Cal Maritime Ship Makes Rare Stop In Sacramento

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) - All aboard the Golden Bear as hundreds of people were waiting in line for their chance to hop on Cal Maritime's training ship.

"We have 300 cadets on board. They were tying up ship and navigating," said Captain Harry Bolton.

This is the first time in more than 15 years that the ship has visited the Sacramento area.

"There's nothing like this ship anywhere in the world," said Bolton.

The training ship provides students who are pursuing a U.S. Coast Guard license with the hours of sea experience they need to graduate.

"It's a very beneficial industry. You get to see places you don't usually get to see," said Cadet Blake Van Gundy.

After leaving the Port of Sacramento, the ship will travel 8,500 miles and will transit through the Panama Canal. It's a journey that hasn't been made by the Golden Bear in more than a decade.

"I've been all over the world, but never done this. I get to check that box," said Bolton.

And for others hopping on the Golden Bear for a tour, it's enough to feed their curiosity before the ship sets sail once again.