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Fast break: Wooden Boat Festival

ELIZABETH T. BECKER The Wooden Boat Foundation offers free rides in longboats, replicas of the vessels used by Capt. George Vancouver's crew, at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival.

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September is a delightful time of year for a day trip to Port Townsend. This Friday, Saturday and Sunday, the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival celebrates maritime creativity, invention, innovation and history with a variety of boats on display, family boat-building projects, sailing races, entertainment and educational exhibits.

The Wooden Boat Foundation's Port Townsend Rowing Club will provide water-taxi service around the marina, along the waterfront and to and from anchored boats. Races include the Schooner Cup at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, with the Festival Sail-By parade of boats at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 360-385-3628 or see www.woodenboat.org.

Besides being a scenic seaport, Port Townsend is known for its distinctive architecture. Guided walking tours through the historic downtown are available at 2 p.m. Saturdays through September from the Jefferson County Historical Society in Old City Hall.

On Sept. 18-19, the Port Townsend Historic Homes Tour of Victorian homes will benefit Jefferson General Hospital; call 360-385-2722 or check www.ptguide.com for more information.

Part of the charm of visiting Port Townsend from the Seattle area is the scenic ferry ride via Bainbridge Island or Kingston, with a drive over the Hood Canal Bridge. Jefferson Transit offers a limited schedule of free rides for cyclists over the Hood Canal Bridge; bikes are allowed on the bridge but the shoulder is small.

The Wooden Boat Festival encourages cyclists with a new "Bike Haven" bicycle parking area this year. For more information on transportation options, see the www.ptguide.com Web site or call Jefferson Transit at 800-371-0497 or 360-385-4777.

— Madeline McKenzie, Seattle Times staff

Copyright © 2004 The Seattle Times Company

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