The crew of the HMCA Oriole has a different mission during Tall Ships Tacoma 2008.

“We’re part of the Canadian Navy,” Master Seaman Don Read explained, “so we’re here for public relations. We don’t do the sailings because we’re funded by the government. So we can spend as much time as possible with people who want to board.”

The 102-foot marconi-rigged ketch played host to thousands of visitors and a host of events, Read said. About 1,850 people boarded the ship on Sunday, and about 1,500 toured it Saturday.

And the response from the community has been overwhelming, Read said.

“We were told from Day 1 that the city wants to make this the best shop on the Tall Ships circuit,” he said, “and we’ve had so much support here from volunteers taking our laundry in the morning and returning it in the evening. Anything we needed we had in an hour. Transportation was provided; they went everywhere and anywhere we wanted to go.”