
From left to right — masts of the Peking, l’Hermione and the masts of El Galeon
Last week provided a rare opportunity to glimpse over 400 years of sailing ship history in three ships, tied up almost side by side, at New York’s South Street Seaport. Berthed on the south side of Pier 15, El Galeon Andalucia is a replica of a 16th century Spanish galleon. On the north side of the pier was l’Hermione, a replica of an 18th century French Concorde class frigate. On Pier 17, the four-masted barque Peking, built in 1911, represents the culmination of sailing technology, before the world’s commercial sailing fleet was finally pushed aside by steam and motor ships.
What I find fascinating about the three ships is that while their designs are separated by centuries, the DNA of each is easily identifiable in the others. In some respects, the three ships bracket the great European Age of Sail.