Whatever you call these ships, topping them would be a tall order

When chatting with Harold Huyke, don't call them tall ships. Call them schooners, brigs or barques. Call them boats -- he's fine with that. Don't know your elbow from your aft from a hole in the ground and he won't cut you off.

GALLERY

See more images of the ships' arrival

But begin a question with, "What is it about tall ships tha..." and you'll never finish.

"It's meaningless!" barks the local maritime historian when chatting about this weekend's Seattle Tall Ships Festival. "It's a virus that must be eliminated from the language. Lord knows what it means except anything that's got a rag of canvas on it."

This isn't to say that the 78-year-old isn't enthusiastic about the festival and yesterday's parade into Lake Union of 17 multimasted sailing ships ranging in length from 44 to 260 feet. He loves these replica and restored crafts. He knows them better than most.

In fact, that's why the term rankles. Stolen from a poem by early 20th-century poet John Masefield -- "And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by" -- the term has become an accepted general reference to most large, multimasted sailing ships. Accepted except to Huycke (pronounced "hike) and other "geezers" as he calls his salty contemporaries.

They wouldn't use a sheet bend when a bowline knot is better. And they'll not call Seattle's three-masted square rig schooner "Wawona," a tall ship. Not on a bet. "We won't give up," he said.

Even so, on a glorious, hot August afternoon that for a few hours allowed Alki Beach to pretend its name was Huntington, the most strident semantic arguments withered in 83-degrees and unbroken blue sky. For the hundreds that gathered on the Puget Sound shore, at the Ballard Locks and at the south end of Lake Union, the unprecedented parade of sailing ships was The Thing, no matter what they should be called.

"They're beautiful," said Jim Granger of Bellevue, standing at the Lake Union armory that houses the Maritime Heritage Foundation, hosts of the event. "I love these boats."

Visiting from Fredericksburg, Va., Bill Pullen agreed. He loved ships as a boy seven decades ago. "Oh I enjoy this," he said as the first of the ships began to arrive at Lake Union at 4 p.m.

This is just what Robert Sittig, executive director of the heritage foundation, wanted to hear. The project to bring the ships to Seattle has been two years in the making.

Spurred by a tall ships festival on the East Coast, he worked with organizers in Newport, R.I., to get the ships to the Pacific Northwest for their first West Coast visit.

After an initial stop in British Columbia near Vancouver, where an estimated 400,000 people turned out over three days, he got his wish.

"I could not have asked for better weather," he said in his office as staff bustled in and out and the phone rang incessantly. "I think we'll get a huge turnout."

The three-day event at the end of Lake Union includes free dockside views of the ships, various festivities and $10 on-board "passport" tours to all of the ships.

The boats, such as the 1911-built, 185-foot barque Europa, come from six countries. In all, 20 ships are expected to be available for touring today, tomorrow and Sunday although a couple, such as the 97-foot Ukrainian schooner Bat'Kivshchyna, were delayed at sea. The Copper Sky, a California-based 88-foot staysail schooner, dropped out entirely.

"We expect everyone else will be here by Saturday night," Sittig said.

One boat already has pulled double-duty. The Nina, a replica of one of three ships Columbus used to sail to the Caribbean, also served yesterday as an anti-colonial lightning rod for Native American groups and others protesting the European settlement of the New World and the subsequent native population genocide 500 years ago.

As the ships sailed under the Fremont Bridge, one group unfurled a banner that read: "Now that you've seen the new world, go home."

Offended by what the Nina represents, but not responsible for the sign, Lakota tribe member Matt Remle laughed when he saw it.

"For us the celebration of the Nina is a little disgusting," he said, turning serious again.

"No one thinks it would be appropriate if people dressed like Nazis and marched down Broadway.

"But that is what it feels like to us."

Remle and other Native Americans planned a counter celebration and protest at Cascade Park last night.

He said to celebrate the Nina and Columbus is to deny "our" country's dark past. "This is about denial," he said about the festival. "It's as simple as that."

Sittig wasn't ruffled by the comments. He said it isn't a denial of the past. But it is way in the past, he added.

"There's been a lot of water under the bridge since then," he said. "It was more than 500 years ago. (The protesters) sentiment is appropriate -- but expired."

Remle, 23, said it will be a peaceful protest. "We're not going to be breaking windows at Starbucks or anything like that," he said. We just want to educate people."

That, too, is what Settig wants to do to Seattle, he and Huycke said, has a rich maritime history. Long before roads and rails came to the area, ships had long been the way to travel the Sound.

"This history is rich," Huycke said. "Here's a great chance for people to learn something about it." Just don't order a tall one on his watch.

WHERE TO SEE THEM

Saturday-Sunday:

Tall ships tours: Walk aboard and tour the vessels. Expect long lines. Wear flat, soft-soled shoes. A "passport" is required; $10 plus $3.20 shipping and handling if bought online or over the phone, $12 if bought on site during the visit (www.tallshipsseattle.org; 206-447-2622, 888-281-2411).
Gunbattles: Stand on the deck for head-to-head battle re-enactments, complete with cannon blasts during attack maneuvers by the sailing vessels Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain. Tickets are limited ($55; 800-200-5239; www.ladywashington.org).
Music and more: Salty sea songs, storytelling, boat building for children, and an adult Garden of Grog. Stage performances 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Monday departure:

Vessels depart throughout the day. Parking at south Lake Union is limited; a free shuttle bus will connect with the Fifth Avenue and Mercer Street parking lot at the Seattle Center.

P-I reporter Mike Lewis can be reached at 206-448-8140 or mikelewis@seattlepi.com

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