Climb aboard a piece of living maritime history this weekend, when Washington State’s Hawaiian Chieftain sails into port at Steveston.
Free walk-on tours will be available June 29 to July 1 as part of the Ship-to-Shore event, at Imperial Landing.
The ship will also take passengers on three-hour public sails daily.
The Hawaiian Chieftain is a full-size, steel-hulled topsail ketch built to look like a typical 19th century merchant ship.
Launched in 1988 at Lahaina, Hawaii, she is a companion to the Lady Washington, a wooden replica of the first ship to carry a U.S. flag to the West Coast.
Based in Aberdeen, Wash., the vessel has an overall length of 31.4 metres (103 feet) and has a mast height of 22.9 metres (75 feet).
Both are manned by volunteer and paid crew members who don authentic naval garb, demonstrate the intricacies and acrobatics involved in tall ship handling, use authentic terminology and regale passengers with traditional sea shanties and lore.
The Lady Washington is currently undergoing a hull restoration project, and is not on tour.
The vessels are owned and operated by the not-for-profit Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority.
For sail tickets and information, call 604-276-4300 or visit www.richmond.ca/shiptoshore.
From Richmond, the Hawaiian Chieftain will sail to Blaine, WA, on July 2.
