What leap will you make on Leap Day 2012?

A message from Jan Jorgenson, GHHSA Development Officer

Jan Jorgenson

What will you do with your Leap Day 2012?  This quadrennial event gives us a bonus day to play, peruse, or ponder our lives. OK, in reality most of us will just go to work, like we do every day.

But think about it. If you truly had an extra day that you could do whatever you want with, what would it be?  If you could donate your time, energy, money to your favorite cause – what would that look like?

Maybe you will do something at home that you haven’t done in four years, like clean out a closet. Maybe you will take a friend to lunch that you haven’t seen in a while. Maybe you will tell 24 people about the tall ships and the Historical Seaport.

Maybe you will pause and think, “Where was I four years ago?” – not specifically, but in the big-picture (family, career, finances). Then, maybe you'll wonder, "Where will I be in four years?"

My challenge:  Think about Leap Day, Wednesday, February 29 and your dedication to Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority.  How will you use that extra 24 hours?  We could use volunteers; just think what you could do for us in two hours or four hours?  Organizing our history, planning for our future.  Maybe you want to make 24 cupcakes and share them with the staff who works so hard to run the day to day operation. Maybe you'll write a letter to the captain and say “How is it going on board?” Maybe you’ll give us the earnings from your day ($24 or $2,400!).

Leap Day is added to the calendar in leap years as a corrective measure, because the earth does not orbit around the sun in precisely 365 days. It keeps people on this planet synchronized with the heavens. And after 24 seconds of considering that – DO SOMETHING with your extra day!

The frog represents your ‘leap’ on Leap Day. Think about ‘leap year 2012’ and what you will do with it. Then contact me at 800-200-5239, or jjorgenson@historicalseaport.org, and let me help. Thank you!

Fan Photo: Hawaiian Chieftain off Santa Cruz

Neal Swanson sent us this spectacular photo of Hawaiian Chieftain in the Pacific Ocean off Santa Cruz, Calif. "I really like the image and have a framed 16x20 print of it on our wall," Neal says. We love it, too! If you are interested in having a photo of your own, check out our prints for sale on SmugMug by Grays Harbor photographer Ron Arel. If you have a photo to share of Hawaiian Chieftain or Lady Washington, send it to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Barb Kraler Wins 2011 Float the Fleet Contest

Barb Kraler

The Historical Seaport has announced the winner of its 2011 “Float the Fleet: For the Next Generation” fundraising contest. Barbara Kraler of Astoria, Ore., was selected at random from a group of seven Float the Fleet Team Leaders who raised money among friends, family, and colleagues for support of the Historical Seaport, the Lady Washington, and the Hawaiian Chieftain. Kraler, a long-time volunteer for the Historical Seaport, raised $2,374.77 from 20 donors. A total of $5,893.23 was raised from 43 donors by all the contestants.

Kraler was awarded the grand prize, which included a trip for two to Hawaii and $500 cash. She chose to donate the prizes back to the Historical Seaport. Kraler was chosen the winner at the Feb. 21 meeting of the Historical Seaport Board of Directors.

Float the Fleet was inaugurated to encourage and enable anyone who supports the Historical Seaport to take a leadership role in gathering donations. The 2011 Float the Fleet donations will be used to support the Historical Seaport’s 25th birthday celebration in June. An announcement about the 2012 Float the Fleet contest will be made later this year.

Logs for schooner Ernestina's new masts arrive

Sierra Pacific Industries in Aberdeen unloaded logs today that will become new masts for the schooner Ernestina, which is undergoing restoration in New Bedford, Mass. The logs were supplied and delivered by Karl Meier of Birkenfeld, Oregon.

Ernestina was built in 1894 at the James and Tarr Shipyard for the Gloucester fishing fleet. Under Captain Bob Bartlett she sailed to within 600 miles of the North Pole, and later brought immigrants to the U.S. under the power of sail. Returned to the U.S. in 1982 as a gift from the newly independent Cape Verdean people, she sailed as an education vessel until 2005. You can learn more about the restoration project at the Ernestina's website. The new masts will be turned on the tracer lathe at the Historical Seaport's Spar Shop.

First Historical Seaport Roundtable Meets

Nine Grays Harbor residents met with GHHSA Development Officer Jan Jorgenson today to talk about the history of the Historical Seaport as we prepare for our 25th birthday celebration in June. The Historical Seaport Roundtable will meet every month on the 15th through June. The next meeting will be on March 15 at noon at the Seaport offices in Aberdeen. For more information, email Jan at jjorgenson@historicalseaport.org or call her at 360-532-8611.

Fan Photo: Hawaiian Chieftain and the Bay Bridge

Our friend Steve Goodall took this photo today of Hawaiian Chieftain with the Bay Bridge and San Francisco behind it. We've received more interest in our Oakland visit this time around than in recent memory. Thanks so much to all our fans and supporters, whom we hope to see at Jack London Square over the next few days. More schedule details are available on our website. If you would like to share a photo of Hawaiian Chieftain, send it to photos@historicalseaport.org.

Fan Photo: Lady Washington Arrives In Oakland

Lady Washington has arrived at Jack London Square, which photographer Steve Goodall confirmed for us with this nice photo of the boat at the dock. Hawaiian Chieftain is expected to arrive at JLS around noon on Thursday. For a full schedule of public events, visit our website. You can send your photos of either boat to photos@historicalseaport.org.