Spirit Ship Video by Paul Richards
The Spirit Ship sculpture is on the south end of Mare Island in Vallejo facing San Pablo Bay, the Sacramento and the Napa rivers. It is dedicated to the workers of Mare Island Naval Shipyard marking the closure of the Shipyard in 1996. On my first visit to the top of the hill, I photographed and video’d it with my phone to share what I had seen. I was moved by the sounds coming from the metal name tags hanging from the poles of the sculpture that clanked and moved from the winds. Watch the video to see and hear it.
The Spirit Ship in the Mare Island Shoreline Preserve
The Spirit Ship is part of the Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve, a fabulous enclave full of nature and peacefulness where you can walk and sit on benches placed frequently along the trails to take in the views. There are flat tidal lands, hills, oak trees, grass lands, and eucalyptus trees with nesting egrets chattering away.
Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve is 300 acres of wildlands on the former Naval Ammo Depot. History, nature, scenic vistas, hike, picnic, dogs OK.
From the Greenbelt Alliance ( https://www.greenbelt.org/blog/park-profile-mare-island-shoreline-heritage-preserve/)
“The Mare Island Shoreline Heritage Preserve formerly served as the U.S. Navy’s first Naval Ammunition Depot, founded in 1857. Until it was opened for regularly scheduled access in April 2008, the land was off-limits to the public due to past sensitive Navy munitions production, storage operations, and more recent environmental cleanup.
“The property was granted by the California Legislature through the State Lands Commission to the City of Vallejo for development as a historic and nature focused park for all Californians in 2002. The volunteer group at the Preserve is committed to providing for regular public use of the first phase of the envisioned regional park that includes the oldest naval cemetery in the Pacific, founded in 1858 and the 130 acres leading to the hilltop vista point. Occasional access to future shoreline areas is through arrangements with the U.S. Navy and the City of Vallejo.
“It takes a host of individuals, non-profit groups, agencies, local and regional businesses, corporations and foundations working together to realize the reuse of abandoned military property like this site as parkland. Learn more about the park’s history here.”
MEDIA – For photos & interviews: Paul Richards (510) 967 5577; paulrichards@estuarypress.com
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