PORT TOWNSEND — Despite early reports of a wind-prompted delay, both the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain arrived safely at Port Townsend Boat Haven from Cornet Bay on Whidbey Island on Wednesday afternoon.
The ships will remain in the more protected part of the harbor until the wind dies down — which is expected this afternoon, said Rob Sanderson, waterfront coordinator for the Northwest Maritime Center.
Originally, it was thought that the ships would remain in the Boat Haven until Friday because of a storm from the southeast with wind and rain, but updated weather reports show that it is likely the ships can move this afternoon, Sanderson said.
“Our dock at the maritime center doesn’t do well with southerlies,” he said.
“So they will stay at the Boat Haven until the winds calm down.”
Winds started to pick up late in the afternoon Wednesday with gusts hitting 42 mph by 5 p.m. in Port Townsend.
The city was expected to have sustained winds of about 35 mph and 55 mph gusts until about midnight when wind was expected to shift to the southwest and gradually ease, said Carl Cerniglia, National Weather Service meteorologist based in Seattle.
Those who want to view the ships should keep an eye on the weather. After the winds slow, the ships are expected to move and tie up at the center, 431 Water St.
Joe Follansbee, communications director for the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, said the ships rounded the Admiralty Inlet at about 1 p.m. and although they sailed slowly, no problems were reported.
Both ends of the North Olympic Peninsula were expected to mirror each other during Wednesday night’s storm, with both the Pacific Coast and Port Townsend area receiving winds up to 55 miles per hour and calming to about 25 miles per hour by midday today, Cerniglia said.
Port Angeles was expected to be more protected from the winds, but Sequim would see similar gusts, Cerniglia said Wednesday afternoon.
Power outage
However, a fallen branch put about 2,500 Port Angeles electrical power customers in the dark at about 7:30 p.m.
The branch shorted out a 7,200-volt main line, workers said, leaving portions of the city’s west side without power for about a half-hour.
By 8 p.m., wind speeds were reported rising across the Peninsula.
• Quillayute Airport west of Forks had reported the highest wind speed as being 26 mph, with the largest gust being 51 mph.
• Tatoosh Island off the coast of Neah Bay reported a sustained wind high of 37 mph and a gust of 49 mph.
• William R. Fairchild International Airport in Port Angeles had a sustained wind of 17 mph and a gust of 35 .
• A maximum gust of 34 mph had been reported at Hurricane Ridge.
