Pirates roamed Dock Street. Performers belted sea chanteys for anyone who would listen. Hungry attendees munched on elephant ears. F-16s from the Freedom Fair’s Fourth of July air show screamed overhead. And the demand to tour tall ships from around the hemisphere was constant.

Not a bad start to Tall Ships Tacoma 2008.

The continuing threat of rain and a 10-minute cloudburst didn’t keep the crowds away Friday. The line for premium boarding passes closed an hour early. The Foss Waterway Seaport museum saw record attendance. About 1,200 volunteers kept operations running smoothly.

Organizers were pleased with the turnout, but didn’t have an attendance estimate as of Friday night, said festival spokesman Matthew Erlich. Because the festival is a free event, organizers will have to calculate a number based on sales of boarding passes and sailing excursions, aerial photos and consultations with police.

Wading among thousands of people and trying to take in hundreds of booths and exhibits spread over three villages could seem daunting to some, so we’ve chosen eight ways to maximize your time. Turn to the back page to read them.

1. Arrive early: The festival opens at 10 a.m., and lines to board only grew as the day wore on Friday. The wait to see some of the marquee ships, including the U.S. Coast Guard Eagle, the Niña and the HMS Bounty, were as long as 90 minutes by early afternoon Friday. Treat it like the line at an amusement park. It will be a wait, but something cool lies at the end.

Organizers caution that buying a boarding pass doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be able to board all the ships. About two-thirds of the fleet is running sailing excursions during the event, so any particular ship might be out in the bay when you want to see it. If you’re determined to board a certain ship, check the sailing schedule.

2. Get a history lesson: The Foss Waterway Seaport’s Working Waterfront Maritime Museum is free during the festival. And plenty of people turned out to see the exhibits.

By midafternoon Friday, about 14,000 people had visited the museum – more than the total museum visitors for Tall Ships Tacoma 2005. Crowds constantly packed the cavernous building.

3. Dig some canoes: At opposite ends of Treasure Cove Village, crews are working on a Salish-style hunting canoe and a Maori fishing boat.

About 100 people have been working on the hunting canoe on Saturdays for the past 21/2 years. When completed, it will measure 28 feet, 9 inches.

“It’ll hold about six pullers and one skipper when it’s done,” said Philip Red Eagle, a participant in the Canoe Movement, an effort to help American Indian youths experience their heritage through canoe travel.

The Maori fishing canoe will measure just under 20 feet when it’s finished, carver Takirirangi Smith of New Zealand said.

4. Listen to some tunes: Bands and individual musicians are offering free concerts throughout the festival. Most songs focus on maritime living, but there’s something for just about everyone.

5. Entertain the kids: If your child just isn’t interested in seeing the tall ships – or waiting in line – a break at Captain Kidd’s Cove in Trade Winds Village might be in order. The area offers various games, including raise-the-flag contests and some sort of hockey played with Wiffle bats and rubber rodents. A “load the cannon” game, in which kids tossed Wiffle balls into the mouth of a replica cannon, was also a hit.

6. Bring your appetite: There’s no need to pack a picnic. Lovers of barbecue, elephant ears, soul food and corn dogs should all find something they like. But bring cash; most places don’t accept credit cards. If you’re stuck without greenbacks, though, there are several ATMs in each village.

7. Hang out with a pirate: Something about this festival makes otherwise-rational adults dress up like pirates. Pirates waiting in line. Pirates chowing down on curly fries. Pirates in the beer garden. Pirates buying Tall Ships Tacoma merchandise. One of them is a dead ringer for Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow.

8. Become a pirate: If you have that deep itch to wear leather and an eye patch and sling a sword around your waist, Tall Ships might be your best chance. You’ll blend right in with the hundreds of other pirates. Forgot your outfit – the Arrow Leather store in Northwest Passage sells anything you might need.

Scott Fontaine: 253-320-4758

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