SEATTLE — One day before the voting ends in the competition for preservation grant funds, the Port Townsend-based schooner Adventuress will invade “enemy territory” with a full-sail incursion.
“We are getting a last-minute surge of votes,” said Sound Experience Executive Director Catherine Collins, who is running the campaign. “It is really inspiring that the community is coming out to support us.”
Weather permitting, the Adventuress will fly all sails along the Seattle waterfront from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. today.
Following this, the ship will dock at Argosy Cruises, 1101 Alaskan Way at the Seattle waterfront, where it will be open for public tours.
American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation in San Francisco are sponsoring the contest, which will give away a total of $1 million to support of 25 historic sites in the state.
Winners will be determined by the vote totals, with people allowed to vote once a day.
The Adventuress has been in the lead for several weeks, with 17 percent of the total vote and leading its closest competitor, Seattle Town Hall, by one point.
A tie occurred over the weekend until the Adventuress surged ahead.
As of Monday afternoon, the Adventuress had 18 percent, still leading Town Hall by a single point.
“It appears that folks rallied,” Collins said.
Today’s activities follow a recent pattern of getting neighboring boaters and cruise ships to log in and vote.
Collins was speaking in a hoarse voice Monday because she had spent several days shouting “Vote the boat!” at cruise ships.
Town Hall will use the money it received to replace windows, while the Adventuress seeks to service its stern area.
Both campaigns are using incentives to get people to vote, although the Town Hall goodies, a Kindle e-book reader and books, are a bit more extravagant than the free sailing offered by the Adventuress.
Also competing is the Customs House in Port Townsend, which has maintained its 15th place position with 2 percent of the vote.
The Adventuress is not scheduled to dock in Port Townsend until the end of August because it will be conducting educational programs all summer.
Collins said that when it returns to its home port, it will host a public event to show appreciation to the community for its support.
For more information, on the 25 historic sites in the competition, visit www.preservationnation.org/partners-in-preservation/seattle
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Jefferson County Reporter Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or at charlie.bermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
