CORRECTION: Tall Ships Setting Sail For Kirkland

Editor's Note, Aug. 28 -- Free tickets to two previously announced public sailings on Aug. 30 have already been distributed and are no longer available, according to the city of Kirkland. Tickets for the mock battle cruises Sept. 1-2 are available through the website listed in the story. The dates for those cruises have been corrected in the original story below.

ORIGINAL STORY: 

Two tall ships are making their way to Kirkland’s shores for Labor Day Weekend, and you have the chance to jump aboard.

On behalf of the city of Kirkland, and the Seaport Authority organization, the ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will visit and from Aug. 27 to Sept. 4.

Visitors can tour Lady Washington, the official ship of the State of Washington, for free on Aug. 30 at the marina from noon to 6 p.m. The tours will be on a first come, first served basis.

Also on Aug. 30, the first 45 visitors will be given the chance to participate in a free three-hour educational sail from 9 a.m. to noon. Visitors will learn about navigation, the ship and life at sea. A second free sail from 6 to 8 p.m., also limited to 45 people, will involve operating the vessel. Visitors will participate in activities such as raising the sails and taking the helm.

Both ships will be anchored at the Woodmark Hotel on Carillon Point during the remainder of their visit.

On Sept. 1-2, (Editor's note: these dates have been corrected from the original published version) people will have the opportunity to participate in a mock battle cruise. Two cruises will be held each day on both ships from 2 to 4 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. Tickets are available here.

"The crews on these ships are very knowledgeable," said Jenny Metz, marketing manager at Woodmark Hotel. The cruises will be "slightly educational, with lots of entertainment," she said.

Each cruise is about two hours long, and lunch will be provided. Beer and wine will be served on the 5 p.m. cruises, and that tour is limited to adults only.
Tickets cost $25 per child and $36.50 for adults.

"These ships hold about only 40 passengers per ship, I'm anticipating that they'll sell out before September," said Metz. 

For visitors who can't make it to the free tour on Aug. 30 or don't buy tickets in time for the cruises, Metz suggests stopping by to check out the ships in the mornings, because "the ships are going to be chartered out in the afternoons," she said. 

More information can be found www.historicalseaport.org.