Lady Washington

The original "Lady Washington" was a 90-ton merchant sloop. She sailed around Cape Horn and participated in the fur and pelt trade with the coastal Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest and in tea and porcelain across the Pacific in China.

Named in honor of Martha Washington, she was captained originally by Robert Gray, and later by John Kendrick, former captain of her larger sailing partner, the "Columbia Rediviva" (Kendrick insisted he and Gray switch vessels mid-journey). Under the command of Kendrick, she was refitted as a brig (she was formerly a sloop).

She became the first American vessel to reach the island of Japan in an unsuccessful attempt to move some unsold pelts. The Lady remained in the Pacific trade and eventually foundered in the Philippines in 1798.

A ship replica of the "Lady Washington" was built in Aberdeen, Washington, USA in time for the 1989 Washington State Centennial celebrations. Aberdeen is located on Grays Harbor, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean named for Robert Gray, the man who discovered the harbor as Master of the "Columbia".

Named "Washington State's Tall Ship Ambassador", as well as the State Ship, [ [http://www.leg.wa.gov/Legislature/StateSymbols/ State Symbols ] ] the new "Lady Washington" has already made plenty of her own history. Operated by a professional and volunteer crew under the auspices of the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, she sails up and down the Pacific coast reaching out to sailors and lubbers of all ages through the romance of the sea in the hope they take a little of her history back with them.

Recently, she has appeared in various films, portraying the brig " [http://memory-alpha.org/en/wiki/Enterprise_%28brig%29 Enterprise] " in "Star Trek Generations" and the "HMS Interceptor" in the film "". She also provided the basis for the "RLS Legacy" in the Disney animated feature "Treasure Planet".

Today she sails regularly in pair with the "Hawaiian Chieftain", educating students in the history of merchant trading, life of common sailors, and responsibilities of the ship's officers.

ee also

*Nautical terms
*Rigging
*Tall ship
*List of U.S. state ships

References

External links

* [http://ladywashington.net/ History of the Lady Washington]
* [http://www.historicalseaport.org/ Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority] , Lady Washington's operating organization
* [http://sailtraining.org/ The American Sail Training Association]
* [http://www.maritimeheritage.net Maritime Heritage Network] , an online directory of maritime history resources in the Pacific Northwest.
* [http://alh.net/lw/ The Lady Washington Incident] , a sea story.