The final opportunity to volunteer for this summer’s Tall Ships Tacoma festival is tomorrow.

Organizers say about 1,500 people have signed up to work the July 3-7 event, but 500 more are still needed. Available jobs range from assisting in security to working directly with the ships’ crews.

The final recruitment fair begins at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the Washington State History Museum at 1911 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma. Volunteers can also sign up at tallshipstacoma.com.

Volunteers must be at least 16 and commit to a minimum of two, five-hour shifts during the festival.

Ron Coon at the Port of Tacoma points users to a video of the 2005 Tall Ships Parade of Sail available on the Port's Web site. It was produced by TV Tacoma. I hope the weather is as nice this time around?

One of our readers saw the story about Tall Ships Tacoma and has some pretty interesting memories of the Eagle.

Here's her letter:

I was born and lived in New London, Conn., where the ship’s home is, at the Coast Guard Academy. I lived close enough to walk there, almost every day, and went to a private girls school, across the street on the campus of Connecticut College.

My dad was stationed at the Academy and was a member of the Coast Guard Band, and I spent a lot of my time there. He retired in 1958 after 24 years of service in the United States Coast Guard. We moved away, but the ship was, and still is, flowing through the blood in my veins like it flows across the oceans of the world, showing its beauty for all to see.

As a kid I was all over that ship, climbing the masts, and in the galley, and everybody knew me, and my younger brothers and sisters, at the Academy and on the ship. I will never forget my life there, and never forget that ship as long as I live.

It is especially meaningful to me because my father was the person who went to Germany with the United States Officials to do the translating between the United States officials and the German officials when the ship was handed over to our country on May 15, 1946. He also helped sail the ship back from Germany and was the translator between the German and American sailors.

He said he made a lot of friends on that trip – as he always did everywhere. He said they had to go through a hurricane crossing the Atlantic Ocean.

People in Miami are always stunned to hear a blond hair, blue eyed German/American speak Spanish better than a native. My dad was born in New York, but his mother died right after he was born and he was raised by his German grandparents. He learned German as a child, and was fluent in both English and German and then went on to study more languages and become the manager of the Linguistics Library at The University of California in La Jolla.

He currently is 92 years old, as of March 18, and retired in an Alzheimer’s facility called "The Palace" in Kendall, Fla., close to Coral Gables. I saw him on his birthday, and he recognized me right away even though I hadn't seen him since his last birthday. I live in Nashville, Tenn., and it's difficult to get away as much as I'd like to. Connecticut is too cold for me, and Florida is too hot.

I visited Mobile, Ala., when the Eagle was there, and when the Eagle was in Miami several years ago, my dad was able to go and he was given special treatment when they found out who he was. I wish I could've been there, but with high blood pressure, summer in Florida is not a very good place for me.

Tacoma is just right. And I'm making arrangements to come to Tacoma this July. I love that area of Washington, and with all the ships being there that will make it even more special. I've been there 2 times already, and love riding the ferries. I've been almost everywhere, but will enjoy seeing it all again.

The pride of the state's tall ships fleet, the Aberdeen based Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain, are running into a little trouble on their tour of California ports.

According to a story in the Triplicate newspaper, the ships are due in Crescent City this week for the Tall Masted Ships Celebration, but the Lady has been held up in the Bay Area by weather and just got under way Sunday. The Chieftain has been in Sausalito undergoing mechanical repairs. Both ships missed their scheduled appearance in Eureka.

The Crescent City organizers are still confident that both ships will make it time for most of the festival.

To check on the progress of the ships, see the Web site for the Grays Harbor Historic Seaport.

How does this sound: Sail from Victoria into Tacoma for our Tall Ships festival? The Ocean Voyages Institute recently published its summer tour schedule for the Kaisei, one of the larger vessels that will be coming to Tacoma.

Here's a description:

Join S/V Kaisei and enjoy the last day of the Victoria Tall Ships festival before setting sail with the fleet on June 29 for Tacoma, Washington. This area is known for pristine blue waters and excellent sailing conditions, combined with beautiful islands and coastal landscapes.

The vessel arrives in Tacoma by July 3, for her appearance in the Tacoma Tall Ships Festival. You will be onboard to take part in the Tacoma Tall Ships Parade of Sail on July 3. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for any tall ships fan!

Throughout the voyage, participants have the opportunity to be moderately to actively involved in the sailing of this 151’ Brigantine. Each person can be involved according to their ability.

$1295.00 per person

If I didn't have to work that week (some kind of big festival gearing up in Tacoma), I'd be there.

And if that doesn't work for your schedule, you could book a trip to sail out of Tacoma and back up to Port Alberni, B.C., for the next stop on the tour. That one is only $895.

Crews from the Lady Washington and the Hawaiian Chieftain learn how to make sails for tall ships.

JB

This from business reporter C.R. Roberts:

If you’re looking to sell fried clams (or hot dogs, cotton candy, pottery, beaded necklaces or any other type of food, arts or crafts) along the waterfront at the 2008 Tall Ships Festival – you’re too late.

I spoke with Clare Petrich, co-chairwoman of the event, at a Tacoma Chamber luncheon today, and she tells me that all booth space has been spoken for.

However, there’s still room if you’d like to climb aboard and join in as an event sponsor. As of today, at various levels, current sponsors include State Farm, City of Tacoma, TOTE, Port of Tacoma, Emerald Queen Casino, Evergreen Shipping Line, Columbia Bank, City of Fife and Foss Waterway Seaport.

Sponsorships begin at $5,000.

Also, Petrich said, there are openings for after-hours event sponsors, which would give access to a ship in the late evening to host a corporate gathering or private celebration.

As for volunteers, Petrich reported that “the biggest push right now” is for volunteers who would work in areas including administration, visitor assistance, information and transportation.

Among the 32 ships scheduled for Tall Ships 2008, Petrich told the chamber members they could expect to see a pair of interesting replicas: the Bounty, from movie fame, and the Nina, which sailed a journey of discovery in 1492.

She also offered the latest Tall Ships Tacoma video:

Fie on the French.

They’re hogging all the tallest ships.

I met with the organizers behind Tacoma Waterfront Association this afternoon, and learned why C.G. Cutter Eagle will likely be the only large Class A ship at Tall Ships Tacoma, July 3-7.

Turns out, France is hosting a Tall Ships extravaganza that’s drawing the biggest barques and schooners to L’Armada Rouen, 2008.

One of our Tall Ships 2005 favorites, the Mexican naval training Cuauhtemoc, chose France over the 2005 Tall Ships Challenge Port of the year. If you’d like to find out who else will be joining her, log onto the Rouen festival’s Web site.
That we will have Eagle is a typical Tacoma miracle.

Stan Selden, one of the 2005 Tall Ships organizers, said the West Coast Tall Ships Challenge had zero chance at America’s Tall Ship. The word was that Eagle would likely revisit Rouen, where it had been a huge hit in 2005
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Telling Tacoma’s Tall Ships crew that something’s impossible is the best way to make it not only possible, but spectacular. For historical context, see the 2005 Tall Ships Festival.

“We were challenged when we were told we could not do it,” Selden said of snaring Eagle, which is based in New London, Conn. “We organized a letter-writing campaign.”

If they did not ask you to write to Coast Guard brass requesting the presence of a 295-foot full-rigged ship in Commencement Bay July 3-7, it’s only because they didn’t have your cell phone number. The Coast Guard gave in, committing Eagle to star in festivals from Victoria to San Diego.

What the remaining two Class A ships lack in size, they will make up in style. HMS Bounty was built in 1960 for the movie “Mutiny on the Bounty.” That’s the Marlon Brando version. The brigantine Kaisei, launched in 1990, has sailed the world on international peace missions.

While they’ll be the biggest stars at this year’s festival, the smallest will be the fleet of four Duffy electric boats on loan from Mike Jameson of Admiralty Yacht Sales.

Jameson is introducing the eco-friendly boats to the market. He hopes they’ll be the friendliest crowd-movers on the Foss during the festival, and that they’ll be fixtures on a lively Foss for years to come. To take a peek at the shamelessly cute watercraft, click here.