Fan Photo: Lady Washington Near Oak Harbor

Pamela Wyman, who works for Nelson Geotechnical Associates in Woodinville, sent us this photo of Lady Washington just outside the entrance to Oak Harbor a couple of weeks ago. Email us your favorite photo of Lady Washington or Hawaiian Chieftain and we'll post it here on our blog.

Youth Adventure: More Photos from San Juans

Crew member Charles Drummond took many photos of the Youth Adventure Program participants in the San Juans. This photo is a sample. You can see the others on our SmugMug gallery.

The Boats at Lake Union Park in Seattle

Here's a photo of the boats (Hawaiian Chieftain on the left, Lady Washington on the right) tied up at Lake Union Park in Seattle on Sunday, August 24. Dozens of visitors from the Seattle were walking aboard and talking about maritime history with the crew. The small boat in the lower left corner of the photo next to Hawaiian Chieftain is the Capt. Matt Peasley, one of the Seaport's longboats. Peasley, who died in 1945, was one of the most famous ship captains in America in the 1920s due to a series of books under the "Cappy Ricks" titles. Originally from Maine, he made his home in Aberdeen most of his adult life.

Fan Photos: Two More From Coupeville

Here's two more photos from David Welton. Top: Aubrey Ernst-Martinez finishes up the dishes. Bottom: Tiller the Hawaiian Chieftain mascot and friend.

Fan Photos: More From Coupeville

More photos from David Welton of the South Whidbey Record and the Coupeville Battle Sail August 17. Top: Charles Drummond takes in sail on the bowsprit. Second from top: Jenni Clarke and Aubrey Ernst check aloft. Middle: David Bonner shows off his beard with Alysia Herr behind him. Note David's tan lines! Second from bottom: Ester Whitmore studies the horizon. Bottom: Matt Gempler implores everyone to 'Please remain calm' as the Lady Washington sneaks up behind him.

Fan Photos: Coupeville Battle Sail

Dr. David Welton, photographer for the South Whidbey Record newspaper, submitted these photos of the Coupeville Battle Sail on August 17. Top: Rocky, Hawaiian Chieftain's cook, Mark Scibinico, seems unaware of the menacing Lady Washington behind him. Second from top: Now he's on it. Second from bottom: Crew Beth Loudon and the "star" of the show. Bottom: Capt. Jeremiah Gempler, with his wife Sara in the background, warn the passengers of what's coming. Shouldn't he be wearing a tri-corner? If you have a favorite photo from your Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain experience, email it to us!

Seaport Memberships Now Available Online

You can now purchase or renew your Historical Seaport membership online. It's a great way to support the educational and ambassadorial missions of the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain. Your membership dollars help maintain the boats, compensate our professional crew members, and keep fuel in the tanks (and we all know how much diesel costs). (Wait, did I say fuel? Yep, we need fuel to run the engines that help us in and out of port.)

Depending on the level you choose, you'll receive free tickets to Battle Sails, Adventure Sails, Sunset Sails, or Passages. You'll also receive free gifts, such as Lady Washington sweatshirts, and discounts on gift shop sales. And you'll get a good feeling every time you receive Currents and eCurrents, our print and email newsletters. Become a member today!

Youth Adventure: Aboard Lady Washington, Part II

Top: Jasper laying aloft. Second from top: Sailing with a pod of Orca whales. Second from bottom: Setting sail. Bottom: Zack and Ben.

Youth Adventure: Aboard Lady Washington, Part I

The young people from the Youth Adventure Program are home in Grays Harbor County now. Here's more photos for their experience in the San Juans. Top: "All hands to set sail!" Second from top: "All hands...again!" Middle: An anchor watch log. Second from bottom: Casting off gaskets. Bottom: Esther and Matt furling a sail.

Youth Adventure: Patos Island Photos

More photos from Patos Island: Top: Blogging on the island. Second from top: Building a skid road. Middle: Cole making breakfast. Second from bottom: Eli and Kat. Bottom: Kabobs a la Patos.

Youth Adventure: August 12 Watch Report

Note: No photos accompanied this report.

Hey this is Alex Fletcher. This is the first time I have written in the blog, so ya. This trip has been great although I will admit that it was more fun on the Lady Washington. But, that is probably just because, I enjoy being around their crew more. That is just because, I knew them longer. I am sure that I will grow to love the Hawaiian Chieftain’s just as much. I do enjoy doing all of the work on both boats. I am honestly sad that this program is ending on Friday. I would love to do this program again next year. I have made countless new friends. I like the ropes courses and going tide pooling. Rowing the longboats is fun to. It is, also, one of the few actual forms of physical activities here. I, also, found a chess set which is a big plus for me. I absolutely love playing chess. So far I am undefeated. Nobody is really a challenge though. I heard that Esther; is good I am going to have to start challenging crew members so I can play her. The food on board is absolutely incredible. I think that about all so buh-bye…

Hey this is Jason Coic and this is the second blog I have written and I just wanted to say hello to my mom and Josh and I miss you both this trip was really fun and has thought me a lot about marine life and discipline we have left the Lady Washington and are now on the Hawaiian Chieftain witch I like very much yesterday we went to Friday Harbor and took the first shower in over a week so that was great and the food on both boats is the third best I’ve ever had so by and I love everybody back home.

Youth Adventure: Video Watch Report

Thanks to Boyd Marts for producing this video diary by an anchor watch aboard the Lady Washington.

Fan Photos: Battle Sail in Portland

Scott Lepley took some bird's eye views of a Battle Sail during our visit to Portland, Ore. in June. Do you have a favorite photo to share? Email it to us!

Youth Adventure: Day Seven Watch Report

Note: No photos in this watch report.

Half of watch 2 woke up at 7:30, but the wakeup call was 9. We finally got to sleep in from all those days of lost sleep. Arthur woke up with rain on his sleeping bag because he slept in between the 2 tarps. We started to make breakfast at about 11:00 (plum duff, made with oatmeal and raisins). We had journal time afterwards and started up a fire. Soon after breakfast, we made a trip around the island loop and it started raining. At about 2 we had gotten back and we started the fire back up to start lunch. We had peanut and jelly/apricot/honey sandwiches. Afterwards there was journaling and art time. Spencer had made a bow and Arthur was finishing his project of the Lady. Everyone went under the tarp because it had started raining again. Since we have left the Lady people have been sneaking out and stealing some of the food from the stash we have for the 3 days, so the mentors gave us a talk about how we can fix it. At 8:30 we had started cooking out dinner (kabobs made with beef, red and green peppers, onions, and garlic). At 9:30 Les told us a story from the book called Life Under Sail. 10:30 and everyone was asleep.

Youth Adventure: More From Day Six

So it’s the sixth day and were kinda having fun some people are going home and some of us are home sick. oh and by the way this is (keenan smith) I’ve met some new friends. and today we’re going to Patos Island. Haven’t taken a shower in six days we all kinda stink and the food is good but we get small plate fulls so everybody can get some because there are about 45 people on the Lady Washington… oh and I want to thank the people that help pay for this trip and every body else that help.
this is Tyler (Sideburns) Harvey. I have to agree with Keenan and I only have to say that I am really sorry that our dear friend, Billy is leaving us tonight because he can not behave. It is really sad that this is happening. Here are some pictures of the things we have done in the past few days. I hope that all of you are reading this knows that we are really ok and I love the crew of the Lady Washington. Kayla said she might throw me a b-day party on the 27th of september. I have invited some of my new friends from this trip to come. Kayla said that she wanted to throw it at noon until 4 pm.

Note: The following was slightly edited for clarity.

Hey fellow citizens so we have been here for eight days no showers at all but were suppost to be going to Friday Harbor tomorrow and take showers and have some pop and who ever takes a shower gets some pizza. o and were on Patos Island and were supposed to get picked up tomarrow by the Hawaiian Cheiftain and their going to take us to Friday Harbor. Hi this is jasper and if you ever stay at any of these islands bring a tent because it could get windy and beautiful. Hi this is tyler harvey I am having loads of fun and I wish that I could have a shower at the moment, but I am being patient as I can.

Youth Adventure: Day Six Watch Report

We woke up to Elmo the engineer making breakfast (eggs, sausage, and bacon) at 7:10 am. Watch 2 had galley duty so we washed the dishes; afterwards we worked in our journals until 9:45. The boats arrived at 10:00am and watch 2 loaded up and traveled ½ of a mile rowing to the Lady Washington. We boarded the Lady and we set sail to Patos Island. When the second longboat arrived we started leaving Sucia Island, but when we rigged the longboat to the Lady a rope got caught and started chipping the longboat. It was very windy, so the waves were causing the mast of the longboat to nearly crash against the ropes. At about 1:30 we had lunch (hotdogs and fries). Afterwards it was about 2:00 and we took all the gear up to the main deck and waited to reach Patos Island. 4:00 and we were ashore Patos with the longboat and all of the gear. We got the tarps set up and took out the foul weather gear because there was a 50% chance to rain tomorrow. At 10:30 everyone was in bed and asleep.

Youth Adventure: Day Five Watch Report

We woke up around 7:00 to Skook cooking pancakes and bacon. We had free time after we got all cleaned up and Les was playing a rock climbing game with some of the other people. At 12:00 some of us went to China Cave and the rest of us went tide pooling with Lydia. 1:00 we had bread and soup for lunch. After lunch we had free time and got to swim some. At about 4:00 we received news of the longboat coming from the Lady Washington with dinner so we made a quick run to the water spout for drinking water. At 6:00 we ate enchiladas and chips with juice. Watch one traveled back to the Lady Washington on the longboat to do anchor watch, and after they left we made a trip over to Fossil Bay. By the time we got back it was 9:25 and we were tired. We decided we would go to bed at 10:00.

Youth Adventure: Day Four Watch Report and a Note Home

We each woke up at different times, because it was our turn for our watch to do anchor watch aboard the boat. The official time we had to be up was 7:00, and we each had to be awake 2 hours in a part of the night. We had received pancakes and sausage for breakfast. We had pretty much waited and journal after we had done our chores (Wash bathroom, deck, plates, and main hold). At about 9:00 we traveled over to Doe Island and watched the tide pools and saw a baby seal. When we rowed back to the Lady Washington, we had lunch (stir fry, rolls, salad). We learned how to do basic navigating and plot a trail on a map with Captain Evil. For our other rotation Stan taught us how tides and currents our formed through earthquakes and the moon. Then we had reached our next island, Sucia Island, and had to be quiet so they can hear the orders while setting the anchor. By this time it was 6:00 and dinner was ready (spaghetti, garlic bread, salad). The sky was staring to darken so we rowed a long ways to the island because there were sailboats in the way which stopped us from sailing in. We set up tarp covers and went to bed.

Note to home from Spencer
Hi mom dad colin and james it’s the fourth day and its been great it was kind of hard at first cause I didn’t know anyone but its only the third day and I am on good terms if not friends with most of the crew of the lady Washington including capt. Evil and I am friends with all of the members of the program there are a few people that I spend most of my time on board with out of the program members and the crew of the lady the people are as follows, the first is jim we all call him jim bob I call him jimbo he is a good friend and he is quiet the second is beth she is a member of the lady washingtons crew she is 24, she helps me with my art projects and provides me with a homemade salve for my hand, she is a lot like me, third is levi he is my age and he burns just as easy as I do today he was down in the hold crying for his mother, homesickness is starting to set in for some of the participants. me included im starting to miss home as well. This is possibly one of the greatest things that I have ever been able to do. Besides the point the younger and even the older members of the group look up to me it is an amazing feeling to be looked up to and held in high respect from my peers, I have changed a lot in three days I cant even begin to imagine what I will be when I come home. If you guys see this I love all of you im fine except for a little sunburn  tell tonya I said hi and I miss her for me james thanks guys I miss you bye bye

Youth Adventure: Day Three Watch Report

7:00 wakeup time, Skook (the sea cook) made French toast, bacon, and vegetarian bacon over the fire. By 8:00 we had all the personal gear and tarps cleaned up. At about 8:30 we talked as a group about how we are succeeding in things and how we can improve, and shared with the group. But before we could even start, some crewmates had wandered away from camp and got in trouble so it wasted about half an hour because they didn’t cooperate. Afterwards we had set up the ropes course where we had our watch climb across ropes 5 feet high and go from tree to tree without touching the ground. When we get to the final tree we get down and try to fit 9 people on a stump. We finally succeeded after 22 minutes, 47 seconds. After the record was broken by watch one with a time of 9:27, we ate chili, fruit salad, and rolls for lunch. Watch 2 had to rinse and re-rinse all the dishes that lunch because it was our turn out of the watches. Shortly after we boarded the Lady Washington for the second time after we had left port. All of the gear went with watch 1, the first people who went. While watch 2 was waiting, we made awesome memory necklace additions and shared stories with the adults. Once aboard the ship, we did a few chores and hauled in the anchor and set sail to Deer Island, and anchored next to Orcas Island because of the ripping current. At 6:00, we had chicken, broccoli, and rolls. Afterward it was getting late so watches 1 and 3 traveled over to the island on the longboat and we had anchor watch so we spent the night on the boat. We had to hotbunk because there was not enough bunks in the main hold. Each of us had to stay up 2 hours throughout the night. 11-1 was Spencer and Travis, 1-3 was Katarina and Jim, 3-5 was Tyler and Dakota, and 5-7 was Arthur and Gabe.

Youth Adventure: Day Two Watch Report

Matt, Katerina, Tyler, and Arthur woke up at 5:00 in the morning today. We couldn’t sleep because of the loud people snoring. At about 5:30 2 deer (mother and fawn) Walked through the camp and sniffed around, not waking anyone. 6:00 Arthur alarm went off, and people started waking up. All of watch 2 had their gear packed and ready to start hauling their items down to the shore. We ate breakfast and had everything down at the shore by 9:00. When everyone had gotten there we introduced ourselves and played a nane game. By 9:30 the Lady Washington was sailing around the horizon, and anchored. The smaller longboat had rowed over to the dock, and we put the personal gear and watch gear in. Watch 2 went over first, we got to row and he gave us some commands like “Prepare to give way.” We climbed up the Lady Washington and took a brief tour of the cabins, except the engine room and the living cabin. Shortly after everyone got on the boat and finished the tour. By then it was lunch time (corndogs, mac and cheese, and salad).At about 1:00 we learned about the computers and how to use them and their editing programs such as Vegas movie Studios and Microsoft Word. Our camera man Boyd was following us around through the digital orientation and helping us. At 3:30 we played a game where you said your name and something you liked today, including the crew. 4:00 we went onto the quarter deck and Captain Evil showed us the ships articles and we signed them, he explained the rules shortly after. Then we learned how to haul and trail ropes, then tie and coil them. At 5:00 we rotated to the final station, the longboat rowing station. We climbed in with our lifejackets and deployed ores and grommets. First we circled the Lady, then rowed backward (which is much harder) and fell behind. Spencer was are leader, calling out the numbers to row and Stan was telling us “magic tricks”. We eventually caught up to the Lady and it was dinner time(pork chops, rice, peas, and gravy). It was 7:00 and we arrived at James Island. Watch 1 had anchor watch so they had to sleep on the boat. Watch 2 and 3 boarded the longboat with their gear and set up camp by 10:30. We fell asleep shortly after.

Youth Adventure: Still More Photos, And A Watch Report

The last two photos from Sucia Island. And here's a watch report for August 4 and 5:

It is my turn to write on my blog and I just want everybody to know (back home) that I am having a blast and do not wish that you were here… HA HA. I have to watch the boat and it is really cool. I met this other kid name Tyler and he is pretty cool, he is into teleporting and he wants to teleport everywhere. Red (Alex) is a really cool and annoying guy. Tyler’s brother, Cole is seasick. Joe is (chalixing?). Alex and Tyler have the first watch. Our group mentor is Eli. I like our cook, Scook. Everybody here thinks that Kayla and I are going out. Cole is really eager to help out with the movie media project... This is Keenan. I am having a fun time. I have anchor watch tonight its cool so Ha Ha and I want to say hi to my mom and the rest of my family... This is Jason and I am just writing to tell everybody I‘m having a good time but I have anchor watch so bye.

Youth Adventure: More Photos from Sucia Island

More photos from the first watch reports. You can see them on the ropes course and working on some team exercises with Capt. Les Bolton. More coming...

Youth Adventure: First Photos From Sucia Island

Finally! We got our first group of photos from the Youth Adventure Program in the San Juans. The Internet connections have been pretty bad, and the Lady Washington had to wait until the crew found a good connection before sending these. You can see them here on the ropes course and boating in Sucia Island State Park. Check the next blog entries for more photos and a watch report!