The Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival

I practiced using my camera while exploring the docks at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival a few days ago. There were lots of beautiful wooden boats on display and many of them were open for inspection.

If you are one of my siblings let me ask.... are you feeling sentimental for the Pal-O-Mine right about now? Me too. (the Pal-O-Mine was our parent's wooden boat, wish I had a picture)

This is the Arthur Foss. Built in 1889, it is one of the oldest wooden hulled tugs in the USA. During the Alaskan gold rush the Arthur Foss transported miners and supplies up the inside passage. The Arthur Foss also starred in the movie "Tugboat Annie".

Marc aboard the Arthur Foss

This is the Swiftsure. It is the oldest surviving lightship in the country with it's original marine steam engine. A lightship was like a floating lighthouse with a light at the top of it's mast. Lightships anchored at specific locations at sea where they would remain for months at a time. Lightships helped ships enter harbors safely at night. The Swiftsure was launched in New Jersey in 1904 and steamed around the tip of South America to Blunts Reef, off Cape Mendocino California where it was first stationed. In 1916 the Swiftsure rescued 150 people when their ship ran aground in fog. The Swiftsure later served as the lightship at the entrance to San Francisco bay, and eventually in Washington state as a relief ship at Umatilla reef, Columbia river, and the mouth of San Juan de Fuca.

A cute little tug boat squeezed in between the big boys.

Some other random pictures:

Brightly colored little wooden sail boats without their masts or rudders. My sisters and I sailed little boats like this on Green Lake back when we were teenagers.

I was imagining this tied up to a dock at a lake house. Wouldn't it make a nice summer guest cottage? I think it should be painted white with navy trim, and it needs a pot or two of red geraniums on it's little aft deck.

The facade of the Armory, which is the old Naval reserve building right on the waterfront. You can rent it now for parties and wedding receptions. I love the gold stars.

As were were leaving the show, along came this Haida dugout canoe that was carved from one cedar log. It was pretty amazing; although personally, I felt that the pieces of carpet flopped on the canoe ends were not a good look. Just saying.

This is Saaduuts, a local celebrity of sorts at the wooden boat center. Saaduuts is a Haida carver and he made the canoe. He was just paddling around checking out the other wooden boats.

Well, there you have it. A fun day.

And I am happy to say that I am starting to get a little bit comfortable with my camera. Finally.