Blackstone caves to pressure as historic ship will stay moored in stunning harbor — for now

A beloved tall ship facing eviction from a marina where she has been moored for more than a decade has earned a last-minute reprieve from the corporate behemoth who has purchased her home.

The 137-foot schooner Bill of Rights has been a mainstay of Chula Vista’s Safe Harbor Marina since 2013, schooling San Diego children and teenagers in the wonders of sailing.

In a dramatic turnaround, Chula Vista’s historic tall ship, the Bill of Rights, has been granted a 11th-hour reprieve from a pending eviction.

The 137-foot schooner, a fixture of the South Bay skyline and a floating classroom for San Diego kids, was facing an uncertain end after being slapped with an eviction notice by Safe Harbor Marina — a company tied to a massive $5 billion acquisition by Blackstone Infrastructure that has been reportedly reshaping marinas nationwide.

The nonprofit that runs the ship, South Bayfront Sailing Association, said the termination letter stated they had to be gone by May 5, with no explanation.

The dramatic reversal came after an outcry from residents, sailors and parents who rely on the ship’s youth programs, forcing marina operators to backtrack and reopen negotiations. But don’t pop the champagne cork just yet.

Captain Don Johnson told local news outlets that talks are ongoing. “We have more work to do and a little more discussions and negotiations,” Johnson said. 

The ship has been docked in the South Bay since 2013, serving as a hub for youth sailing programs, Sea Cadets training and hands-on maritime education.

“They thought we were just a boat, and we’re not,” Johnson’s wife, Susan, said. “We’re a community.”

The Bill of Rights gives kids and teens a taste of old-school seafaring — teaching navigation, discipline and teamwork aboard a towering replica of a 19th-century schooner.

For now, the ship stays put — and summer programs are still on deck. But with no long-term agreement in place, its future is anything but smooth sailing.

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