Lady Washington to Sail for Columbia River

Lady Washington will return to the Columbia River in October to start an 11-week tour of river ports from Astoria to Pasco. The “2009 Columbia River Fall Education Tour” is a follow-up to a successful tour of the Columbia River by the ship in the spring. This fall, the Lady Washington will visit many of the same ports, placing special emphasis on educational programs for K-12 students.

The Historical Seaport had initially planned for a major restoration project on the ship after completing its annual Puget Sound tour this month. A change in the restoration planning opened up the opportunity for a fall voyage. The warm welcome by Columbia River port communities last spring encouraged the Seaport to schedule a fall voyage up river rather than south down the Oregon coast.

Starting October 6, Lady Washington will visit the following Columbia River ports: Arlington, Astoria, Cathlamet (tentative), Hood River, Ilwaco, Kalama, Pasco, Rainier, St. Helens, The Dalles, Umatilla, Vancouver, and Washougal. As well as educational programs, the ship has scheduled three-hour public Adventure Sails and public walk-on tours at the dock on Saturdays, Sundays, and some weekdays throughout the tour. For a detailed list of stops and activities, visit www.historicalseaport.org.

Teachers, schools, and home-school groups interested in setting up a one-hour dockside or three-hour sailing program should contact Reasa Shuck, 800-200-2539, rshuck@historicalseaport.org.

The tall ship Hawaiian Chieftain, which normally accompanies Lady Washington on her voyages, will sail south and offer educational programs to coastal Oregon and California schools.

Video: Captain's Mom Tells Her Son's Story

Brennan LaBrie, a nine-year-old reporter for Time for Kids, interviewed Sue Morrison, mother of Capt. JB Morrison, the Historical Seaport's marine operations manager and master of the Hawaiian Chieftain during the boat's recent haul-out. Mrs. Morrison tells the story of how her son was inspired by a trip aboard the Lady Washington at age 17.

Fan Video: Cannon Battle in Tacoma

Here's a wonderful fan-produced video of a cannon battle between Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain last summer in Tacoma's Commencement Bay. Axel Wilkinson sent it to us. "My brother and I came in costume and [we] had a blast," he writes. The video is even something of a how-to: learn about to load, prick, and prime our cannon!

If you have a video or a photo to share of your favorite Lady Washington or Hawaiian Chieftain moment, send it to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Remarkable Blog On the PT to Aberdeen Run

Barbara Reid, one of the guests on our recent Port Townsend to Aberdeen Passage, sent us this photo sample of her remarkable blog (day 1, day 2, day 3) about the three-day trip. The blog is full of photos, maps and detailed observations about life aboard a tall ship in the 21st century. The Lady Washington can take up to six guests on one of these adventures. It's no carnival cruise; you might have to stand watch! To see our current schedule, visit our Sailing Schedule page.

Time for Kids Interviews JB Morrison

Time for Kids reporter Brennan LaBrie (@kidsreporter on Twitter) of Port Townsend interviewed Capt. JB Morrison, Hawaiian Chieftain's master and the Historical Seaport's marine operations manager, about the maintenance work on the Chieftain this week. Brennan is only nine-years-old, but his questions were mature beyond his years. He was helped by Jack Olmsted (@digitalreporter on Twitter), a videoblogger who publishes material on the Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Videoblogging206 page. Jack was the producer of the video below. Jack and Brennan found us via our Twitter feed. We're at @graysharborhist. Thanks to both Brennan and Jack for their interest!

Fan Photo: Lady Washington at Edmonds

Lady Washington fan and Facebook friend Chad Emerson sent us this photo of the boat departing Edmonds for Port Townsend earlier this week. She's now arrived safely in Aberdeen and will participate in Saturday's Chehalis Watershed Festival. See you there!

If you have a photo to share, please send it to photos@historicalseaport.org and we may post it on our blog!

Fan Photo: Another Picture From Edmonds

Edmonds tall ship fan Frank Melchior sent us this portrait of Lady Washington off the Edmonds Marina last weekend. He used a 300mm F/2.8 lens and 2X teleconverter. If you have a photo to share, send it to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Fan Photos: Lady Washington in Edmonds

One of our guests, Capt. Doug Subcleff, sent us these photos of his Adventure Sail in Edmonds last Friday. "We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience," he writes. "We were very impressed with the teamwork displayed by the crew and the ongoing training that took place during the sail. Keep up the good work!" Thank you, Doug!

If you have photos to share of your experience on Lady Washington or Hawaiian Chieftain, email them to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Hawaiian Chieftain Haulout Photos

JB Morrison, master of the Hawaiian Chieftain and the Historical Seaport's marine operations manager, sent us these photos of crew hard at work in Port Townsend. HC was hauled out earlier this week for a routine biennial Coast Guard inspection and general maintenance. One item is scraping and painting her bottom, and in the second photo, you can see second mate Stu Coleman and purser Austin Tooley hard at work. We expect HC to be back in the water early next week and on her way to Grays Harbor.

Fan Photos: Lady Washington Crew Aloft

Weldon Wilson, Gov. Chris Gregoire's official photographer, sent us this photo of the Lady Washington's crew aloft on the foremast on Tuesday. Weldon helped arrange the visit by the governor to Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain last Saturday. Great fun!

If you have a photo of Lady Washington or Hawaiian Chieftain to share, email it to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Logs for Hoquiam Loggers Playday

The Historical Seaport has donated the services of its Spar Shop to mill the competition and demonstraton logs for this weekend's Hoquiam Loggers Playday, which is a celebration of Grays Harbor County's 150 years of logging traditions and history. A local sawmill owner donated the logs, and the Spar Shop turned them on our giant tracer lathe. The five logs are each 12 feet long; the competition logs are 21 inches in diameter, while the logging demonstration logs are 19 inches in diameter. See the logs get sawn by the best loggers in the world at 6 p.m. in Olympic Stadium. We'll see you at Playday this Saturday!

GHHSA Announces SAILING GREEN Campaign

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority has announced its SAILING GREEN capital campaign to raise $100,000 by December 31, 2009 for the purchase of a new fuel efficient diesel engine for the tall ship Lady Washington. The new engine, as well as electrical system upgrades, will reduce the vessel’s carbon footprint.

Wind–the greenest energy source on earth–is Lady Washington’s preferred power source. But she also needs an engine to maneuver in small marinas and keep up with a 21st century schedule. Although the ship’s current 1950s-era engine has been dependable, its carbon footprint is no longer acceptable. As caretaker of the Official Ship of the State of Washington, the Historical Seaport believes Lady Washington should operate under the greenest power possible.

The Historical Seaport will replace Lady Washington’s aging Detroit Diesel 8V-71 with a new fuel efficient engine and marine gear. The new engine will meet or exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier II exhaust emissions standards, California marine engine exhaust standards, and the standards established by the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships (Annex VI).

Without a new engine, the Lady Washington may be prevented from sailing in California waters due to the state’s strict air pollution regulations. The new engine, along with planned upgrades of the ship’s electrical and lighting systems, will reduce fuel consumption, emissions and her carbon footprint.

The Historical Seaport is gratefully accepting donations to its SAILING GREEN campaign online at www.historicalseaport.org. Donors may also call 800-200-5239 or mail a check to SAILING GREEN, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, PO Box 2019, Aberdeen, WA, 98520. For more information, contact Capt. Les Bolton, GHHSA executive director, 800-200-5239, les@historicalseaport.org.

Lady Washington Poster at PT Festival

Port Townsend marine photographer Michael Berman has produced a beautiful poster of Lady Washington that he will sell at the 2009 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival Sept. 11-13. You can see the poster at his exhibit in the Pope Marine Park Building at the head of City Dock in Port Townsend. The exhibit is called "Wooden Boats and the Sea," and it features photos of other Puget Sound tall ships, such as the schooners Adventuress, Martha, and Zodiac. A portion of each sale of the Lady Washington poster will be donated to the Historical Seaport's educational programs. Thank you, Michael!

Lady Washington Adds a Third Sail to Edmonds

We've virtually sold out the Saturday and Sunday Adventure Sails in Edmonds, and so we've added a third Adventure Sail for Friday. The sail departs from Edmonds Marina at 6 p.m. Buy tickets at the Historical Seaport's main website: http://www.historicalseaport.org. See you there!

Fan Photos: Battle Sail in Olympia

Battle Sail guest David F. Pearson sent us some photos of his experience last weekend in Olympia. He writes: "I had a wonderful time, and like the ancient mariner, I will tell the tale far and wide. We had perfect wind, the crew was great and the ‘battle sequence’ was a real experience. The cannon master was very skilled and very safety conscious. Thank you and please extent my thanks to a great crew. " Thanks to you, David, for the cool pics!

If you have pictures to share of your Lady Washington / Hawaiian Chieftain experience, send them to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Gov. Chris Gregoire Visits Our Boats in Olympia

Washington Governor Chris Gregoire and her husband Mike Gregoire visited the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain today in Olympia. The governor toured both boats and learned about the ships' histories and educational activities. Top: Lady Washington with Hawaiian Chieftain just aft at Percival Landing with the state capitol building in the background. Second from top: The governor with Hawaiian Cheiftain's crew. Upper middle: The governor and the First Gentleman at the wheel of the Hawaiian Chieftain. Lower middle: Gov. Gregoire and Historical Seaport executive director Les Bolton chatting about Seaport Landing, the Seaport's planned tourism destination and maintenance facility in Aberdeen. Second from bottom: The governor with the crew of Lady Washington. Bottom: Gov. Gregoire with the figurehead of Lady Washington.

Help Us Solve a History Mystery!

Ted Spoelstra of Forks, Wash. generously donated this boat to the Historical Seaport, and we're trying to find more information about it. Mr. Spoelstra purchased the boat from the collection of Carl Schafer. The boat is 16 feet long and is powered by a two-cylinder, air-cooled 10 horsepower Onan engine. We know the boat was used on Hood Canal by the Schafer family, but we are told it was also used earlier in Aberdeen to take potential buyers out to view log rafts.

Do you have any information that could help? Do you remember seeing this boat in operation? Do you have photographs of the boat on the job? Any stories you can share? If you know anything or anyone with info, email stories@historicalseaport.org.

Fan Photo: Hawaiian Chieftain in Port Orchard

Guest Renee Hardiman took this picture of the Hawaiian Chieftain during our Battle Sail in Port Orchard August 26. She raves about her "fabulous experience" aboard Lady Washington. "The crew was great," she adds. If you have photos to share, send them to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Don't forget that Hawaiian Chieftain is sailing for San Francisco on October 12. If you're an experienced adventure traveler, we'd like to invite you aboard for the nine-day Passage. For details, call 800-200-5239 or visit our website to purchase tickets.