Benefit to Save the Wawona-May 7th

[Trapper]

Benefit Concert on May 7th for Seattle’s Endangered Tall Ship, Wawona

Come enjoy an evening of Rock & Roll with legendary group The Daily Flash, Seattle's first alternative rock band, and help save Wawona, Seattle's endangered tall ship at the same time! Comedy folk duo Sanger & Didele will open the show, and there will be a raffle as well. All money raised will go to provide materials to continue the restoration of 1897 schooner Wawona. Seattle's Tall Ship is under threat of eviction by the Seattle Parks Department, and needs community support. Donations requested. May 7th, 9 p.m. to midnight, at the Highliner Pub & Grill, 3909 18th Ave W., Seattle (Fisherman’s Terminal) 206-283-2233.

Event organizers hope to raise at least $1000 for immediate repairs and safety improvements. Benefit concerts last year raised about $2000, which provided enough paint, lumber and other supplies to keep Wawona’s volunteers working for the past year.

The historic schooner Wawona, Washington State’s largest tall ship, recently received a letter from the Seattle Parks Department stating she must be gone by November from her long-time home at South Lake Union. Her future is uncertain, but she is in need of community support and funds for restoration, as well as a site where her restoration can take place.

Wawona has long been berthed at South Lake Union, providing the public with school tours, maritime music concerts, and the unmatched experience of standing aboard a large wooden sailing ship. Negotiations about the ‘eviction letter’ and a possible new home for Wawona are still underway between her owner, the non-profit organization Northwest Seaport, and the Parks Department.

“There are funding sources for the major restoration Wawona needs, but to raise that kind of money takes time, community support, and a place to work on her,” says benefit organizer Trapper Graves.

Graves points to Wawona’s sister ship, the C.A. Thayer, as an example of what Seattle could achieve with the Wawona. The Thayer is currently in a hanger undergoing a complete restoration, and will return to San Francisco’s waterfront as a floating museum.

“Out of the hundreds of large commercial wooden sailing ships built on the West Coast, only these two are left,’ says Steve Lalor, a noted Northwest musician who will be donating his time to perform at the benefit. “San Francisco made space to restore the Thayer, and Seattle should do the same for Wawona.”

“She's over 100 years old, and you can't buy the look in a child's eye when he or she dreams of sailing Wawona into the wind,” says local musician Trapper Graves, the organizer of the event.

Questions about Wawona can be directed to Alice Winship, walice1@qwest.net

[lorien_stormfeather]

Sorry to have missed this Trapper. Please keep us informed of your efforts and how Northwest pirates may help restore the ship and find her a home..

[Trapper]

We raised over $500 on raffle ticket sales alone, with 2 sides of smoked salmon, a "Master & Commander" night at the movies package, dinner certificates, a wonderful gift certificate donated by Lark in the Morning...just some wonderful things.

The current project is a CD we're putting out. All materials, production costs and songs have been donated, so 100% of the monies raised will be going to the Wawona. Artists on the CD are:

William Pint & Felicia Dale,

Broadside

Shifty Sailors

Toucan Pirates

Coventry

Dan Roberts

The Cutters

Spinnaker

Chris Roe

J.W. Sparrow

Victory Sings at Sea

Dan Maher

Steve Lalor

Tom Lewis

These people have all generously donated a song (or two) to the project. I'm hoping to have it available for purchase by Folklife.

I'll keep ye posted on the Wawona. I did ask the Seafair Pirates to come to the benefit, or perhaps to adopt the Wawona as a cause (what's a pirate without a ship), but they wrote back that they were too busy. I'm open to suggestions, other piratical groups that'd like to help, pretty much anything we can do to keep media attention on her and get her the help she needs.

Fair winds,

Trapper

[hurricane]

And what could the Seafair Pirates possibly be so busy doing? They're a shadow of what they used to be and their schedule is half as full. I hear Weaver Dial rolling over in his grave. Didn't they used to be a community service group? Sigh!

Good luck on your efforts, lass! She's a fine ship and deserves better than what Seattle has in store for her.

-- Hurricane

[Diego Santana de la Vega]

Whens yer Birthin day thar Hurricane? And how old ye be? Somestimes ye jes pulls info out only the mountains remembres???

Pirates of Europe

Looking for crews

look at me new so cal pyrates place ta post

[lorien_stormfeather]

Dear Trapper:

Although we have not formally met, I scurry around the deck on this here ship when I can.

I believe too that we know one Mary Benson and a jolly band named Spinnaker in common here in Portlandia.

I am the Raid Coordinator (and Professional Pirate Herder) of the Brotherhood of Oceanic Mercenaries (BOOM). www.BOOMpirates.com. Perhaps we've met at Gig Harbor Faire?

Our band ranges from Portlandia to Sea Towne. Let me know what events ye be plottin' in support of yar ship and I'll put it to the crew.

I sent ye a PM with me contact info.

[Trapper]

Thanks much, Lorien! And for your wishes as well, Hurricane! We're doing the best we can to try to save her despite the Parks Department thwarting us at every opportunity.

I know Mary very well. I sing with her when we resurrect Broadside, which by the way, we'll be doing at Tacoma Tallships. We're playing Sunday 2:30 to 4:30.

We want to have an all ages event, with music, an auction, demos, etc., in Wawona's yard. I'll keep ye all posted. It would be nice t' have some pirate involvement.

It was frustrating to contact the Seafair Pirates, only to have them be too busy to help. You'd think it would be in their best interests to help the old girl out. Now see, Hurricane, this is the problem with your group being way to hell and gone. The more the merrier, sez I.

Fair winds,

Trapper

[hurricane]

Ahoy, Diego...

I be older than most, younger than some. Been pirating for 22 years... mostly in the Northwest and now in Florida. Know a lot of pirate history, that in the Northwest and all the contacts we've had since. Was a member of the Seafair gang for 8 years during part of the golden age of that organization, founded the Northwest Pirates of the Coast in the only mutiny ever to have been succesfully carried out against the Seafair gang, went on from there to found the group I currently have, The Pyrates of the Coast, a group out of Central Florida. Have known Trapper for oh so long and have regarded her highly, still love Seattle, but love Florida far better because of weather, people and water. The Pyrates have allowed me to be their captain for the last 10 years, and I have been grateful for their support. And so the story continues, eh?

-- Hurricane

[lorien_stormfeather]

Keep us posted Trapper. As of yet BOOM has no professional comittment during Tall Ships Tacoma, but many of our crew live in Tacoma and some of us from Portlandia were just going up fer fun.

Let us know what you have in mind soon, so I can get the crew to add it to their schedules. We will be part of the Pirate Village at Pirates in Port Angeles

June 17-19th and our Splinter will be firing the Faire's opening and closing cannon shots. In fact, I gave Mary the faire entertainment coordinator contact info for you just week before last. Hope ye get a berth there-- perhaps we can meet up there?

I have your Broadside CD and enjoy it immensely!

Splice the Mainbrace- Stormfeather

[lorien_stormfeather]

Hey Hurricane:

So ye deserted us Northwestern pirates fer sun, warm waters and such have ye now?!!

Well if'n ye ever find yerself in Portlandia be sure to give us an Ahoy.

Some of our number will be joining you fer Pirates in Paradise next year, so ye probably can't escape us altogether.

!

[hurricane]

I did, lass... the palms and sun have always called me... so when the opportunity arose, I seized it.

Born and raised in the Seattle area, but I don't miss it too much. Do miss the mountains though. It was easy to know West from East (if you knew yer Olympics from Cascades). Here, I can't tell which way is which and I-4 which is an east-west route runs north through much of the Orlando area. Go figure. Luckily, few others around here know their north from souths either - better at the east and west thing since the sun is accommodating enough to rise and set that way. And we do get to see it a lot more than I ever did in the Northwest.

I have plenty of former crewe members up your way who may be interested in pirooting with you now and then. The BOOM folks are great...

-- Hurricane

[Trapper]

The one thing at the moment that I CAN tell ye is that we have a sea chantey sing on the second Friday of every month, 8pm to 10ish, at the Wawona. June's song leader will be none other than the great Mary Benson. Pirates be always welcome.

And don't forget the Sea Concert at the NW Folklife Festival, May 28th, from 2-5pm. William Pint & Felicia Dale, Bold Horizons, John Bartlett & Rika Ruebsaat, Pyrettes and more will be performing. Once again, pirates are always welcome to come and party.

The more pirates that show up at Wawona events, the better.

Fair winds,

Trapper

[lorien_stormfeather]

Trapper: I'll alert the Seattle crew to yar sing-songs and hope that ye can get something arranged in Tacoma. Harmon Brewery (across form Union Station by the University) may be one possible venue.

Heather Alexander held a benefit fer the Washington Fantasy Faire/Gig Harbor that I attended there recently.

Hurricane: send any of yar old crewmates or random lone pirates to our Raid Calendar site (Pirate Raids within one day's sail of Portlandia) and tell them they be welcome to be joining us!

PDX Pirate Calendar

[Trapper]

Thank ye, lass! We'll be sure t' give 'em a warm welcome, should they show up t' sing chanteys! We also have work parties on the Wawona every Saturday, 10am to 4pm, should anyone be so inclined.

Harmon Brewery is a great place! That's not a bad idea. I'll keep that in mind.

Thanks again

Fair winds,

Trapper