The MHN Blog

MHN Blog and Website to Shut Down

2010-06-26T17:02:00.000-07:00

Thank you for visiting the MHN Blog, the companion blog to Maritime Heritage Network, which will shut down by December 31, 2010. As a result, this blog is no longer maintained. I'd like to thank all the maritime heritage organizations that have contributed to the blog's success.

For continued updates on Washington State maritime heritage issues, we recommend visiting the Washington State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation, Lake Union Park, and Fyddeye, a leading maritime heritage website.

Public Workshops on Maritime National Heritage Area

2009-05-08T10:05:00.000-07:00

A team of consultants writing a feasibility study for a proposed Maritime National Heritage Area is sponsoring seven public workshops to gather public input on the idea. The workshops are scheduled for late May and early June in Bremerton, Bellingham, Port Townsend, Aberdeen, Anacortes, Tacoma, and Seattle. A full schedule for the workshops is available on Maritime Heritage Network. Everyone interested in promoting the region's maritime history is invited to attend.

A National Heritage Area is a federal designation that recognizes the culturally and historically significant resources in a region and that region’s role in the nation’s history. Today, there are over 40 National Heritage Areas across the country, none of which are on the West Coast. The designation supports local citizens in preserving, sharing, and promoting the region’s heritage, and does not increase federal regulation. The proposed Maritime National Heritage Area would include Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the San Juan Islands, and most of the Pacific Coast of Washington State. More details about the expected impact of the proposal is available on Maritime Heritage Network.

Wawona - 1897 - 2009: Rest in Peace

2009-03-07T06:45:00.000-08:00

On March 4, 2009, the 1897 schooner Wawona was towed from its berth at Lake Union Park in Seattle to Lake Union Dry Dock for dismantling. As the old-time sailors used to say, she has crossed the bar for the final time. May she rest in peace.

New Maritime Music Podcast

2007-03-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

I’d like to let you know about a new podcast of maritime music associated with Maritime Heritage Network featuring Pacific Northwest, national, and international artists. The podcast is sponsored by my friend Barbara Sjoholm, a Port Townsend writer and author of The Pirate Queen: In Search of Grace O’Malley and Other Legendary Women of the Sea. The theme of the podcast, titled Female Sailor Bold, is stories on women who go to sea as men. You’ll find the podcast at http://www.piratequeen.org/.

Although the podcast is not strictly a Maritime Heritage Network project (I produced it as a trade for editorial services by Barbara), I’ve used the opportunity to promote MHN and demonstrate potential web-based promotion options for maritime heritage organizations.

To listen to the podcast, which is 25 minutes long, download the audio file from the podcast page or use the RSS file to load the podcast into your media player, such as iPod. I'd love to know what you think!

Wawona Supporters Worry Ship Will Be Cut Up For Display

2007-03-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

Alice Winship, a leader in the effort to save the schooner Wawona, sent out this appeal via e-mail last week:

If you would like to prevent the demolition of the historic schooner Wawona, please write, email or phone the Seattle City Council to ask that the Seattle Parks Department be required to provide space at Lake Union Park for Wawona to be displayed whole, not in pieces. Ask the City Council to tell Parks that Wawona must be preserved as a whole, either on land or on a barge, even if this requires changing the plan for Lake Union Park.

Despite our successful lobbying last Fall during the City Budget Hearings, Parks is continuing their stance that they probably would not accept Wawona as a whole in the park, only in pieces.

MOHAI (Museum of History & Industry) has hired an engineering firm to develop designs for displaying Wawona in the park, either whole or in pieces. The design report is due back in mid-March. It is strongly suspected that Parks will pressure Northwest Seaport to choose a design plan that would demolish Wawona and preserve only pieces.

Northwest Seaport decided last Fall to pursue displaying Wawona either on land or on a barge, either whole or in pieces. Displaying Wawona out of the water as a whole is acceptable to most Wawona supporters. Preserving only pieces is completely unacceptable. Pieces of the ship would not provide educational programming or any means to generate funds for maintenance. Displayed whole out of the water, she could continue to give future generations the educational programs that she has provided for the past 40 years. This historic treasure must be preserved in its entirety.

Although cost is a major argument for displaying the ship on land rather than in the water, many supporters of Wawona have come to feel that displaying Wawona out of the water, as a whole, is the best choice, even if funds were available for a complete restoration. Restoring Wawona so that she could be put back in the water would require replacing 95% of her wood. If she were preserved on land, much more of the original fabric of the ship could be kept. This wood has stories to tell. It bears the tool marks of the original builders, and the marks left by use during her long history as a lumber and codfishing schooner. Wawona is still the authentic, original vessel. Now that the only other remaining large wooden sailing ship built on the West Coast, the C.A. Thayer, has been completely rebuilt, retaining only 5% of her original wood, it becomes that much more important to preserve the Wawona as the true ship that our great-grandfather’s generation built.

Please contact the Seattle City Council as soon as possible, as time is short. Contact information for the City Council is listed below. Please contact all Councilmembers if you can, but if you cannot contact the entire list, please contact Councilmembers David Della and Peter Steinbrueck. A mailed letter usually gets the most attention, and a phone call is next best. Use email if you are short of time, or in addition to your other methods of contact.

If you would like more information, or a sample of a draft letter, please contact me.

Alice Winship
206-448-0707
walice1@qwest.net

City council members can be reached at:
Seattle City Hall, Floor 2
PO Box 34025
Seattle, WA 98124-4025
The web address is http://www.seattle.gov/

OMDC Gets Port of Seattle Funding

2007-02-28T20:27:00.000-08:00

A visitor to Maritime Heritage Network suggested posting these two important Seattle Post-Intelligencer stories about the Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center.

Odyssey asks port to keep it afloat
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/305276_museum27.html

Maritime museum to get $3.2 million
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/305442_port28.html

We'd welcome any comments you might have. Click the comments link below to post. Readers can also post comments directly on the article pages.

Wawona Book is Officially Launched!

2007-02-24T07:40:00.000-08:00

Nearly two dozen family and friends joined me last night at the Uptown Espresso in West Seattle to celebrate the official launch of Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona. Wayne Palsson, a board member at Northwest Seaport, which owns Wawona, gave an optimistic assessment of the vessel's future, and I read several excerpts from the book. And I sold a dozen copies! Woo hoo! There I am, in the photo, signing for a happy customer. Thanks to everyone who came out and supported me! (And thanks to Monica Evans for the photo!)

Bellevue Author Promoting Early Exploration Book

2007-02-21T07:58:00.000-08:00

I received a flyer from Bellevue author Dick Blumenthal promoting his books, The Early Exploration of Inland Washington Waters, and With Vancouver in Inland Washington Waters. Blumenthal says both books are for "armchair historians interested in the early exploration of inland Washington waters," adding that "these texts bring Northwest maritime history to life." The books focus on the explorations of Spanish and British explorers, including Capt. George Vancouver in 1792.

Review: HistoryLink Calls Wawona Book "Marvelous"

2007-02-11T08:14:00.000-08:00

I've received the first review of my history of the Wawona. HistoryLink, the Pacific Northwest's leading history website, called the book a "marvelous tale." You can read the review at the site's Featured Book of the Fortnight page.

I'm also scheduling more readings. Check this blog frequently for more announcements.

February Readings Scheduled, Preferred Retailers

2007-02-04T09:19:00.000-08:00

I've scheduled two more readings for the book:

February 16: 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Squalicum Harbor Marina, 722 Coho Way, Bellingham, Wash.
February 17: 10:00 AM to noon, Bellingham International Maritime Museum, Bellingham, Wash.

I've also added two preferred retailers to my book's website: Captain's Nautical and Edmonds Bookshop.

Release Event Set for Wawona Book

2007-01-29T19:14:00.000-08:00

Great news! We're going to have a release event for my book Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona on Friday, February 23, 2007, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Uptown Espresso, 4301 SW Edmunds St. (California Avenue & Edmunds Street) in the West Seattle Junction. The event program includes a brief reading and an update on the condition of the schooner and plans for her restoration. I'll sign copies of my book, which will be offered for sale at the event. I hope to see you there and to sign your copy!

Appearance at Seattle Boat Show

2007-01-16T12:31:00.000-08:00

I will be making my first appearance as an author of Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona at the Seattle Boat Show, January 25 and 26, 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., at the Captain's Nautical booth. The show is at the Qwest Field Event Center in Seattle. Captain's Nautical is a leading seller of nautical books, as well as all kinds of gear for the boat lover, in the Seattle area. I hope to see you there!

Received My Wawona Book Copies

2007-01-13T15:25:00.000-08:00

I received my shipment of Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen from the publisher. I get a nice discount as an author, and I can turn them around and sell them at the suggested retail price or a discount of my own. I plan to do so at lectures at area museums. I received 110 books, plus the five free copies. Now all I have to do is sell them! Easier said than done for me, the world's worst salesman.

I also have to give eight away to local libraries and the Washington State Library as part of my grant from 4Culture. I sent them off today.

Hoping for some reviews soon. If you've read the book, please post a review at Amazon.com!

Print, Audio Excerpts from Wawona Book!

2007-01-05T13:35:00.000-08:00

I have posted audio and print excerpts from my book Shipbuilders, Sea Captains and Fishermen at http://www.wawonabook.com. The excerpts come from chapter six, The Wawona Brewing Society. You can also download them via these links: Print (PDF format, 1 megabyte); Audio (MP3, 12 megabytes.) Let me know what you think!

New Features for Tracking MHN/Music, MHN Calendar

2007-01-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

Happy 2007! Maritime Heritage Networks is always looks for ways to make it easy for you to track news from the website, such as weekly featured CDs from MHN/Music and upcoming maritime heritage events. We've now added enhanced RSS news feeds to the home page and a revamped Calendar page. And it's easier than ever to subscribe using your favorite RSS reader or the new Internet Explorer 7, which includes a free RSS reader. Not familiar with RSS? Go to What Is RSS? for a simple, non-technical explanation.

Here's the available feeds:
Home page:

Bloglines
My Yahoo
Newsgator
Google

MHN Calendar:

Bloglines
My Yahoo
Newsgator
Google

In addition, here's direct links to the RSS and Atom feeds:

RSS: Home, Calendar

Atom: Home, Calendar

With the addition of these enhanced feeds, I will no longer be posting weekly notices of the featured CD and upcoming events on the MHN Blog. That said, I still want your submissions of events, which should be sent to info@maritimeheritage.net. I'd also welcome any suggestions from musicians on new maritime music. Thanks!

Grant Supports Effort to Restore Tacoma Dock

2006-12-27T07:22:00.000-08:00

The Foss Waterway Seaport has announced a grant of $10,000 from the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation toward its capital campaign for the restoration and adaptive re–use of its home, the Balfour Dock Building at 705 Dock Street, Tacoma. The dock is also the home of the Working Waterfront Maritime Museum. Funding for this grant was provided by the June and Julian Foss Fund, Hayes Family Fund, and the Marco J. Heidner Fund of the Greater Tacoma Community Foundation. More information is available in this story from the Tacoma Weekly.

1945-Era Vessel Offered as Donation

2006-12-22T08:04:00.000-08:00

Donald P. Wang wrote to Maritime Heritage Network with an offer of a 1945-era YW class ship. The 166-foot vessel is currently named the Coast Angel and the USCG document number is 520075. The vessel is currently berthed in Seattle, and pictures are available here. If you're interested in visiting the Coast Angel, contact Don at 310-892-1332, e-mail Skyline420@aol.com.

MHN Calendar: Virginia V Christmas Cruise

2006-12-21T06:14:00.000-08:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Dec. 22-24, 2006.

12/23/2006: Cruise, Christmas Ship Cruise, Steamer Virginia V Foundation, 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM, Price: $50 members, $60 non-members, Steamer Virginia V, South Lake Union Park, Seattle, 206-624-9119, info@virginiav.org, View the lights of Christmas from the deck of an historic steamship. Reservations required.

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

Last Minute Gift Ideas from MHN Gift Shop!

2006-12-17T06:25:00.000-08:00

Here's a few last minute holiday gift ideas from the online MHN Gift Shop. A portion of each purchase supports MHN operations.

Books: Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona; The Pirate Queen: The Search for Grace O'Malley and other Legendary Women of the Sea; Red Herring: A Novel.
Music CDs: Great Big Sea: Courage & Patience & Grit; Glenn Yarbrough: The Day the Tall Ships Came; Dan Zanes and the Festival Five Folk: Sea Music; William Pint & Felicia Dale: Seven Seas
DVDs: Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest; Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World; SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge Buddies / Nautical Nonsense
Toys & Games: Ship Simulator (like Flight Simulator, only for big ships!); Battleship 2: Surface Thunder; Fisher Price Little People Lil' Pirate Ship
Apparel: Liz Claiborne Newport Striped Scarf; Nautical Flags Men's Tie; Flydanna Bandana (pirates!)
Gifts: Nautical 3D Chocolates;Wild Planet Troll Caught Wild King Salmon; Anchor Weatherglass
Pirates Gear: Men's Pirate Costume; Deluxe Eyepatch with Gold Trim; Silver Costume Pirate Sword; Skull & Crossbones T-Shirt

Happy Holidays from Maritime Heritage Network!

More Gift Ideas, This Time From the Center for Wooden Boats

2006-12-16T07:35:00.000-08:00

Here's more gift ideas, this times some experiences offered by the Center for Wooden Boats.

Beetlecat Gift Package -- Gift certificate for CWB's eight-lesson SailNOW! experience. Includes "Experience the Craft" long-sleeve t-shirt, CWB cap, and CWB mug. Package price: $335.95.
Davis Boat Gift Package -- Gift certificate for two hours of rowboat use, including CWB cap and CWB water bottle. Price: $65.95.

CWB is located at 1010 Valley Street, next to South Lake Union Park in Seattle. Call 206-382-2628 for store hours.

You can support Maritime Heritage Network with a purchase from our online store. We feature more than 350 books, DVDs, music, gifts, and much more.

MHN Calendar: Christmas Cruise; Parents Shopping

2006-12-14T06:52:00.000-08:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Dec. 15-17, 2006.

12/15/2006: Cruise, Christmas Ship Cruise, Steamer Virginia V Foundation, 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM, Price: $50 members, $60 non-members, Steamer Virginia V, South Lake Union Park, Seattle, 206-624-9119, info@virginiav.org, View the lights of Christmas from the deck of an historic steamship. Reservations required.
12/16/2006: Meeting, Holiday Social, Center for Wooden Boats, 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Price: FREE, Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle, 206-382-2628, cwb@cwb.org, Hot chocolate, coffee, cookies, holiday music and a special appearance by Captain Christmas sometime between 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.
12/17/2006: Family, Parents Shopping Day Out, Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center, 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Price: $30/child members, $10 add. child; $40/non-members child, $15 add. Child, Central Waterfront, 2205 Alaskan Way, Pier 66, 206-374-4000, info@ody.org, Holiday mini-camp while parents go shopping

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

Northwest Seaport Offers Holiday Gift Suggestions

2006-12-13T07:24:00.000-08:00

Here are some holiday gift ideas from Northwest Seaport. Your purchase helps maritime heritage groups spread the word and pay the monthly bills.

Historic Ship Shirts -- Choose from beautiful designs depicting the schooner Wawona, the tugboat Arthur Foss, or Swiftsure/Lightship #83 (New!). Comfortable, long-lasting shirts in a variety of colors and styles. Price: T-shirts, $15 adult sizes, $10 child sizes. Sweatshirts, $20 to $40. 10% discount to Northwest Seaport members and volunteers.
Maritime Music CDs -- A wide selection of ballads, chanteys and instrumental music from the West and East Coasts, focusing on the talented maritime performers of the Northwest. Price: $13 to $17, most $15. 10% discount to Northwest Seaport members and volunteers.

Northwest Seaport Gift Shop is located at South Lake Union Park, 830 Terry Ave N, Seattle. Holiday hours are Saturdays, noon to 4:00 p.m.

You can support Maritime Heritage Network with a purchase from our online store. We feature more than 350 books, DVDs, music, gifts, and much more.

Gift Ideas from Willapa Seaport's Ship's Store

2006-12-12T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Willapa Seaport Museum is an amazing maritime museum in historic Raymond, Washington, just minutes from Willapa Bay and the Oysterville National Historic District. For gift ideas, museum director Capt. Pete Darrah suggests exquisitely hand-crafted stick built models of row-boats. These clinker-built gems are from nine to 24 inches in length and feature leathered oars and painters. Price: $35.00 to $225.00.

The Willapa Seaport Museum Ship's Store is located at 310 Alder in Raymond, just off US Highway 101 in Pacific County. Hours are Wednesday to Saturday, noon to 4:00 p.m., other times by appointment. Call 360-942-2855.

You can support Maritime Heritage Network with a purchase from our online store. We feature more than 350 books, DVDs, music, gifts, and much more.

Holiday Gift Ideas from Working Waterfront Maritime Museum

2006-12-11T06:30:00.000-08:00

Many Pacific Northwest maritime heritage groups have small stores with fabulous gift ideas, often available nowhere else. And the sales support operations: paying the phone bill, electric bill, and such.

The Working Waterfront Maritime Museum in Tacoma offers these two gifts.

The Willits Brothers and Their Canoes, by Patrick E. Chapman. This biography and company history tells the story of the Willits brothers business, paying close attention to their business management and meticulous construction techniques. The Willits Brothers Canoe Company earned a reputation that enabled a tiny company to compete successfully with businesses much larger, leaving a name and legacy which is still admired by canoe aficionados today. Price: $48.96 at the museum, includes tax, or $52.00 online, includes shipping and handling.
Finding Thea - A Documentary Film, by Nancy Bourne Haley & Lucy Ostrander (DVD) Finding Thea separates the myth of the famed Thea Foss, a pioneer maritime businesswoman, from the woman herself. It combines rare archival footage, photos, and clips from the 1933 Tugboat Annie film starring Marie Dressler and Wallace Beery with contemporary reflections of her legacy along Washington State's waterfronts. Price: $27.15 at the museum store, includes tax, or $32.15 online, includes shipping and handling.

Both items are available at the WWFM museum store, 705 Dock St., Tacoma, Wash. Store hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, noon to 4:00 p.m. Items are also available at the WWFM online store.

You can support Maritime Heritage Network with a purchase from our online store. We feature more than 350 books, DVDs, music, gifts, and much more.

MHN Music: Great Big Sea / Courage & Patience & Grit

2006-12-10T06:47:00.000-08:00

Music is one of the easiest gifts to give this holiday season, and we can't think of a better maritime music gift that the latest album from Great Big Sea: Courage & Patience & Grit. It features the premiere Newfoundland group in concert on this CD/DVD combo album. Great Big Sea blends traditional sea shanties, sea songs, vocals and acoustic instruments with modern sounds and arrangements to create a popular music punch that has turned heads around the world. Buy the CD at Amazon.com. Listen to a sample. A portion of the sales supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Adventuress Hauled Out for Winter Maintenance

2006-12-08T07:11:00.000-08:00

Sound Experience's schooner Adventuress has been hauled out for winter work, which is detailed at the Sound Experience website. Volunteers have several opportunities to help out in the coming months. For more details and photos of the work so far, visit the haulout web page. (Photo courtesy Sound Experience)

MHN Calendar: Waterfront Christmas, The Cutters

2006-12-07T06:41:00.000-08:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Dec. 8-10, 2006.

12/9/2006: Festival, Merry Time on the Waterfront, Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center, Noon to 3:00 PM, Price: FREE, Central Waterfront, 2205 Alaskan Way, Pier 66, 206-374-4000, info@ody.org, Holiday fun for the whole family, free admission to ODMC
12/9/2006: Concert, The Cutters & Friends, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Price: $10 General; $8 students, seniors, and maritime heritage organization members, Immanuel Lutheran Church, 1215 Thomas St., Seattle, 206-448-0707, walice1@qwest.net, Annual holiday concert featuring Northwest family maritime music group The Cutters with special guests
December 9-10, 2006: Festival, Port Gamble Country Christmas, Port Gamble, Price: FREE, Port Gamble, Wash., Port Gamble, 360-297-8074, portgamble@orminc.com, Handmade crafts, horse-drawn wagon rides, roving carolers, a visit from Santa all in an 1850s mill town and port.

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

December Shanty Sing Has a Pirate + Xmas Twist

2006-12-06T06:58:00.000-08:00

Northwest Seaport hosts a shanty sing-along every second Friday of the month at South Lake Union Park, and this month's event on Friday, December 8 has a pirate twist with a heavy dose of Christmas. Singer and shantyman Matthew Moeller will recite "A Visit from Old Whitebeard," a pirate version of "The Night Before Christmas." Admission is free, though donations accepted. Refreshments and maritime music CDs for sale. For more information, call (206) 447-9800 or e-mail seaport@oz.net.

Finally! My Wawona History Book Is Published

2006-12-05T06:36:00.000-08:00

After more than three years of work, my history of the Wawona has been published. The book is called "Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona." It's all about the 1897 lumber and codfishing vessel that's now berthed at South Lake Union Park in Seattle. You can purchase the book via iUniverse, Amazon.com, or Barnes & Noble. The cost is just $18.95 plus shipping. Sales via Amazon support Maritime Heritage Network.

If you are a bookseller, such as bookstore, museum gift shop, or retailer, you can order the book from Ingram Book Group, Baker & Taylor, and from iUniverse. Or call 1-800-AUTHORS. The ISBN is 0-595-41833-3. More information is available at http://www.wawonabook.com.

Here's the blurb from the back cover: "Discover the history of the three-masted schooner Wawona and the quirky adventures of her captains and crews in the North Pacific. Shipbuilders, Sea Captains and Fishermen reveals the innovations of Wawona’s builder, H.D. Bendixsen. Capt. Ralph E. “Matt” Peasley, “the big overgrown kid,” became the most famous ship captain in America. Capt. Charles Foss called on the heavens for a breeze by wearing his wife’s hats. And the crew caught hundreds of tons of cod in the stormy Bering Sea while secretly fermenting shipboard wine with canned fruit and sourdough starter. Complete with detailed illustrations, historical photographs, and great stories, Shipbuilders, Sea Captains and Fishermen recreates a world that ended with the last sailing ships."

MHN Music: Glenn Yarbrough / The Day the Tall Ships Came

2006-12-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

Can you imagine a better holiday gift than this week's MHN/Music featured CD? It's Glenn Yarbrough and the Shaw Brothers' The Day the Tall Ships Came. With over seventy-five albums to his credit, including both his chart-topping stint as the Limeliters lead tenor, and his marathon solo career, Glenn Yarbrough's voice has graced millions of listeners lives. The album features fifteen traditional and contemporary maritime songs. Purchase the album from CD Baby. Here's a sample. A portion of the sale supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival Symposium

2006-12-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

Kelly at Maritime Compass posted a note about the upcoming Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival Symposium next year. The museum wants proposals for papers in history, folklore, literature, ethnomusicology, or other disciplines that address music or verse of the sea or inland waters. More information is available at Maritime Compass.

SHIPS Moves Family Fun Days, Seeks Ideas

2006-12-01T07:02:00.000-08:00

Seafaring Heritage in Partnership Seattle has decided to move the date of its annual Seafaring Family Fun Days from September to July to coincide with the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival, which is scheduled for the July Fourth weekend. The group of maritime heritage tenants at South Lake Union Park made the move to reduce expenses. A letter from SHIPS leadership said 950 people attended the event last September. But the event was "not as successful financially." Moving the event to July 4, 2007 will save the group money on permits, insurance, and sanitary facilities.

SHIPS is also asking maritime heritage organizations to submit ideas for the 2007 event, which is geared toward children and families. Call 206-448-0707, or e-mail seafaringheritageseattle@yahoo.com. The deadline for submittals is January 31, 2007.

MHN Calendar: Holiday Events, Sea Music

2006-11-30T06:46:00.000-08:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Dec. 1-3, 2006.

12/1/2006: Cruise, Christmas Ship Cruise, Steamer Virginia V Foundation, 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM, Price: $50 members, $60 non-members, Steamer Virginia V, South Lake Union Park, Seattle, 206-624-9119, info@virginiav.org, View the lights of Christmas from the deck of an historic steamship. Reservations required.
12/2/2006: Presentation, Captain Claus at Foss Waterway Seaport, Working Waterfront Maritime Museum, 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM, Price: FREE, Working Waterfront Maritime Museum, 705 Dock St., Tacoma, 253-272-2750, mbowlby@fosswaterwayseaport.org, Captain Santa Claus visits Tacoma's waterfront for photos with young and old.
12/2/2006: Benefit, Holiday Open House, Northwest Maritime Center, 3:30 PM to 5:30 PM, Price: Donation, Northwest Maritime Center, 380 Jefferson St., Port Townsend, 360-385-3628, info@nwmaritime.org, Celebrate the 2006 holiday season, including an arrival of Santa by boat!
12/2/2006: Concert, Sea Songs: A Free Holiday Concert, Town Hall Seattle, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Price: FREE, Town Hall Seattle, 1119 8th Ave., 206-652-4255, info@townhallseattle.org, A family celebration in song and music of cultures living and working on and near the oceans.

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

Holiday Shopping That Supports Maritime Heritage

2006-11-29T06:35:00.000-08:00

Looking for a unique holiday gift? Want to support maritime history and preservation? Many groups have gift shops with items you'll never find in malls or downtown, and there are online shopping options as well. Maritime Heritage Network just opened the MHN Gift Shop, which brings together heritage gifts and the reliability and security of Amazon.com. You'll find more than 350 items, including books, music, DVDs, and much more!

If you prefer to shop in person, try the Northwest Seaport gift shop at South Lake Union Park. Holiday hours are: Saturday December 2, Friday December 8, and Saturday December 9, noon to 4 p.m. Other Saturdays and Sundays if volunteers are available. Call 206-448-0707. Plenty of parking is available.

Sales at all gift shops support continued operations of maritime heritage groups.

(Image courtesy Working Waterfront Maritime Museum. Capt. Santa Claus visits the museum at 705 Dock Street in Tacoma on Saturday!)

Deadline Near for Wawona RFQ

2006-11-28T17:09:00.000-08:00

The Museum of History & Industry in Seattle has published a request for qualifications for qualified consultants to provide a range of conceptual designs for the land-based interpretation of the historic 1897 schooner Wawona, one of the largest three-masted schooners ever built on the West Coast and one of only two remaining Pacific schooners out of a fleet of over 500 sailing ships that once engaged in coastwise and transoceanic shipping and in fisheries.

In 2007, the request says, Wawona will be moved from her long-term berth at South Lake Union Park, and MOHAI seeks concepts for her on-land interpretation at the park. Options include on-land display of the entire vessel, and on-land display of significant components of the vessel. The deadline to respond is Friday, December 8, 2006. For further information, contact MOHAI Executive Director Leonard Garfield via email at garfield@seattlehistory.org.

Ilwaco Heritage Museum's New "Time" Exhibit

2006-11-28T06:45:00.000-08:00

The Ilwaco Heritage Museum in Ilwaco, Wash. has just opened a new exhibit entitled "Time: the Fourth Dimension." This exhibit highlights significant events in the history of the Long Beach Peninsula in southwestern Washington State and the lower Columbia River. The exhibit features the maritime history of the region, which includes commercial shipping and fishing, still important activities today. The exhibit runs until February 2007. The Ilwaco Heritage Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4:00 p.m.

MHN/Music: Lee Murdock / Christmas Goes to Sea

2006-11-26T07:07:00.000-08:00

Looking for a unique nautical Christmas gift? Take a look at MHN/Music's featured CD, Lee Murdock's Christmas Goes To Sea. Murdock's contemporary folk music is grounded in the work song tradition, from the rugged days of lumberjacks and wooden sailing schooners. His fans have discovered a sweetwater treasure in his songs about the Great Lakes, finding drama and inspiration in the lives of sailors and fishermen, lighthouse keepers, ghosts, shipwrecks, outlaws and everyday heroes. Christmas Goes to Sea includes a compact disc of nautical holiday songs and a beautiful 6x6-inch gift book with 18 paintings, watercolors, and drawings. Click to buy at CD Baby. Here's a sample song from the album. A portion of the sale proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Want more maritime music gift ideas? We've got two ways to browse: MHN/Music, and the music department at the NEW MHN Gift Shop! Support maritime music and MHN, too!

MHN Calendar: Shopping Day Out, Captain Claus in Tacoma

2006-11-23T07:16:00.000-08:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Nov. 24-29, 2006.

11/24/2006: Kids, Parents Shopping Day Out, Odyssey Maritime Discovery Center, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM, Price: $30/child members, $10 add. child; $40/non-members child, $15 add. Child, Central Waterfront, 2205 Alaskan Way, Pier 66, 206-374-4000, info@ody.org, Holiday mini-camp while parents go shopping
11/25/2006: Presentation, Captain Claus at Foss Waterway Seaport, Working Waterfront Maritime Museum, 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, Price: FREE, Working Waterfront Maritime Museum, 705 Dock St., Tacoma, 253-272-2750, mbowlby@fosswaterwayseaport.org, Captain Santa Claus arrives at Tacoma's waterfront for photos with young and old.
11/29/2006: Lecture, Ship to Golden Shore, Washington State Library, 12:10 PM to 1:00 PM, Price: FREE, Washington State Library, Room 221, 6880 Capital Blvd S., Tumwater, 360-704-5200, wslevents@secstate.wav.gov, Olympia author and archivist Randolph Stilson highlights the adventures of the schooner Damariscove.

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

Threatened Sites: Montauk Lighthouse; Hong Kong Pier

2006-11-22T06:49:00.000-08:00

Here's a couple of interesting news items that don't have a lot to do with maritime heritage in the Pacific Northwest, but so what?

The Coastline Is Retreating. Should the Montauk Lighthouse Stand Its Ground? (New York Times)
Campaign to save Hong Kong pier goes international (Agence-France Press)

If you know of any "under the radar" maritime heritage preservation efforts, leave a comment below.

Info Needed on "City of Seattle"

2006-11-21T06:47:00.000-08:00

Vernon J. Lowe of Greenback, Tenn. contacted Maritime Heritage Network asking about a small freighter called "The City of Seattle." The collector of marine antiques recently acquired a 42-inch scale model of the vessel (pictured at left), which he says commuted between Seattle and Alaska in the early twentieth Century. The model's former owner was an Oregon woman in her eighties who was the daughter-in-law of the radio operator on the vessel. She says the model was built by a member of the crew and her father-in-law acquired it in the early 1920s when he joined the crew. Mr. Lowe would like to know more about the model and the vessel. I've suggested contacting the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society. If you have any suggestions, you can contact him at vernlowe@aol.com. Or post your comment below.

MHN/Music: Dan Zanes / Sea Music

2006-11-19T07:07:00.000-08:00

This week's featured maritime music CD is Sea Music, recorded by Dan Zanes and the Festival Five Folk. The album features fourteen traditional maritime songs performed by ex-Del Fuegos star Dan Zanes and his ragged but harmonically precise circle of friends. These are raw, spirited, acoustic versions of tunes from the long-gone days of sail. Click here to purchase the CD from CD Baby. Here's an audio sample. A portion of the proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network. What a great Christmas gift!

Draft County Budget Includes MH Money

2006-11-18T07:27:00.000-08:00

The budget committee of the King County Council has approved a 2007 budget which includes $150,000 for the next phase of the Maritime Heritage Initiative. The approval of the budget was reported in today's Seattle Times, and my sources tell me the budget includes the MHI money. The final budget is subject to approval by the full council on Monday and signature by King County Executive Ron Sims. Last year, Sims vetoed several earmarked budget items, and so maritime heritage advocates can't say for sure that the MHI money is a done deal until Sims signs the entire budget package. But a Sims spokesman says in the Times story that the council and the executive have agreed on "nearly all" of the budget's line items.

Last week, the Seattle City Council approved a $150,000 matching grant for the MHI, subject to participation by the county council, the Port of Seattle, and the state legislature. MHI advocates are now gearing up to talk with the port and state lawmakers, who go into their annual session in early January.

Historic Ships Wharf and the Mayor's Office

2006-11-17T13:04:00.000-08:00

I was on the seventh floor of City Hall near the mayor's office today in downtown Seattle and I was pleasantly surprised at a brochure on the waiting room table. After picking up a mayoral proclamation declaring Saturday, November 18 "Dix Remembrance Day" (see Monday entry), I noticed a neat item called "What's Happening at the Historic Ships Wharf"(at South Lake Union Park) next to a few other items. Symbolism matters, and so it was cool to see a brochure on a key maritime heritage facility so visible next to the mayor's office. The brochure, put together by the Center for Wooden Boats, talked about several maritime heritage organizations and a number of vessels. This is a great example of "getting the word out," especially to the decision-makers.

Newspaper, Wire Stories on Dix Sinking, Ceremony

2006-11-17T08:13:00.000-08:00

The Seattle Times, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and the Associated Press each ran stories this week about the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the steamer Dix:

For more details about Saturday's ceremony and how to participate, read my blog entry of last Monday.

MHN Calendar: Dix Ceremony, North by West

2006-11-16T06:54:00.000-08:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Nov. 18-20, 2006.

11/18/2006: Meeting, Dix Remembrance Day, Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, Noon to 1:00 PM, Price: $10 donation, Elliott Bay, Board at Pier 55, 206-932-0971, jkelly3@raincity.com, Brief cruise aboard an Argosy Cruise vessel to a ceremony honoring the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the steamer Dix
11/18/2006: Concert, North by West, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 8:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Price: $10 General; $8 students, seniors, and maritime heritage organization members, Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle, 206-447-9800, seaport@oz.net, The best maritime music from Vancouver, BC
11/18/2006: Concert, The Daily Flash with Pint & Dale, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 9:00 PM to 11:00 PM, Price: $10.00 cover, Highliner Pub, Fisherman's Terminal, Seattle, 206-248-9592, trapper.graves@comcast.net, Northwest rockers The Daily Flash perform with maritime music duo William Pint and Felicia Dale.
11/19/2006: Concert, Navy Band Northwest, Naval Undersea Museum, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Price: FREE, Naval Undersea Museum, Keyport, Wash., 360-396-4148, bgalvani@kpt.nuwc.navy.mil, Ceremonial band performs
11/19/2006: Lecture, Underwater Archaeology, Bainbridge Island Historical Society, 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, Price: Contact BIHS, Island Center Hall, Winslow, 206-842-2773, info@bainbridgehistory.org, Learn about underwater archeaology of the region from local archaeologist David Grant, including discussion of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the steamer Dix.
11/20/2006: Lecture, Battleship Washington, Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: Contact MOHAI, Museum of History & Industry, 2700 24th Ave E., McCurdy Park, 206-324-1126, information@seattlehistory.org, Lecture by Jack Carver on early battleship

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

Seattle Museum Hosts New Maritime Exhibit

2006-11-15T08:15:00.000-08:00

The Log House Museum in West Seattle will open a new exhibit on Saturday, November 18 titled "West by Water: A Maritime History of West Seattle." The exhibit introduces the strong relationship between the West Seattle community and Puget Sound. West Seattle is a major neighborhood of Seattle proper. The white settlers who founded the city landed at Alki Beach in West Seattle in 1851. The Log House Museum is located at 3003 61st Ave. SW. in Seattle. Hours are noon to 4:00 p.m. Thursday through Sunday. Suggested donation is $3.00 adults, $1.00 for children.

Everett Fishing Industry Dying; Effort to Save Cutter Storis

2006-11-14T07:28:00.000-08:00

Commercial fishing is a dying industry in Everett, Washington, and the Everett Herald newspaper recently ran a series of stories in October on the problem. Here's a list of the articles available online.

The series was written by Mike Benbow.

What is the health of commercial fishing in your town? Are people working to preserve the fishing heritage of your community? Comment below.

Also, heritage enthusiasts in Alaska are hoping to restore the USCG cutter Storis and turn it into Alaska's first state maritime museum, according to the Associated Press. The vessel is scheduled to be decommissioned in Feburary 2007, and supporters say creating a museum ship could cost about $750,000. Here's the Wikipedia entry on Storis.

Public Invited to Recall 1906 Maritime Disaster

2006-11-13T10:36:00.000-08:00

Seattle and Bainbridge Island historical societies will mark the 100th anniversary of Puget Sound’s worst maritime disaster with wreath-laying ceremony in Elliott Bay. On November 18, 1906, 42 men, women and children commuting from Seattle to Port Blakely on Bainbridge Island drowned when the cargo vessel Jeannie collided with the steamer Dix 1.3 miles north of Alki Point. Thirty-five of the 77 passengers and crew survived. The bodies of the victims, trapped in the Dix’s cabin, were never recovered. The vessel still lies at the bottom in 600 feet of water.

“Every day, thousands of ferry commuters, blessed with one of the safest passenger fleets in the world, pass over the graves of these ordinary people without knowing it,” says John Kelly of the Southwest Seattle Historical Society, which operates the Log House Museum. “Our ceremony is a way of honoring their memories and the loss to their families and communities so long ago.”

The Log House Museum, the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society, the Bainbridge Island Historical Society, and the Sea Scouts have organized the ceremony, which is scheduled for noon on Saturday, November 18, 2006. Everyone is invited to join representatives of the sponsoring organizations to board an Argosy Cruises vessel on Seattle’s central waterfront for the brief trip to the collision site. The Sea Scout’s vessel Yankee Clipper will be on station to mark the final resting place of the Dix and her lost passengers. The ceremony will include a wreath-laying. Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels has proclaimed the date as “Dix Remembrance Day.” Passengers on state ferries traveling near the site will hear a brief announcement of the anniversary throughout the day.

The Dix sinking was the second worst transportation disaster in Washington State history, exceeded only by the 1910 Wellington train disaster at Stevens Pass, which killed 96 passengers. The loss of the Dix sparked a federal investigation of passenger safety in the “mosquito fleet,” the numerous small vessels which preceded the modern ferry system. Local newspapers covered every aspect of the disaster, including profiles of the victims, an attempt to raise the Dix, and testimony in the investigation by the Dix’s captain, who never piloted a passenger vessel again. Here's the details on the event:

Event: Dix Remembrance Day Wreath-Laying Ceremony
Date/Time/Location: Nov. 18, 2006, noon, one mile north of Alki Point in Elliott Bay
Reservations: To reserve a place, call the Log House Museum, 206-938-5293. Argosy Cruises requests a discounted contribution of $10 per passenger to cover costs.
Boarding/Departure/Return: Boarding begins 11:00 a.m. at the Argosy Cruises facility, 1101 Alaskan Way (Pier 55), Seattle; departure 11:30 a.m.; return to Argosy Cruises 12:30 p.m.

MHN/Music: Gordon Bok / In Concert

2006-11-12T06:59:00.000-08:00

This week's featured album on MHN/Music is Gordon Bok's In Concert. This is Gordon's first live concert album, in which you'll discover the warmth and humor of a live Gordon Bok concert and the deep connection he shares with his audiences. Click this link for a sample. Order now from CD Baby for Christmas, and a portion of the sale proceeds will benefit Maritime Heritage Network. What a great gift!

UK Blogger on Sea Music Pick; Cutters on KUOW Archive

2006-11-11T06:39:00.000-08:00

UK blogger John Wilmott on his blog "Following Celtic Ways" discusses a sea music CD that's a compilation of work by top recording artists, including Sting, Nick Cave, Bono, and Lou Reed. This link will take you to the listing on MHN/Music. Here's a music sample from the album. The CD is available now at Amazon.com; if you buy via this link, a portion of the proceeds will support Maritime Heritage Network.

I also ran across this archive of The Cutters' appearance on KUOW-FM, Seattle's NPR station, in Feburary. Here's their MHN/Music listing, with buy and sample links to some of their music.

Bosun's Whistle Player Sought for December Show

2006-11-09T16:16:00.000-08:00

Town Hall Seattle is seeking a bosun's whistle player for an event on Saturday, December 2. The event features sea music from many different cultures. You'll be performing before several hundred people. Pay is $100. For more information, contact Spider Kedelsky at 206-652-4255, spiderk@townhallseattle.org.

MHI Contribution, Wawona Proviso Approved

2006-11-09T13:06:00.000-08:00

I've received two wonderful pieces of news about our maritime heritage, both involving the Seattle City Council. First, the council's Finance Committee approved the heritage community's request for a $150,000 contribution to the Maritime Heritage Initiative. I understand that the money is conditioned on a financial match of some kind, the details of which are unclear at this point. The focus will now shift to the King County Council, which is also considering a similar request for a $150,000 contribution.

The second piece of good news concerns Wawona. The council has approved budget language that prevents the Parks Department from using a $400,000 allocation to dismantle or demolish the vessel. Instead, the money is to be used for preservation, restoration, or relocation of the city landmark.

The full council must approve the final budget, but every heritage supporter should now say thanks to each councilmember, especially Richard McIver, chair of the Finance Committee, David Della, chair of the Parks Committee, who sponsored the MHI measure, and Peter Steinbrueck, who sponsored the Wawona proviso. These councilmembers have done a great service to the community!

MHN Calendar: Little, But Oh My!

2006-11-09T07:18:00.000-08:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Nov. 10-13, 2006.

11/11/2006: Presentation, Little, But Oh My!, Jill Johnson, Storyteller, 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM, Price: FREE, Renton Historical Museum, Renton, Washington, 425-255-2330, story@whidbey.com, Storyteller Jill Johnson tells about the life of Berte Olson, the first female ferry boat captain on Puget Sound.

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

MHI Contribution Makes It Into Draft Budget

2006-11-08T17:27:00.000-08:00

Councilmember David Della wrote to me this afternoon with the good news that the $150,000 contribution by the city to the Maritime Heritage Initiative has been added to the draft 2007-2008 budget. Although the budget committee and the full council have yet to approve the measure, this is a huge step forward for the maritime heritage community. Della cited the strong advocacy for this budget item on the part of heritage supporters as a key factor in the budget decision.

And let's not forget Seattle voters. Councilmembers told a number of heritage supporters that if the transportation levy (Proposition 1) had failed, they would have a much harder time approving the addition to the budget. Of course, the levy passed by a wide margin in yesterday's election, 54% to 46%.

Della Withdraws Wawona Budget Proviso

2006-11-08T15:00:00.000-08:00

I put a call in to Councilmember David Della's office this afternoon to understand his proviso better (see previous post) and his aide told me that Della has now withdrawn his proposal and supports Councilmember Steinbrueck's proviso (See previous post.) Della's aide said he now understands the need to get the ship out of the water as soon as possible. He also wants to see Wawona preserved and he will monitor the situation to ensure that the money is not used to "willfully" demolish the ship. Don't you just love the messiness of democracy?

Della Offers Competing Wawona Proviso

2006-11-08T13:51:00.000-08:00

Staunch Northwest Seaport volunteer organizer Alice Winship reports that Seattle City Councilmember David Della is sponsoring a new budget proviso for Wawona, which would leave demolition open as an option, but would put the funds on hold until all parties agree on a plan. (See her comment to my previous post.) The proviso concerns a $400,000 allocation in the 2007-2008 city budget. According to the budget document, the money "may" be used for cutting up Wawona and using some of the pieces for a display.

"One drawback to this proviso is the time frame," Alice writes. "Preservation specialists at the Wawona Summit last December recommended that Wawona be taken out of the water and put under cover as soon as possible, in order to stabilize her condition." She also says the Parks Department wants Wawona moved soon, and presumably a plan of some kind would take months to write.

Alice doesn't say which proviso she prefers, but Wawona supporters have consistently said they oppose demolition of any kind. Alice also notes that Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck's proviso, discussed on Tuesday, would prevent use of the funds to demolish the Wawona, and would change the title of the budget item in the Parks 2007-2008 capital budget from "Wawona Disposition" to "Wawona Preservation."

Alice reminds everyone that there's still time to register your views. Contact info is at http://www.seattle.gov/council/.

MH $$ Decisions Pending; Musical Celebration of Sea Cultures

2006-11-08T06:58:00.000-08:00

I've received no word yet on Seattle City Council decisions on the $150,000 Maritime Heritage Initiative contribution or the budget proviso on the $400,000 Wawona line item. I did receive a note from Councilmember David Della saying there was still time to contact councilmembers with your views. Tomorrow (Thursday) is the deadline. You'll find contact info at http://www.seattle.gov/council/.

Town Hall Seattle is hosting “Sea Songs,” a free celebration in song and music of cultures living and working on and near the oceans, scheduled for Saturday, December 2 at 1:00 p.m. The program opens with Moe Bowstern’s “Life Cycle of the Salmon,” a puppet show based on the tradition of Indonesian shadow plays. Other items on the program:

The Samish Singers from the Samish Nation of Washington
Ruze Dalmatinke/Vela Luka Ensemble with songs and music from the Dalmatian Coast of Croatia
The Samoan Men Singers - Ben Leiataua, conductor
Dangerous Dave Densmore, an Alaskan fishing boat captain and fisher poet performing his epic saga of being lost at sea after his boat burns and sinks
A performance of traditional naval bosun’s whistles.

Admission is free.

Hearing Today on Wawona Budget Proviso Re Demolition

2006-11-07T06:40:00.000-08:00

Wawona supporter and volunteer organizer Alice Winship has alerted her network to a hearing this morning on the future of the schooner Wawona. The budget hearing before the city council will examine a proviso proposed by Councilmember Peter Steinbrueck that, if approved, would prevent the city from using $400,000 budgeted for moving the ship from South Lake Union Park as funding for dismantling or demolishing her. Currently, the budget language says the Parks Department "may" use it for cutting the ship up for display, essentially allowing Parks to potentially use public money to destroy a city landmark and one of the few ships on the National Register of Historic Places.

A majority of the Council must vote to approve this budget proviso, otherwise the budget will stand as written. The meeting of the budget committee will be at City Hall, City Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 600 4th Avenue, at 9:30 a.m. today. There will be a public comment period at the beginning of the meeting. The public can also send e-mail or call council members to express their views. See the previous entry for a list of contacts or visit the council website.

MH $$ Still in Play; Decision Thursday?

2006-11-06T16:38:00.000-08:00

A source in Councilmember McIver's office tells me late this afternoon that no decision has yet been made on the $150,000 contribution to the Maritime Heritage Initiative. But a decision could come as early as Thursday. That sounds like a deadline to me. See my Friday entry for more on why this is critical to the success of the Initiative. Where to send letters and comments:
Councilmember Richard J. McIver
Attn: Emilia Sanchez, Clerk
PO Box 34025
Seattle, WA 98124-4025.
budget@seattle.gov
Fax: (206) 684-8587

Other Councilmembers:

Nick Licata, nick.licata@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8803
Sally J. Clark, sally.clark@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8802
Richard Conlin, richard.conlin@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8805
David J. Della, david.della@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8806
Jan Drago, jan.drago@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8801
Jean Godden, jean.godden@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8807
Tom Rasmussen, tom.rasmussen@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8808
Peter Steinbrueck, peter.steinbrueck@seattle.gov, (206) 684-8804

More info: http://www.seattle.gov/council/

Comments welcome!

MHN/Music: Roger Chartier / Sailing Away

2006-11-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

This week's MHN/Music album pick is Sailing Away, by Roger Chartier. A musician for 35 years, Roger Chartier grew up in the port of New Bedford, Massachusetts surrounded by the maritime /fishing industry. CD Baby describes the album as "boating/island/folkish music with a flair for very different styles from bottle-neck guitar style to easy reggae to swing to fun upbeat bopping tunes to one wild Spanish-language song and lots of the island sound." Buy the album from CD Baby. Listen to a sample. A portion of the sale proceeds benefits Maritime Heritage Network.

MH Money May Be Left Out of City Budget

2006-11-03T14:25:00.000-08:00

I've received word that Seattle City Councilmember Richard McIver, who chairs the budget committee, has decided not to include the city's contribution of $150,000 in the 2007-2008 city budget, despite weeks of impassioned pleas by maritime heritage supporters. He apparently believes the city should not contribute its share of seed money to create a heritage shipyard on Lake Union. The reason behind his decision is unclear.

If this decision is confirmed by the whole council, the consequences will be enormous and far-reaching. No shipyard means that our historic vessels will continue to deteriorate and will eventually have to leave the Historic Ships Wharf at South Lake Union Park. SLUP will be an anemic shell with empty slips, wasting the money and sweat investments of many years.

Furthermore, loss of this money will make further fundraising extremely difficult, because it sends a message to other funders that Seattle is not interested in saving its maritime heritage. For example, a failure by the city to participate means the loss of a $400,000 state matching grant dedicated to the shipyard project.

City councilmembers are expected to make final budget decisions within days. McIver's direct phone number is (206) 684-8800, e-mail richard.mciver@seattle.gov. You can also find contact info for all other city councilmembers at http://www.seattle.gov/council/. Time is of the essence.

Testimony for MH $$ Winds Down

2006-11-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

About a half-dozen maritime heritage supporters, including myself, turned out last night at the King County Council budget hearing to speak in support of funding for the next phase of the Maritime Heritage Initiative. The hearing was the last in a series of four hearings on the county budget; the city of Seattle has held two of its own. Supporters asked each government to contribute $150,000 in seed money to get MHI off the ground. (The Port of Seattle and the state may also contribute, but the focus is on the city and county.)

Heritage supporters have turned out in force for the hearings. At Wednesday's county council hearing, Leon Leeds of Mercer Island drew a connection between preservation and urbanization of Lake Union, where most Seattle-area maritime heritage activities occur.

"The enhanced presence of marine heritage vessels and maritime-themed activities at both ends of Lake Union will certainly draw increased regional tourism, encourage local volunteer involvement with youth programs, and, most importantly, help maintain balance in the tilt toward runaway gentrification of the lake’s shoreline neighborhoods and revitalize that traditional marine flavor that has always characterized Lake Union," he said.

Both city and county officials are expected to make their decisions this month. The MHN Blog will have all the details. In the meantime, you can still make your views known. Here's links to web pages with contact info: Seattle City Council; King County Council.

Vietnam War Boats Filmed for Documentary; New MHN News Feeds

2006-11-02T08:29:00.000-08:00

The Everett Herald published two stories about the Vietnam-era PBR (patrol boat river) vessels made in Bellingham. The first article tells the story on one PBR veteran. The second article profiles the boats themselves. The boats will be part of a Discovery Channel documentary series called "Battle Zone" which begins in January 2007. The episode with the PBRs will air in March 2007. It was filmed on the Snohomish River near Everett. For more on the boats, here's a listing for the Bellingham International Maritime Museum.

MHN has added an RSS and Atom feed to its home page. Look for the orange "RSS" and "Atom" images. The feeds let you know when there's a change to the "What's Happening Now?" module (the event that's next up in the Calendar) and the "MHN/Music: Featured Artist and Album" module, which changes once a week. You'll also find RSS, Atom and My Yahoo! feeds on the MHN Calendar pages. Subscribe now!

Final County Budget Hearings for MH $$

2006-11-01T06:42:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder that the last two public hearings for the 2007 King County budget are tonight and Thursday. These will be the final opportunities to express your views on the proposed $150,000 county contribution to the Maritime Heritage Initiative. Here's the particulars from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar:

11/1/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Kirkland City Hall, 123 - 3rd Ave., Kirkland, 206-296-0100, , Budget hearing to consider $150,000 request to King County for seed money to help Maritime Heritage Initiative
11/2/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Council Chambers, 516 - 3rd Ave., Seattle, 206-296-0100, , Budget hearing to consider $150,000 request to King County for seed money to help Maritime Heritage Initiative

Arrive early for good seats! There will also be a sign-up sheet, if you want to speak your mind.

Compton Talks Up MH $$ at City Hearing

2006-10-31T06:44:00.000-08:00

Former Seattle City Council member Jim Compton led a group of key maritime heritage supporters last night in a bid to persuade the council to include money for the Maritime Heritage Initiative. Compton chaired the 2005 Seattle / King County Maritime Heritage Task Force, which developed the plans that called for city participation in the effort to create new resources to preserve local maritime heritage. Last night, he and nearly a dozen supporters asked the council for $150,000 in seed money for the Initiative. The request came during a regularly scheduled city council budget hearing at City Hall.

And speaking of budget hearings, the King County Council holds two more, tonight and Thursday, to consider its own contribution of $150,000 to the Initiative. Tonight's hearing is at 7 p.m. at Kirkland City Hall. Thursday's hearing is at council chambers in the county building downtown. It also starts at 7 p.m.

MHN/Music: Bob Webb / Bank Trollers

2006-10-29T07:39:00.000-08:00

This week's featured MHN/Music CD is Bank Trollers, by Bob Webb. For nearly four decades, the resident of Phippsburg, Maine has presented the music of seafarers, loggers, railroad men and other folk heroes and heroines. His specialties are shipboard work songs, known as "shanties," and the seagoing ballads called "forebitters" or "main-hatch songs." Buy his album from CD Baby. Listen to a sample from the album. A portion of the sale proceed supports Maritime Heritage Network.

"Perfect Storm" Tugboat In Its Own Gale

2006-10-28T07:31:00.000-07:00

The tugboat Tamaroa, made famous by the book and movie "The Perfect Storm," is in danger of being sunk by public neglect and overcautious officials. Here's an article about the situation in the Style Weekly of Richmond, Virginia. The story tugged at my heartstrings, because Seattle has its own historic tugboat, the Arthur Foss, which at least has a home, unlike Tamaroa.

MH Supporters Testify; New Coast Guard Book

2006-10-27T06:58:00.000-07:00

King County maritime heritage supporters are turning out to testify at budget hearings on a $150,000 contribution to the Maritime Heritage Initiative. A member of the Association of King County Historical Organizations board testified Tuesday, and a heritage volunteer testified Wednesday, capping her plea with a sea shanty that brought the house down. That's the way to get everyone's attention! The next hearing is before the city council on Monday. To see the schedule for hearings, see my Monday, October 23 blog entry.

A former officer in US Coast Guard Disitrict 13, which covers the Northwest, has published a book of her experiences. "So Others May Live" is detailed in this story at the Seattle Post-Intelligencer website.

MHN Calendar: Pacific Graveyard Music, Festival

2006-10-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 27-29, 2006.

10/29/2006: Music, Graveyard of the Pacific Maritime Music, Ilwaco Heritage Foundation, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Price: Contact IHM, Ilwaco Heritage Museum, 115 SE Lake St., Ilwaco, 360-642-3446, ihm@ilwacoheritagemuseum.org, Maritime music concert, part of Graveyard of the Pacific Shipwreck Week
Oct. 21-29, 2006: Festival, Graveyard of the Pacific Shipwreck Week, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Price: Many events FREE, Various sites near Astoria, Ore. and Ilwaco, Wash., See specific sites, 800-875-6807, admin@crmm.org, Week long celebration of the wreck of the Peter Iredale, includes exhibits, music, and lectures

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

West Coast Shipwrecks May Need Protection

2006-10-25T08:50:00.000-07:00

The Marine Protected Area advisory committee, which covers the entire west coast, discussed protection of shipwrecks and submerged airplanes as part of the region's cultural heritage. The Coos Bay World featured a report, which says the coast of Washington, Oregon, and California is dotted with more than 10,000 shipwrecks, 286 of which are identified. The story says Washington State can designate wrecks as underwater parks, but none have been designated so far. California, the state with the most shipwrecks, offers the most protection for them. Oregon has no marine areas that focus on cultural resources.

Upcoming MH $$ Hearings; First One is Tuesday

2006-10-23T18:40:00.000-07:00

Here are upcoming public budget hearings for the city of Seattle and King County where you can make your views known on the $150,000 contribution by each government to the Maritime Heritage Initiative. The first hearing is Tuesday! Note the city for each one; the county hearings are in Kirkland, Kent, Shoreline and Seattle. The listings are from the MHN Calendar.

10/24/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, King County Regional Justice Center, 401 - 4th Avenue N. Courtroom 3F, Kent, 206-296-0100.
10/25/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Shoreline Conference Center, 18560 First Ave. NE, Shoreline, 206-296-0100.
10/30/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (City of Seattle), Seattle City Council, 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM, Price: FREE, City Hall, 600 - 4th Ave., Second Floor, Seattle, 206-684-8888.
11/1/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Kirkland City Hall, 123 - 3rd Ave., Kirkland, 206-296-0100.
11/2/2006: Meeting, Budget Hearing (King County), King County Council, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Council Chambers, 516 - 3rd Ave., Seattle, 206-296-0100.

BTW, you don't have to live in Seattle or King County to tell elected officials what you think. I know from feedback that there's interest in this across the country. Your views are welcome, too! Here's links to webpages with contact info: Seattle City Council; King County Council. If you prefer to post your thoughts here, click the Comments link below.

Chris Roe: A Round for the Company

2006-10-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

This week's MHN/Music featured album is A Round for the Company, straight-ahead traditional songs and tunes from North America and the British Isles, with contemporary accents, enhanced and accompanied by concertina, harp, button accordion, guitar and sundry other devices. Buy the CD at CD Baby. Listen to a sample track from the album. A portion of the sale proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Want something fun for Halloween? Check out MHN's pirate music!

MH $$: The Numbers Explained

2006-10-21T13:17:00.000-07:00

My head is swimming with all the numbers being thrown around regarding the Maritime Heritage Initiative money and along comes Holly Taylor, a local preservation consultant, with a lifeline. She's studied the issue and she sent me some documentation that explains the situation very nicely. Send e-mail to me care of MHN and I can forward the whole document. Here's some highlights:

Start-up funding for initial operations of the Maritime Heritage Initiative is requested from the City of Seattle, King County, the Port of Seattle, and Washington State, in equal amounts of $150,000, for a total investment of $600,000.
The seed funding in 2007-2008 will be used to open the long-awaited "heritage shipyard" at the King County Metro Dock on north Lake Union (negotiations pending); to broaden all maritime activities at South Lake Union Park; and to link the two sites with public programs that demonstrate the full range of our rich maritime culture.
The City of Seattle and King County are in the middle of budget deliberations now, which is why there is so much focus on these two governments.
The requested seed money will be used in part to match two 2007-2008 Washington State Heritage Capital Projects Fund (HCPF) awards for important Initiative projects, both of which were recently recommended for funding by the State Historical Society (pending approval by the State Legislature): $400,000 for major capital improvements at the King County Metro Dock/Heritage Shipyard site; $235,000 for maritime-related amenities at South Lake Union Park

The City of Seattle's capital budget has a line item of $400,000 for the schooner Wawona. This line item is NOT related to the push by Maritime Heritage Initiative partners for the start-up funding.

Here's links: City of Seattle; King County.

MH Exhibit at Edmonds Historical Museum

2006-10-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

My RSS feed reader snagged this maritime history item in the Everett Herald:

"Edmonds Historical Museum: 118 Fifth Ave. N., Edmonds City Hall, Edmonds; 425-774-0900, www.historicedmonds.org, 1 to 4 p.m., Wednesdays-Sundays, $2, $1 children, group tours available. 'The Changing Face of Edmonds' and 'Our Maritime Heritage,' ongoing." (Emphasis mine.)

If you have an RSS reader, subscribe to the The MHN Blog via this link:

http://mhnblog.blogspot.com/atom.xml

MHN Calendar: Broadside, Graveyard of the Pacific

2006-10-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 20-22, 2006.

10/21/2006: Concert, Broadside/Mariide, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM, Price: $10 General; $8 students, seniors, and maritime heritage organization members, Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle, 206-447-9800, seaport@oz.net, All-female shanty and maritime music group Broadside with vocalist Mariide
Oct. 21-29, 2006: Festival, Graveyard of the Pacific Shipwreck Week, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Price: Many events FREE, Various sites near Astoria, Ore. and Ilwaco, Wash., See specific sites, 800-875-6807, admin@crmm.org, Week long celebration of the wreck of the Peter Iredale, includes exhibits, music, and lectures

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

More Meetings with City; County to Follow

2006-10-18T06:37:00.000-07:00

Maritime Heritage Initiative partners continued their meetings with Seattle City Council members and staff yesterday. John Chaney of Historic Seattle, David Allen of Coastal Heritage Alliance, and myself as AKCHO vice president met with council president Nick Licata's arts and culture advisor Frank Video about $150,000 in seed money to jump-start maritime heritage programs at South Lake Union Park and the North Lake Union dock. Chaney, Allen and Jennifer Meisner of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation met with councilmember Sally Clark.
The MHI partners are also gearing up for meetings with King County Council members, informing them about a county contribution of $150,000, in addition to the city's contribution. Earlier this year, MHI partners met with County Executive Ron Sims, discussing conversion of the North Lake Union dock into an historic shipyard, but funding did not make it into the recently released 2007 budget.

These links will take you to contact information for the Seattle City Council and the King County Council. To check which county council member represents you, here's a link to the council district map. (Seattle City Council members are all "at large.")

Full disclosure: The MHN Blog and Maritime Heritage Network could benefit from the funding discussed above, if approved.

Anacortes MH Enthusiasts Report Summer Activities

2006-10-17T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Anacortes Community Maritime Center wrote to me reporting on their wide range of activities in the Anacortes/Fidalgo Island area to support maritime heritage. Their season began on June 24 with a third annual picnic at Bowman Bay. Board members cleared trails on Indian Island to secure a covered picnic area. They also launched and christened a "peapod" wooden boat (shown at left), which was later displayed during the Anacortes July 4th parade and the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. In the first weekend of August, Center supporters set up a children's area in the Anacortes Arts & Crafts Festival, complete with kids boatbuilding area and a paddle pool. The Center also participated in Fidalgo Bay Day, coordinating with the Samish Nation, local not-for-profits, and local marine businesses.

ACMC has long-term plans for a facility to do wooden boat-building and offer maritime-related classes. The group has taken one of the first steps, launching a new website. Visit the site and show your support! Comments are welcome below. (Photo courtesy ACMC)

The Cutters: Lowlands

2006-10-15T07:50:00.000-07:00

This week's MHN/Music featured album is Lowlands, the 1994 collection by The Cutters, which are based in Seattle. The album features stunning vocal harmonies and driving acoustic instruments in songs about real people and real life. Buy the CD at CD Baby. Listen to a sample from the title track. A portion of the sale proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Looking for Halloween pirate music? Click here!

Discussions Underway for MHI Seed Money

2006-10-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

Eight major heritage organizations are working together to persuade the Seattle City Council to place $150,000 in the 2007-2008 budget for the Maritime Heritage Initiative. The organizations requested the money earlier this year, but it was left out by the mayor's office. The money would jump-start operations for a planned historic shipyard at North Lake Union, help heritage orgs plan ship restorations, deliver new public programs at South Lake Union Park, and expand outreach efforts. (Full disclosure: it's possible the seed money will benefit Maritime Heritage Network.) The organizations have so far met with councilmembers David Della, Tom Rasmussen, and Peter Steinbrueck.

There will be a public hearing on the budget October 30 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall.

MHN Calendar: Ferry Tales, Navy Band, Decatur Drawings

2006-10-12T07:59:00.000-07:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 12-15, 2006.

10/12/2006: Presentation, Ferry Tales, Jill Johnson, Storyteller, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: FREE, Clinton Library, Clinton, Whidbey Island, 360-341-8420, story@whidbey.com, Storyteller Jill Johnson tells ferry stories historic and modern, hilarious and touching
10/15/2006: Concert, Navy Band Northwest, Naval Undersea Museum, 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM, Price: FREE, Naval Undersea Museum, Keyport, Wash., 360-396-4148, bgalvani@kpt.nuwc.navy.mil, Big band performs
10/18/2006: Lecture, The 1855 Drawings of John Y. Taylor, Museum of History & Industry, 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM, Price: Members: $5; General, $7; Day of Show: $10, $12, Museum of History & Industry, 2700 24th Ave E., McCurdy Park, 206-324-1126, information@seattlehistory.org, Drawings by an officer of the USS Decator, an important vessel in early Puget Sound maritime history

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

New Speciality Shop Seeks NW Maritime Art

2006-10-11T06:46:00.000-07:00

A new speciality business in Des Moines, Wash., called "Eva's Treasures by the Sea" posted a request on craigslist for nautical art and crafts from the Pacific Northwest. The owner wants jewelry, greeting cards, glass art, paintings and photography. The owner prefers to schedule appointments, and the artist should prepare a portfolio, biography, and samples. The new shop may consider consignment sales. For more information, e-mail gigs-216902350@craigslist.org or see the craigslist item at http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/crg/216902350.html.

Puget Sound Pirates Added to MHN/Music

2006-10-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

The newest member of MHN/Music is the Puget Sound Pirates, a professional re-enactment group that performs in costume from the period 1650 to 1740 at public events and private functions, including birthdays, parades, company meetings, and festivals. The group provides music, dance, performance and crowd interaction. Some performances are family friendly, others are intended for adults. A portion of proceeds goes to the "Irish Rose Pirate Ship" project, which aims to build a five-million dollar replica of an 18th century English warship in Port Townsend. They don't have a CD out yet, and we're waiting breathlessly! In the meantime, contact them today for a fun addition to your event. (Photo courtesy Puget Sound Pirates.)

Tom Lewis: 360 Degrees: All Points of the Compass

2006-10-08T06:27:00.000-07:00

This week's MHN/Music featured album is 360 Degrees: All Points of the Compass, by Tom Lewis, 25-year veteran of Her Majesty's Royal Navy, although now he's comfortably located on dry land in British Columbia. His songs cover a wide range of nautical topics, from life on board H.M. ships, through the loneliness and lure of the sea, to the very funny tale of a randy canine ship's mascot called Bunts. Buy his CD at Amazon.com. A portion of the proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

P-I Publishes Story on Lightship Reunion

2006-10-07T07:42:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer published a wonderful story this morning on the Lightship Sailors Reunion taking place this weekend in Seattle. A wreath-laying ceremony is scheduled for 2 p.m. this afternoon at the Swiftsure lightship, now moored at South Lake Union Park. The public is invited.

Seattle MH Supporters Seek $150K for Shipyard

2006-10-06T17:25:00.000-07:00

Maritime heritage supporters in Seattle have stepped up lobbying efforts in the city council to fund a shipyard for large historic vessels on Lake Union. Organizations such as Historic Seattle, the Museum of History & Industry, and the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation plan to meet with individual council members and ask for $150,000 to help match a $400,000 state grant that would fund the yard next to Gas Works Park in Seattle. Large vessels, such as the 1897 schooner Wawona, now berthed at South Lake Union Park, need a location for annual maintenance and restoration work. 4Culture, an independent arts and heritage funding and advocacy agency, and a sponsor of this blog, is leading the effort.

Mayor Greg Nickels did not include the $150,000 in his 2007-2008 budget submitted to the council last month, despite appeals from several historic preservation organizations. The oversight puzzles MH supporters, given that the mayor has asked for $400,000 to move the schooner Wawona from its current berth at South Lake Union Park. The $150,000 would help fund a place for her to go, as well as fund maritime heritage education programs at the park, which is positioned by the Seattle Parks Department as a maritime heritage facility. MH supporters plan to ask city council members to fix the mistake, which would send a consistent message that the city is behind long-term efforts to preserve Seattle's maritime heritage to educate future generations.

You can help this effort by writing or calling city council members and attending one or both public budget hearings this month. For more information and council contact information, go to the Seattle.gov website.

Prefer to comment on this blog? Great! Use the comments link below.

MHN Calendar: Lightship Sailors, GHHSA Fete

2006-10-05T06:52:00.000-07:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Oct. 6-8, 2006.

10/7/2006: Presentation, Lightship Sailors Wreath Laying, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM, Price: FREE, South Lake Union Park, 360 Terry Ave. N., Seattle, 206-412-4736, wpalsson@aol.com, Ceremony honoring fallen lightships sailors, part of the annual Lightship Sailors Association annual reunion
Oct. 6-8, 2006: Festival, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority 20th Anniversary, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, Price: Some events FREE, Various sites in and around Aberdeen, Washington, For specific sites, contact owner, 800-200-5239, ghhsastephanine@techline.com, Three days of events celebrating the 20th anniversary of GHHSA, the owners of the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Cheiftain.
10/8/2006: Festival, Lady Washington / Hawaiian Cheiftain Tours, Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Price: Some events FREE, Aberdeen, Washington, For specific sites, contact owner, 800-200-5239, ghhsastephanie@techline.com, Final opportunity in 2006 to sail with tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain; includes FREE dockside tours

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

GHHSA Celebrates 20th Anniversary

2006-10-04T06:37:00.000-07:00

The Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority celebrates its 20th anniversary this week with three days of events, including the now traditional battle re-enactment sails of the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Cheiftain, shown at left. Other scheduled events feature a 20th Anniversary Ball, "mortgage burning," and dance on Friday, October 6; exhibits, a sea music performance by the Shifty Sailors, and a moonlight "battle cruise" on Saturday, October 7; and two battle re-enactment sails on Sunday, October 8. Free dockside tours of the GHHSA ships and facilities in Aberdeen, Washington are available all three days. For more information, call 800-200-5239. (Photo courtesy GHHSA)

Retired Lightship Sailors to Remember Lost Comrades

2006-10-03T06:54:00.000-07:00

Retired lightship sailors from around the country will meet this week in Seattle to reminisce and remember fallen comrades with a wreath laying ceremony. Members of the Lightship Sailors Association will gather at South Lake Union Park, home of Lightship No. 83, also known as Swiftsure, which is owned by Northwest Seaport. This National Historic Landmark and former U.S. Coast Guard vessel is one of the oldest lightships in the nation and still retains her original steam engine, riveted steel hull, and canvas-covered wooden decks. The vessel served at all five west coast stations, including Cape Flattery and the Columbia Bar, before it was retired in 1960. The annual reunion begins on Wednesday and runs through Saturday. A wreath laying ceremony is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Saturday at the Historic Ships Wharf at SLUP. The public is invited. For more information, contact Larry Ryan, 719-440-7280, or Wayne Palsson, 206-412-4736.

Toucan Pirates: Buried Treasure of the Toucan Pirates

2006-10-01T06:25:00.000-07:00

This week's MHN/Music featured album is Buried Treasure of the Toucan Pirates, by the Toucan Pirates, a tribe of Seattle lads who play traditional tunes from Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales and the Shetland Isles using concertina, button accordion, Irish bouzouki, tenor banjo, pennywhistle, and a West Indian steel drum for that original "Pirates of the Caribbean" flavor. Here's a sample of their song "Down by the Ocean Tide." Buy their CD at CD Baby. One dollar of the sale proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

MH Filmmaker Working on IWW Documentary

2006-09-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

I received a nice note from documentary filmmaker Maria Brooks, who produced "Shipping Out: The Story of America's Seafaring Women," which you might have seen on PBS stations in the last few months. The film focuses on contemporary women in maritime industry, including a ferry deck hand, a pilot, and a tugboat captain. For some historical context, Maria interviewed Port Townsend writer Barbara Sjoholm, who recently published a book on sea-going women titled "Pirate Queen: In Search of Grace O'Malley and Other Legendary Women of the Sea."

Maria, who's based in the Bay Area, says she's working on a new film on the Industrial Workers of the World, or IWW, also known as the Wobblies. These were trade unionists in the early part of the 20th century with a vision of "One Big Union." Maria's film will look at the Centralia Massacre and the treatment of political dissidents in Washington State during and after World War I. It's a fascinating story that should be told more often, and I'm looking forward to the film.

Council Panel Backs MOHAI Move to SLUP; More on Wawona Money

2006-09-28T08:52:00.000-07:00

The Seattle City Council's parks committee has approved a resolution supporting a move by the Museum of History & Industry to South Lake Union Park. The decision was made at a regular committee meeting yesterday, as reported this morning by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. The language in the proposed resolution, which now goes to the full city council, contains strong language in support of a maritime heritage theme at the park.

The story also includes comments about the $400,000 allocation in the city's 2007-2008 proposed budget for moving the schooner Wawona from SLUP to drydock. The allocation was first reported in my blog on Tuesday. (Thanks to a long-time volunteer who helped me find the section in the parks capital budget called "Wawona Disposition.")

Any thoughts about the MOHAI move or the Wawona money? Please register them via the comments link below.

MHN Calendar: Mason Lake Cruise, Norm Blanchard; Mistral Profile

2006-09-28T06:53:00.000-07:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Sept. 29 to Oct. 1, 2006.

9/30/2006: Cruise, Mason Lake Cruise, FiberGlassics Northwest, 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Price: Contact FGNW, Mason Lake, Washington, Sunny Slope Beach Club, 360-538-1750, marty@islandboatshop.com, FGNW boats meet on Mason Lake near Belfair, Washington.
CANCELLED: 9/30/2006: Cruise, Oktoberfest Beer & Bratwurst Cruise, Steamer Virginia V Foundation, 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM, Price: $50 members; $55 non-members, Virginia V, South Lake Union Park, 206-624-9119, info@virginiav.org, Cruise sponsored by Red Hook Brewery, including oompah band and fall colors
Sept. 30 - Oct. 1, 2006: Race, Norm Blanchard WOOD Regatta, Center for Wooden Boats, Price: FREE, Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle, 206-382-2628, betsy@cwb.org, Annual regatta honoring one of the Northwest's finest boat designers

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

The Seattle Times published an extensive article on the restoration of the wooden sailboat Mistral at the Center for Wooden Boats, chronicled in the blog From the Dock, which the MHN Blog links to. See our "Feeds" list in the right hand column of this page.

Mayor Proposes $400,000 to Move Wawona

2006-09-26T21:47:00.000-07:00

Mayor Greg Nickels has proposed spending $400,000 in 2007 to dry dock the schooner Wawona as part of a plan to move her from South Lake Union Park. The mayor's proposal, contained in his proposed 2007-2008 Parks Department capital budget, provides for the removal of the 1897 city landmark to dry dock, where the vessel could be stablized for later display. However, demolishing at least some of the vessel is still an option. "The project may include removing and preserving key features, and demolishing the remainder," the proposal says. "Key features that may be preserved include the aft section, the masts, and other specific pieces showing the construction and workmanship involved in the vessel's construction."

The Museum of History & Industry, which wants to move to South Lake Union Park, and Northwest Seaport, which owns Wawona, has been negotiating with the city on a plan to put Wawona on land for display. The city had threatened to demolish the ship if she weren't moved from SLUP by Sept. 30. The budget proposal suggests that the city has backed off from its threat, and is willing to work with MOHAI and NWS on a display plan that could be a centerpiece of the park. It's unclear exactly how the city came up with the amount, although some estimates have placed the cost of barging Wawona to another location at $400,000 to $500,000.

All Wawona supporters should contact the city council and ask them to support the budget proposal and even increase it, on condition that the ship be preserved whole, not in pieces.

What do you think? Is this good news? Or is there something more going on? Please comment via the link below.

Family Fun Days a Piratical Pleasure

2006-09-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Dozens of families enjoyed activities, music, and food at last weekend's Second Annual Seafaring Family Fun Days, which was sponsored by Seafaring Heritage in Partnership Seattle (SHIPS). This year's theme was pirates, and some of the younger scalawags took on their elders, as you can see by the accompanying photo. The mock battle took place at South Lake Union Park in Seattle. Do you have any stories to share or feedback? Post a comment via the link below.

Sanger & Didele: Live at the Tillesquat Bowl

2006-09-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

This week's featured CD on MHN/Music is Live at the Tillesquat Bowl, a roaring comedy album of twisted sea songs and other nonsense by the comedy duo Sanger & Didele, hailing from the raging main of the inland Northwest. Here's a sample of their song "We're Sinking." Buy their CD at CD Baby. A portion of the proceeds supports Maritime Heritage Network.

Dianne Dugaw Added to MHN/Music

2006-09-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

I've added sea music artist and professor Dianne Dugaw to MHN/Music. Dianne performs at colleges, festivals, and conferences throughout the US and Canada. She is a professor of literature and folklore at the University of Oregon. Her album "Dangerous Examples" is based on her research on women at sea and includes the traditional tunes "The Female Sailor Bold," "The Female Warrior," and "Polly and Jack." Here's a sample of "Doralee-My-Laddie." You can buy the CD from CD Baby. Your purchase also supports Maritime Heritage Network.

MHN Welcomes Coastal Heritage Alliance, Jill Johnson

2006-09-22T07:30:00.000-07:00

I'd like to welcome two new members to Maritime Heritage Network. First, the Coastal Heritage Alliance is a not-for-profit educational organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of commercial fishing family cultural heritage as it still exists in the persons, vessels, skills and stories of a rapidly vanishing industry once prevalent among and vital to the socio-economic life of communities along the shores of North America. The organization is Washington-based, but also operates in Maryland, and it is playing a strong, visible role in the vision for reshaping and enhancing maritime heritage activities in the Puget Sound region.

I'd also like to welcome Jill Johnson, a Washington State storyteller who specializes in Puget Sound maritime history, particularly the ferry service. She's best known for her "Little, But Oh My!" presentations about Berte Olson, the first female ferry captain on Puget Sound.

MHN Calendar: Coventry, Seafaring Family Fun Days; NOAA Ship Naming Contest

2006-09-21T07:07:00.000-07:00

Here's selected special events from the Maritime Heritage Network Calendar for Sept. 23-24, 2006.

9/23/2006: Concert, Conventry / Steve Lalor, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, 8:00 PM to 10:30 PM, Price: $10 General; $8 students, seniors, and maritime heritage organization members, Center for Wooden Boats, 1010 Valley St., Seattle, 206-447-9800, seaport@oz.net, Celtic music group Coventry and acoustic folk performer Steve Lalor in concert
Sept. 23-24, 2006: Festival, Seafaring Family Fun Days, Northwest Seaport Maritime Heritage Ctr, Price: FREE, South Lake Union Park, Seattle, 206-448-0707, seafaringheritageseattle@yahoo.com, Music, crafts, and other maritime history activities for families, sponsored by SHIPS (Seafaring Heritage in Partnership Seattle)

MHN is always looking for more events for listing in its Calendar page. If you know of a maritime-related event in the Pacific Northwest, please send details to info@maritimeheritage.net.

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration is sponsoring a naming contest for its newest vessel based on the West Coast. NOAA is a strong presence in Seattle, with its base at Lake Union. The contest is geared toward K-12 students. More information on the contest is available here.

Volunteers Needed for Several MH Projects

2006-09-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

Northwest Seaport is looking for volunteers on several important maritime history projects:

Arthur Foss: The month of September is very busy on the historic tugboat Arthur Foss. For example, the tug needs docents for Seafaring Family Fun Days, Sept. 23-24. Please contact Shannon Fitzgerald, 206-595-1807.
Twilight: The salmon troller Twilight needs about five volunteers that can help prepare the vessel for a joint program with the Center for Wooden Boats. The volunteers will activate the boat, move her to another dock, and put her to use in an educational program about local fishing history and culture. Contact Shannon Fitzgerald, 206-595-1807.
Swiftsure: The historic Lightship #83, a National Historic Landmark, is being readied for major restoration work funded with a federal grant. To help, call Shannon Fitzgerald, 206-595-1807.

Northwest Seaport also sponsors frequent work parties on Saturdays and/or Sundays at South Lake Union Park in Seattle. This is a great opportunity to learn about Pacific Northwest maritime history and volunteer in your community. For more information, call Wayne Palsson at 206-412-4736.

Hydroplane Racing Chronicled; Tacoma Maritime Fest

2006-09-19T08:47:00.000-07:00

Long before professional baseball, basketball, and football arrived in Seattle, sports fans embraced professional boat racing. Hydroplane racing burst onto the Emerald City scene in 1950, and throughout the decade, thousands of fans flocked to Lake Washington to watch classic races between Seattle’s Slo-mo-shun boats and a fleet of East Coast challengers. Those days are chronicled in "Hydroplane Racing in Seattle," authored by David Williams and published by the Hydroplane & Raceboat Museum. The book is available for purchase at the museum gift shop or online.

The Commencement Bay Maritime Fest last weekend in Tacoma was described in an article by the Tacoma News Tribune.