El Galeón visits Charleston Maritime Center, offers tours
August 26, 2015
CHARLESTON, SC – El Galeón, the breathtaking historically accurate reconstruction of a 170 foot 16th Century Spanish galleon, has arrived at the Charleston Maritime Center.
The ship will be open to visitors daily from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m., Wednesday, August 26 – Monday, August 31. Five of the six decks are available to tour and hold an exhibition about the “San Pelayo,” the Spanish galleon that founded St. Augustine, the first city in the United States. It carries an all-Spanish crew that lives and breathes the history of the ship and her travels from port to port and in the open sea.
The El Galeón tour is a self-guided walking tour of the ship. Once aboard, visitors are free to roam above and below the decks, talk to the current crew members, and absorb dozens of interactive exhibits, videos, historical documents and displays. There is no time limit for the tour, and photos are welcome.
Tickets are available online and onboard. $10 for adults ages 12+; $5 for children ages 5-12; and children 5 and under are free.
Spanish Galleons, used primarily for their cargo transporting abilities, were frequently bought and sold by Spanish and English governments during the 1600s, and often taken over and converted into Pirate ships in the rough Caribbean sea waters.
El Galeón Andalucia is currently touring the Eastern US Coast, with stops in Portland ME, Portsmouth NH, New London CT, Wilmington NC, Charleston SC, before returning to St. Augustine, FL.
The website for more information is: http://www.elgaleon.org/
