Kip Files with the support of Captain Jan Miles, both of whom have extensive experience in sailing and operating tall ships aroound the country. The lecture will be given at the Barge Dock, and will be free of charge, although donations will be accepted.

Four-hour Hands-on Seamanship Training Class

On Saturday morning, November 3, sail-training instructors will offer a special four-hour seamanship training session to members of the public 14 years and older, offering some of the same lessons and hands-on experience in the skills involved in sailing a 19th-century square rigger that Elissa’s regular volunteer crew have received. The class is limited to 50 persons, and will cost $20 each. Attendees under 18 years will need a waiver signed by parent or guardian.

Mayor’s Reception

On the evening of Saturday, November 3, Corpus Christi Mayor Henry Garrett will host a reception celebrating Elissa’s designation by the Texas Legislature as the Official Tall Ship of Texas, her 130th birthday, and the 25th year since her restoration by the Galveston Historical

Foundation. The event begins at 5 p.m. and admission is by invitation only. Jerry Patterson, the state Land Commissioner will be the guest of honor.

Tall Ship of Texas Regatta

On Saturday, November 3rd, the Corpus Christi Yacht Club will hold a joint regatta for its members and the members of the Lakewood Yacht Club, in honor of the Tall Ship of Texas. The finish of the Regatta will be at the Elissa at 6 p.m. There will be an awards ceremony with a reception beginning at 7 p.m. hosted by the Corpus Christi Yacht Club. Admission is by invitation.

ELISSA will return to Galveston on Thursday, November 8, and reopen to the public on Saturday, November 10.

For more information, contact John Moran at Texas Seaport Museum, 409-763-1877. A gallery of press-ready photos of the ship and her crew is available for download at http://www.galvestonhistory.org/photo_gallery.asp.