Hawaiian Chieftain makes surprise stop

Old-fashioned wooden ship offering tours today

Humboldt Sentinel staff
10/14/09

Eureka

The tall ship Hawaiian Chieftain, which is in transit from Westport, Wash. to Oakland, made an unscheduled stop Tuesday in Eureka to avoid a Pacific weather system expected to arrive on the North Coast.

The ship tied up safely at Adorni Center on the Eureka waterfront, and it will open to the public for walk-on tours Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. A $3 donation per person is requested.

The Hawaiian Chieftain is a frequent visitor to the North Coast, where it offers educational programs to local K-12 classrooms and home school groups. The ship is scheduled to return to the region March 6-16, 2010, which will include stops in Eureka and Crescent City.

Educators and home-school groups interested in a program should contact Reasa Shuck, programs manager, rshuck@historicalseaport.org, (360) 589-2299. The ship will also offer three-hour public sails. For information, call (800) 200-5239, or visit www.historicalseaport.org.

The ship is expected to depart for Oakland Wednesday night or Thursday morning. The Oakland visit is the first during a six-month tour of California ports, themed "California 2009-2010: Hands-on History for Youth."

The tour emphasizes the Hawaiian Chieftain’s mission of delivering valuable educational experiences for young people, many of whom go on to careers in the maritime trades, the Navy, and the Coast Guard.