The Wooden Boat Festival 2009

Yesterday, we attended the Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend, which is an annual family event for us. It was extra special, since Gregg had been sick (food poisoning, we think) for two days last week, and he was finally feeling well enough to go out and do something FUN.

We met our friend Dave, two of his daughters, and friend Rick there, and walked around, admiring the craftsmanship of wooden boats. It was a perfect "Indian summer" day, typical of September in Western Washington.

We saw ships and smaller craft that have wonderful life-stories. Some are now used as teaching vessels, maintained by foundations or donations. Some can accomodate school groups, overnight.

You can see and feel history right in front of you, when you take time to learn about wooden boats. The craft is old, and the people who appreciate it are fascinating to me.

People who create and maintain wooden boats are not the same as people who buy fiberglas boats...they are a different breed. They are definitely "saltier," from what I have observed. I love that quality.

Festival-goers are allowed to go aboard the boats featured, with permission from the owners. It's always important to ask: "Permission to come aboard?" before taking off your shoes and climbing up. You can speak to the owners, read and learn about the history of each vessel. Many of the owners are proud of their boats, and are very happy to spend time telling you about their "lady" (boats are always referred to as if they were female). 

There were lots of adults and children dressed up as pirates for the festival; theatre shows were taking place in an open-air stage, sea shanties were sung by a live band in the open-air bar, food booths were full of a variety of delicacies, and there were demonstrations of "how to" do any number of things that would help you construct or care for your wooden boat. Children were able to design and build their own small, model wooden boats, with sails and rigging. A craft fair was held in town at the same time as the Festival.

The Wooden Boat Foundation and School have built two gorgeous new buildings. We toured them, and walked and walked and walked in the sun. We bought great-looking t-shirts.

We went on board one of David's dream-boats.

We admired the woodwork and style of many others.

We saw a young boy who had found a very nice place to relax.

The Wooden Boat Festival always reminds me of how simply we could live, as life on a boat involves ingenious use of space (and respectful and gorgeous craftsmanship in woodwork). It requires painstaking maintenance and loving appreciation of what has been made. It requires devotion to restoration and care, instead of disposability.

I can think of many wonderful things about sailors and their way of life. I'd like to live on a wooden boat someday, and sail it in the waters of Puget Sound - and some of Canada's portion of the Inside Passage. I'd like to fish, go wading, beachcombing, sleep on board and take photos. I'd learn to navigate, and would enjoy writing and reading, and relaxing with Gregg & David.

There is a lot of beauty in this world upon which to feast your eyes. The Wooden Boat Festival is a sure place to find some of it, and to get some salty air into your lungs, and your dreams.