Three-Hour Cruise Aboard the Yankee Clipper

The Sea Scout sail training ship Yankee Clipper hosted my elder daughter's Girl Scout troop for a three-hour cruise in Elliott Bay yesterday. My wife, my other daughter, and myself accompanied the troop aboard the 44-foot gaff ketch. We started out at the Harbor Island Marina at the southern end of Harbor Island, motored down the Duwamish River, Skipper Dan Joram keeping us out of the way of the container ships at Terminal 5. Once we were in the bay, the crew of five Sea Scouts (three teen boys and two adults, besides Dan) were kept busy tacking and jibing and trying to stay clear of the landlubbers, such as myself. It was great fun.

The Clipper recently made a bit of history, returning to the Swiftsure race after a 43-year absence. Billing itself as the only year-round big boat sailing program for youth in Seattle, the vessel is recruiting new members and sails every Monday evening from six to nine from its Harbor Island Marina berth. This month, the Clipper is offering four ecology cruises of the Duwamish River, Seattle's main industrial waterway. Most people only see the waterway from the street, but seeing it from the water gives a whole new perspective on the environmental challenges of the waterway and the importance of maritime industry to the Seattle economy. (Photo courtesy Yankee Clipper)