Lady Washington to visit Whidbey

The state's signature ship, the brig Lady Washington, will visit Coupeville later this month and participate in a mock battle with the topsail ketch Hawaiian Chieftain, complete with booming cannons and close-quarters maneuvers.

The state’s signature ship, the brig Lady Washington, will visit Coupeville later this month and participate in a mock battle with the topsail ketch Hawaiian Chieftain, complete with booming cannons and close-quarters maneuvers.

The ships will be open for dockside tours and public sailings to give visitors a taste of life on the sea in the 18th century.

The vessels will be docked on Penn Cove at the pier near Front and Alexander streets.

Crews dressed in period costumes will welcome visitors for walk-on tours from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 17. A $3 donation per person for dockside tours is appreciated.

At 2 p.m., the ships will take passengers on a three-hour “battle sail.” And at 6 p.m., the ships will again depart with passengers for a three-hour “sunset sail” that will feature demonstrations of tall ship handling, sea shanty singing, and maritime stories.

Tickets for the battle sail are $60 for adults, $50 for seniors, students, and active military, and $45 for children under 12.

Tickets for sunset sails are $55 for adults, $45 for seniors, students, and active military, and $35 for children under 12.

Reservations are recommended; call 1-800-200-5239 or visit www.historicalseaport.org for details.

The ships will depart Coupeville for Everett at 9 a.m. Monday, Aug. 18.

Both vessels recently participated in the Tall Ships Challenge events in Tacoma, Victoria, B.C., and Port Alberni, B.C. The next stop for the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain is Seattle’s Shilshole Bay on Aug. 22.