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WSF Ferry Sealth rescues 27 people |
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By Arthur Shotwell
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June 23, 2008 |
The WSF ferry Sealth diverted from an inter-island run late this morning and rescued 27 people from an historic
sailboat that ran aground near Orcas Island.
The
133-foot schooner Adventuress ran aground while it was en route to
Victoria, BC to participate in a Tall Ships Festival July 3-7.
The sailboat ran aground in Wash Passage between Orcas Island and Shaw Island late this morning. The boat had 15 passengers and a crew of 12 when it ran aground. It is expected the crew will attempt to refloat her when the tide comes in. High tide is around 10 pm at that location.
There were no injuries reported in the rescue and the boat was reportedly not taking on water.
According to the company's Web site, the wooden sailboat was built as a pleasure yacht in 1913 but was quickly transformed into a working boat, serving as the pilot boat for San Francisco Bay for 35 years. The Coast Guard used the boat to patrol off San Francisco during World War II.
In recent years, the boat was brought to Seattle by new owners and was purchased by the nonprofit Sound Experience for educational and other trips in the Northwest.
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