All kinds of opportunities come our way, living out here on these islands. We and a bunch of other families from Orcas Island signed up to board and ride a tall ship off Whidbey Island the other day. The enthusiastic, kid-friendly, knowledgeable crew showed us skills, explained navigation tools, taught us history, and had the kids raise the sails on our three-hour jaunt out in Penn Cove off the Coupeville Wharf.
Coupeville Wharf at Penn Cove on Whidbey Island
Our Tall Ship, Hawaiian Chieftain
The chip log for measuring knots, or nautical miles per hour
We counted how many knots passed in 14 seconds, a unit specific to our ship
We tried it in the air rather than in the water
Their compass in a box
Recording how many knots per half hour, and which direction
Charting the course based on the Traverse Board
Hoisting the sails
Around 150 lines are on the ship
Pulling hard
The main compass
6 cannons on the ship
A tea brick – compressed tea for trade or sale
Mock selling between sailors, Natives, and Chinese
Land ahoy!
