And more than a few pirates.

Thunderstorms overnight and some morning rain likely kept first-day attendance down a bit, said Tall Ships Tacoma spokesman Matthew Erlich. But those who ventured down to the waterfront enjoyed cool temperatures and a slight breeze for much of the day.

This is Tacoma’s second Tall Ships event, one of several official stops for the American Sail Training Association’s Pacific Coast tour. The 2005 festival attracted many of the same ships and hundreds of thousands of visitors. Ever since, organizers have been working to bring back the ships and create a stronger infrastructure and organization to support them.

On Thursday, organizers reported no major problems either on the water or on land, only minor glitches in the event, which runs through Monday.

One of the ships, the North Star of Herschel Island, didn’t make it to Tacoma because of mechanical problems, said tTall Ships Tacoma 2008 spokesman Matthew Erlich. It remained in Victoria, B.C., and wasn’t expected to join the festival.

Shuttle buses encountered some backups along Dock Street as drivers slowed or stopped for pedestrians, Erlich said.

“For all the things that could have gone wrong, it really went very well,” he said.

The day began at Quartermaster Harbor on Vashon Island for most of the fleet. The ships launched a Parade of Sail across Commencement Bay and into the Thea Foss Waterway.

Along Ruston Way, officials held a ceremony complete with a ribbon-cutting and welcoming songs from the Puyallup Tribe of Indians.

U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Belfair, and Washington’s first gentleman Mike Gregoire were among the speakers.

“Sailing is a big part of our history and (Tall Ships) is a great way for young people to get involved with our history,” Dicks told the audience.

Gregoire, who came on behalf of Gov. Chris Gregoire, said the festival was “a great way to celebrate our nation’s birthday.”

The star of this year’s festival, the U.S. Coast Guard Eagle, left Seattle shortly after 10 a.m. with a fireboat escort, and docked in Tacoma around 3 p.m.

A crowd gathered along Ruston Way got the first glimpses of the spectacular ships.

Another crowd two miles away at Thea’s Park at the mouth of the Foss Waterway bided their time until the first ship, the Lady Washington, rounded the bend, followed closely by the HMCS Oriole.

“Excitement! Excitement!” said Alice Galford of Mesa, Ariz.

Her brother, Rick Howell of Tacoma, persuaded her to come visit specifically to see the tall ships.

“I love the tall ships,” said Howell, who took the day off work Thursday in hopes of avoiding larger crowds that he expects today and through the weekend.

Trav Story and Rob Silva, civil engineers at Petra Engineering, had front-row seats for the day’s action. Their offices happen to be located inside the Dock building, next to the Tall Ships media center.

They invited friends, family and clients to join them on the second-story deck outside their offices. Not much in the way of work got done.

“I think it’s great,” said Silva, who planned to go out on the Zodiac today with his two children, ages 10 and 4.

“It’s just kind of neat to see. It’s a bygone era, it’s romantic. And it’s nice to see the waterfront dressed up.”

Jason Hagey: 253-597-8542

blogs.thenewstribune.com/tallships

Staff writers Scott Fontaine, Kathleen Merryman and Brian Everstine contributed to this report.

DAY 2

Online today

thenewstribune.com/tallships

 • Live festival coverage on our Tall Ships blog

 • More photos and multimedia, plus reader photo posts

IF YOU GO

WHAT: 31 ships from around the Western Hemisphere meet in Tacoma for five days of onboard and onshore education and fun.

WHEN: Today through Monday

WHERE: Thea Foss Waterway, downtown Tacoma

COST: Festival is free. Boarding passes available at the festival.

details: See our Tall Ships navigator online.

TODAY’S SCHEDULE

Festival hours: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Ship boarding: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Lines close at 5 p.m.

10 a.m.:

 • Pirate School, “A 90-minute crash course in pirate skills.” Captain Kidd’s Cove in the Trade Winds Village.

 • Sailor School, “90 minutes of sea shanties, stories and skills.” Anchorage Amphitheater in the Northwest Passage Village.

1-4 p.m.: “Beware of Pirates & Sea Sirens,” Mermaid- and pirate-themed community workshop. Museum of Glass (along Dock Street, adjacent to festival). Discounted $5 admission with boarding pass wristband.

All day: Live music and entertainment on three stages. WEATHER OUTLOOK

Chance of showers today. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Partly cloudy through the weekend.

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