The ARTSHIP is shown making a triumphant return from layup in Suisuin Bay on 7 August, 1999 at Oakland, CA. Her fireboat arrival was met with a large parkside ceremony with city dignitaries including Mayor Jerry Brown, members of her wartime crew and her sponsors, the ARTSHIP Foundation. Photo by and copyright Peter Knego.
ARTSHIP
A lovely, yet modest American ship, delivered in 1940, is happily still in existence. The 7,988 gross ton C3P passenger cargo liner DELORLEANS was one of six vessels designed for Delta Line's New Orleans-to-Argentina service. She had a passenger capacity of 67 and was powered by Bethlehem Steel turbines capable of 7,800 SHP for a service speed of 16.5 knots.
Nine months after her debut, she was refitted as the troop transport USS CRESCENT CITY. Later used as an attack transport, she served at Guadalcanal and Okinawa in addition to the US East Coast and Caribbean. Following post war trooping duty, the CRESCENT CITY was laid up at Suisun Bay, CA, in 1948.
Untouched until 1971, she was finally revived by the Vallejo-based California Maritime Academy as their second training ship GOLDEN BEAR. By the time most of the other twenty three C3P ships (including her five sisters) had vanished, the former DELORLEANS was readied for a successful new career phase. With classrooms and dormitories built into her holds, she sailed for 24 years with a full company of cadets. In 1995, the GOLDEN BEAR was finally retired and laid up at Suisun Bay.
The 491 by 66 foot vessel sat between out of work cargo vessels until August of 1999, when she was brought out of reserve by the Artship Foundation, which intends to restore and revive the ship as a floating university of peace/ cultural center. She is presently berthed in Oakland, California as efforts to raise $5 million for her conversion are under way.
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