A beloved San Diego Bay tall ship could be forced out of its home by corporate heavyweights.
The 137ft schooner Bill of Rights, moored in Chula Vista Harbor since 2013, has served for years as a floating classroom and sail‑training powerhouse for Sea Scouts, US Navy Sea Cadets, JROTC programs and other youth groups.
Now it has been hit with a sudden eviction notice from its longtime slip.
Even as the eviction drama unfolds, sail training and group visits are still scheduled aboard the ship.
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The nonprofit that runs the ship, South Bayfront Sailing Association, says it received a termination letter from Safe Harbor Marina telling them they must be gone by May 5, with no explanation.
Captain Don Johnson, who has led the schooner’s community programs for decades, told reporters bluntly, “I have nowhere to go.”
Originally built in 1971 on the East Coast as a replica of an 1850s‑era schooner, Bill of Rights teaches real sailing, navigation and teamwork skills.
Even as the eviction drama unfolds, sail training and group visits are still scheduled aboard the ship.
Safe Harbor Marina is now owned by Blackstone Infrastructure, a massive investment firm that bought the company in a $5 billion deal last year.
An online petition titled “Keep Bill of Rights in Safe Harbor” has gained traction.
Neither Blackstone nor Safe Harbor has explained the lease termination. The move has left supporters fuming.
Grassroots efforts to save the ship have spread nationwide. Supporters say tall ship enthusiasts from across the US have written letters, contacted officials, and even reached out directly to Blackstone.
An online petition titled “Keep Bill of Rights in Safe Harbor” has gained traction, and local leaders, including the Chula Vista mayor and City Councilmembers, have voiced support for keeping the vessel anchored where it belongs.
As Captain Johnson put it, “We’ve been the center of this community for 40 years.”
Unless a deal is struck, Bill of Rights could be forced to haul anchor and head for an unknown berth elsewhere, potentially uprooting decades of tradition and youth education in the South Bay.
Supporters say ship enthusiasts have written letters, contacted officials, and reached out directly to Blackstone.
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