(upbeat piano music) - [Narrator] Here's a little something "About San Diego" with Ken Kramer.

- Now, to the reason we've come here this time, the Maritime Museum and the beautiful Star of India.

If you have ever wondered what it would be like to be aboard and to see this ship under full sail, get ready.

(seagulls squawking) First, a little history.

The Star of India used to be known as Euterpe, the Greek muse of music and poetry.

In her career, she sailed from Great Britain to India and New Zealand, weathering storms and mutiny, was renamed and hauled salmon from Alaska to California, circled the world 21 times.

(seagulls squawking) And what did it look like out on the water?

Well, you don't have to imagine.

Let's go.

Here it is, the Star of India, an iconic presence in our city, an iron-hold ship launched five days before Lincoln's Gettysburg address.

Visitors to the Maritime Museum's Star of India always want to know.

Does this ship still go to sea?

Can it really go sailing?

(seagulls squawking) (soft music) The museum's volunteer crew has been training all year for this, the Star of India is sailing.

(crowd cheering) - [Crewmember] Haul away on the halyard.

(indistinct shouting) (soft music) - [Crewmember] Haul halyard!

(soft music) (water lapping) - [Ken] You can begin to feel the water beneath the ship moving with the tide.

She'll be pulled further out where with enough good wind it will catch and fill the sails.

(soft music) (indistinct shouting) The ship is now powered by the wind and its a remarkable moment.

Here is the Star of India, 160 years old, the oldest active sailing ship in the world, at sea again as she was indeed born to be.

(soft music) (water lapping) (soft music) Seeing this wonderful ship on this beautiful day, you realize there is nothing anywhere that can rival this totally unique experience that right now this is incomparable.

(soft music) (water gently lapping) (soft music) (bell ringing) There were quiet moments of reflection, (bagpipe playing) a memorial for members of the museum who had passed.

(bell ringing) - [Announcer] Ruth Linder.

(bell ringing) Kim Loman.

(bell ringing) Carol Lundquist, (bell ringing) (bagpipe playing) (water lapping) (bell ringing) - [Ken] And of sheer joy what a thing this was.

(upbeat band music) And it turns out the winds were kind today, sails now and then adjusted to take best advantage in ways that seasoned sailors aboard the Star have understood for decades on end.

- [Crewmember] Let's haul the halyard to land.

(indistinct shouting) (soft music) (water lapping) (soft music) The Maritime Museum's companion vessels came alongside in salute.

And then in the setting sun, a spontaneous gathering of ships and boats, (soft upbeat music) a kind of honor guard for the final few miles back to port.

(soft upbeat music) I like to think it was a show of gratitude, it surely felt that way.

A salute to our very own, our wonderful Star of India, long may she sail, as something elegant, historic, and beautiful "About San Diego."

(soft music) (seagulls squawking) (water lapping)