Sailors interested in being on board a historic sailing ship that is nearly 150 years old can get the chance in Galveston this summer.
Sail training is being offered on the ELISSA ship, which is from 1877, starting in mid-August and wrapping up in April 2022, according to a July media release from the Galveston Historical Foundation. A free introductory meeting is taking place July 31 at 1 p.m. at the Galveston Historic Seaport on Galveston's Pier 22, which is on Harborside Drive between 21st and 22nd streets, per the release.
ELISSA was originally a 19th-century British cargo ship, specializing in calling at smaller ports of the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, per the release. The ship loaded cotton at Galveston twice. This local connection, and the authenticity of the ship's iron hull, led the historical foundation to purchase the vessel—then a cut-down motorship—and undertake its restoration.
Today, ELISSA is one of just three pre-20th century sailing vessels in the world that have been restored to full sailing capacity, per the release. Designated by the National Park Service as a National Historic Landmark, ELISSA was named the “Official Tall Ship of Texas” in a resolution signed by former Gov. Rick Perry in 2005.
