Boats Boats Boats

Port Townsend was our destination again this past weekend. It was the annual Wooden Boat Festival hosted by the Wooden Boat Foundation. Nana and Grampy were in attendance as well. The docks and surrounding streets were packed with boats, boaters, wanna-be-boaters, admirers of boats. Very busy and very warm. It may not have been the best place to go with a new kindergartener who was very tired but we could not resist and he was a good sport. The craftsmanship that goes into many of these boats is incredibly inspiring. I wonder how many onlookers decide to change their life's course after viewing these exquisite and functional works of art. There are a few boat building schools around the country so its entirely possible that someone could drop what they are doing and learn the craft.

The kids favorite part was the kid boat building loft. Its incredible. Someone had pre-cut hundreds of toy wooden boat hulls. The kids then get to drill a hole or holes for the mast, cut sails from multicolored nylon, hammer nails in and wrap with string.

This was one of my favorite boats - the Sophia Isle. Built by Covey Boat Works in 1997. After looking at the website I know we are very far out of our league (its OK to dream right?) I don't know what kind of boat you call it (besides very expensive) but it was 50 some feet, two masts and lots of cabin room forward and aft of the enclosed cabin. Maybe a sailing cruiser. Anyway I could imagine spending a significant amount of time on this boat cruising in the Inside Passage with kids. Which is what I'd like to do someday as Wylie Blanchet did with her four kids in the book Curve of Time. As long as we are dreaming right?

A short respite from the adult centered activity....they are eating ice cream sandwiches.