Historic ‘tall ship’ revisiting Port Orchard Aug. 15-18

By Bob Smith • August 8, 2019 7:30 am

PORT ORCHARD — She’s known as one of the “tall ships.” She’s been named the state ship of Washington state. And this stately wooden vessel has visited more than 30 West Coast communities over the past year.

But this vessel is best known to people in South Kitsap as Lady Washington, a wooden-hulled sailing ship built in 1989 at its homeport of Aberdeen, Wash. She will be returning to Port Orchard next week and docked at the marina, 707 Sidney Parkway, where the vessel will be accepting tour visitors for a donation. Public sailings also will be available for ticketed guests.

Lady Washington last visited Port Orchard with her sailing sister in May and August of last year.

Now owned by the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, an educational nonprofit organization, the sailing vessel joins with its sister ship Hawaiian Chieftain to educate people about these replica maritime vessels from the 18th-century era of seafaring. Hawaiian Chieftain is undergoing maintenance and will not be accompanying Lady Washington later this month, said Zachary Stocks, program director of the historical seaport nonprofit.

Lady Washington was built to commemorate the centennial of Washington statehood. Her namesake in the 18th century was the first American ship to make landfall on the West Coast, according to the organization. Movie fans will recognize Lady Washington from her motion picture and television roles in “Pirates of the Caribbean,” “Star Trek: Generations” and ABC’s “Once Upon a Time.”

Lady Washington’s Port Orchard itinerary is as follows:

Thursday, Aug. 15

Evening sailing: 6-8 p.m. ($49-$59)

Friday, Aug. 16

Vessel tours: 2-6 p.m. ($5 donation)

Evening sailing: 6-8 p.m. ($49-$59)

Saturday, Aug. 17

Vessel tours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($5 donation)

Adventure sailing: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($49-$59)

Adventure sailing: 2-4 p.m. ($49-$59)

Sunday, Aug. 18

Vessel tours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ($5 donation)