S. S. San Pasqual
The S. S. San Pasqual was constructed as an oil tanker by the Pacific Marine Construction Company in San Diego, CA and launched on June 28, 1920. She is the sister ship of the Cuyamaca.
In March of 1921, the San Pasqual was damaged in a storm and laid up for another three years. In 1924 she was purchased by the Old Times Molasses Company of Havana, Cuba and used as a store ship in Santiego, Cuba. Eight years later, the San Pasqual was dismantled and used as depot-ship in Havana.
In 1933, she was run aground off the coast of Cuba. During the Second World War, the hulk was outfitted with machine guns and cannons and used as a lookout for German submarines. At that time a temporary bridge was constructed between the ship and the mainland but it was eventually either dismantled or destroyed by weather.
During the Cuban Revolution, the ship served as prison for soldiers captured by Che Guavere's army. Since then the ship had served various purposes including a sportsman club and headquarters for fishing competitions. Finally, in the 1990's, the ship was converted into a hotel and remains so to this day.
An excellent article on the construction and history of the S. S. San Pasqual can be found in the Spring 1995 issue of the Journal of San Diego History.
Location
The San Pasqual rests off the coast of Cayo Las Brujas, Cuba. She is a 10 room hotel accessible by boat from the mainland.
Other than the S. S. Peralta, the San Pasqual is the only other remaining ship of the World War I Emergency Fleet known to still be intact and in use (although she is no longer technically afloat).
Unfortunately, due to the embargo, American tourists cannot legally visit the San Pasqual. Hopefully some day the embargo will be lifted and Americans interested seeing the San Pasqual for themselves can again do so.
Photos
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For more photos, please see our S. S. San Pasqual Photo Gallery.
Related Links
Vital Statistics
Registration: ON 22021
Overall Lengths:434'3"
Breadth: 54'
Load Waterline Draft: 26'6"
Deadweight: 7,500 tons
Gross tonnage: 6,486
Net tonnage: 4,082
Engine: T 3-cyl., 359 nhp. Llewellyn Iron Works, Los Angeles,
California.