Military and History of the San Diego Bay

San Diego Bay Sea Lions

Sea Lions are always out and about and one of the main sea life attractions on the bay. Most of the time you can get pretty close but we keep our distance enough not to scare them.

Fort Rosecrans

Fort Rosecrans (1852-1959) – Established 26 Feb 1852 as the Fort at Ballast Point and renamed Fort Rosecrans in 1899 after Major General William S. Rosecrans (Cullum 1115). Located on Point Loma in San Diego County, California. The military reservation was declared surplus 31 Dec 1949 and transferred to the U.S. Navy Department 1 Jul 1959.

Point Loma Lighthouse

Located on the military base at the southern tip of Sunset Cliffs Natural Park. The Old Point Loma Lighthouse stood watch over the entrance to San Diego Bay for 36 years. At dusk on November 15, 1855, the light keeper climbed the winding stairs and lit the light for the first time.

USS Carl Vinson

USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) is the third United States Navy Nimitz-class supercarrier and is named after Carl Vinson, a Congressman from Georgia, in recognition of his contributions to the US Navy. The ship was launched in 1980, undertook its maiden voyage in 1983, and underwent Refueling and Overhaul between 2005 and 2009. Carl Vinson’s callsign is “Gold Eagle”.

Coronado Bridge

Construction on the San Diego-Coronado Bay Bridge began in February 1967. The bridge was not opened to traffic until August 3, 1969. This was significant in that this date fell on the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of San Diego. The pillars on the eastern end of the bridge are decorated with enormous murals as part of Chicano Park..

Hotel Del Coronado

Hotel Del Coronado is one of the few surviving examples of an American architectural genre: the wooden Victorian beach resort. It is one of the oldest and largest all-wooden buildings in California. It is designated as a California Historical Landmark and is designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1977 as well. When it opened in 1888, it was the largest resort hotel in the world

Coast Guard Station

San Diego is headquarters for conducting all Maritime Law Enforcement, enforcing Federal Law including Recreational and Commercial Regulations, Illegal Immigration, and Drug Enforcement from the U.S. border with Mexico to as far north as San Mateo Pt.

Kissing Statue

The original image of the moment was captured by photographer Alfred Eisenstaedt on August 14, 1945. J. Seward Johnson is the sculptor of this version, though there has been some debate whether it is actually based on the famous photo. In any event, tourists and old veterans love it, assuming the same pose with a loved one at its base, or just peeking up the nurse’s skirt.

USS Midway

The USS Midway Museum, located in downtown San Diego, California at Navy Pier, is a maritime museum.  Visitors will tour the ship’s bridge, flight deck, hangar deck, mess deck, primary flight control, Tactical Flag Command Center, enlisted and junior officer quarters, the captain’s and admiral’s quarters, sickbay, and an engine room.

Star of India

The Star of India is unique in the world, as it is the world’s oldest active sailing ship. The Star first began on the stocks at Ramsey Shipyard in the Isle of Man in 1863. Iron ships were mostly experimental at the time, as most vessels were still being built from wood. Five months after laying her keel, the Star of India was launched into the great open sea. 

HMS Surprise

HMS Surprise was the name the Royal Navy gave to the French Navy’s corvette Unité after her capture in 1796. Launched on 16 February 1794, the ship gained fame in 1799 for the recapture of HMS Hermione, and in 1802 was sold out of the service. To read more on the history of this ship please click on the read more button below.

Navy Seal Training Facility

Check out the amphibious base, which houses Commander Naval SurfaceForce, US Pacific Fleet, and is responsible for the training, maintenance and the crews of the approximately 90 ships of the Pacific Fleet and Commander Naval Special Warfare Command, US Pacific Fleet.