PORT TOWNSEND — About 200 boats, several tall ships and a rock ‘n’ roll legend sailed in for what is shaping up to be a heavily-attended 30th Annual Wooden Boat Festival.
The three-day event continues through today at Point Hudson Marina.
“I couldn’t be happier,” said Kaci Cronkhite, festival director, about Friday’s attendance as she stood in front of the Wooden Boat Foundation’s headquarters at the Cupola House.
“The boats came in, the tents went up and the sun came out.”
Cars on Friday jammed downtown Port Townsend and the Jefferson Transit Haines Place Park & Ride was at capacity.
During intermittent showers on Saturday, the crowd slimmed down some, but still a throng of people milled about Point Hudson Marina to ogle a sampling of just about everything wooden that floats.
Celebrating his 30th year in business was rock musician Steve Miller, a San Juan Island resident who said he shows up to enjoy the festival every year.
“The festival is one of the most important things to me,” Miller told Sedge Thomson, National Public Radio’s San Francisco-based West Coast Live host.
West Coast Live broadcast a two-hour show from the festival’s Main Stage tent and will return to the Upstage for another show at the upcoming Port Townsend Film Festival.
Miller agreed to be interviewed after Dave Robison, Northwest Maritime Center executive director, e-mailed him with an invitation.
Robison issued the invitation, he said, because Miller is celebrating 30 years of hit recordings and the festival hit 30 this year.
Also, “he helps support some of our water programs,” Robison said.
Miller said he likes to unwind at the festival after touring, and that’s what he was doing Saturday.
“The Wooden Boat Festival is really about preserving the cultural heritage we have,” Miller said.
Thomson also interviewed Cronkhite, Port Townsend sailmaker and original festival organizer Carol Hasse, Wooden Boat Magazine editor Tim Snider and master rigger and knot-tying book author Brion Toss.
Joe Euro, Port Townsend guitarist and wine seller, and Port Townsend tango accordion musician Bertram Levy performed for the show.
Sail battles
Booming cannon fire from mock sail battles out in Port Townsend Bay between the Lady Washington and the privateer Lynx were another pleaser for those who boarded the vessels for the events.
“This is fantastic,” said Brittany White, of Galena, Ill., who stepped onto the Lynx’s long deck with her parents, Keith and Catherine White of Port Townsend.
Brittany volunteered to help the Newport Beach, Calif.-based tall ship’s crew hoist sails.
The Friday sail brought some real “schoonin’,” as the Lynx’s Capt. Christopher Trandell put it.
“We’re more or less re-enacting a Naval engagement,” Trandell told visitors aboard the Lynx as it sailed near Marrowstone and Indian islands.
Trandell and his crew expertly maneuvered the 120-foot Lynx into battle position, while Lynx Master Gunner Elaine “Insane” Eno loaded the cannons with her own handmade black-powder charges.
Eno’s been a deckhand and cannon specialist for three years, she said.
“Big flash, big bang and hopefully no one was hurt,” said Eno, who scored two blasts while the Lynx ran broadside of the Lady Washington.
At one point in the battle, Trandell and Eno joked that they were plotting to join forces with the Lady Washington and attack another tall ship, namely the Port Townsend-based Adventuress.
“Perhaps to rob her of her soy milk,” Trandell quipped. “Those vegetarians.”
Festival continues today
The Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival continues today with the 10:30 a.m. Van Hope Schooner Cup Ceremony at the festival Main Stage.
A “Youth Learn to Sail” program sail-by is also set for 10 a.m.
It is to be launched and finished at Point Hudson.
At 3:30 p.m., nearly 200 boats are scheduled to cruise Port Townsend Bay.
Lynx-Lady Washington battle sails are scheduled today from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., with spaces available on the Lynx.
Sailing aboard the steam ferry Virginia V is also set for 3 p.m.
