Sailing Into Adventure: Overnight on a Brigantine Off the California Coast

Sailing Into Adventure: Overnight on a Brigantine Off the California Coast

If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping onto a ship that looks like it sailed straight out of a pirate movie, the opportunity to spend a night aboard the Irving Johnson off the California coast is the closest you can get without actually joining a swashbuckling crew. Thanks to the LA Maritime Institute, I had the chance to do just that—a night at sea from Long Beach to Catalina Island, with a deck full of stars above and the Pacific stretching endlessly around us.

The LA Maritime Institute isn’t just about sailing; it’s about building confidence, teaching practical skills, and opening doors for students, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds. On board the Irving Johnson, we got a small taste of what that experience is like—learning how to navigate, live, and thrive on a brigantine.

By the time we docked back in Long Beach, I felt like I’d learned more than just sailing skills. I had glimpsed the transformative power of adventure, mentorship, and confidence-building. And if the LA Maritime Institute has anything to do with it, many students will experience that same magic, growing into skills and courage that last far beyond the ocean waves.

Over the course of the day and night, we learned celestial navigation, the proper way to tie knots, and crucial safety protocols. We climbed the mast, balanced on deck, and felt firsthand what life is like on a large sailing vessel. Even without ever setting foot on Catalina Island, it felt like a full journey: the wind in our faces, the subtle sway of the ship, and the quiet rhythm of life at sea.

The weather was kind to us, and by nightfall we rolled out our sleeping bags on deck, laying under a sky that felt impossibly vast. Stars stretched from horizon to horizon, and the gentle rocking of the ship became a lullaby. Sleeping on the deck of a brigantine, with nothing but the sound of the ocean and the whisper of the wind, was both peaceful and exhilarating—a perfect reminder of why adventures like this exist: to push boundaries, embrace the unknown, and connect with something larger than ourselves.