Past, Present, and Future: The Donostiarra Port in 1963 and the Legacy of the Catamaran Ciudad San Sebastián
This image of the port of Donostia-San Sebastián in 1963 transports us to the past. Four years after an anonymous photographer captured this snapshot, our Catamaran Ciudad San Sebastián began its story in that same scene, offering boat tours in San Sebastián and journeys along the Basque coast.
This temporal link between the past and our present is a charming reminder of how life continues its course in beautiful San Sebastián.
The photograph of the Donostiarra port taken on May 8, 1963, takes us back to a time when fishing activity was the economic heartbeat of Donostia's old town, with fish unloading at the port's fish market and the smell of fresh sardines in the taverns surrounding it. Fishing boats came and went from the port, filling the horizon with their mixed propulsion systems of engines and sails, creating an unforgettable visual spectacle. It is in this historical context that our story unfolds.
Four years after the capture of that photograph, on the same dock that we now nostalgically observe, a new chapter in the maritime history of Donostia San Sebastián began with the arrival of the old ship Ciudad San Sebastián. This ship, which became a familiar sight in the coastal landscape, began its services offering boat rides around the Bay of La Concha and exciting journeys along the Basque coast.
The transition from the old ship to the Catamaran Ciudad San Sebastián marked a milestone in the city's tourist offering, providing residents and visitors with a new way to enjoy the beauty of the Donostiarra coast from the sea. It is worth noting that this generational shift in the maritime fleet not only represented modernization in terms of comfort and technology, but also continuity in the tradition of exploring the waters surrounding this charming city. What were once vessels powered by fuel and wind have now become hybrid technologies equipped with much more environmentally and sea-friendly lithium-ion batteries, of which we at Catamaran Ciudad San Sebastián are proud, as we are pioneers in this technology and the only ones to offer it along the entire Basque coast in a recreational vessel intended for passenger transport.
An article in the newspaper Diario Vasco fondly recalls the days of the ship before the Catamaran Ciudad San Sebastián, which, although retired in 2009, left an indelible mark on the collective memory of those who enjoyed its journeys. This article reminds us of the importance of preserving San Sebastián's maritime history and celebrating the constant evolution of its coastal landscape.
The photograph of the San Sebastián port in 1963 and the legacy of the Catamaran Ciudad San Sebastián invite us to reflect on the importance of preserving the history and culture of Donostia. And of course, we remember and thank the thousands of passengers, both locals and visitors, who have visited us over the years. This year again, we will be waiting for you at stair number 1 in the port of Donostia. We look forward to seeing you!
