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If you hear explosions around the time the Anacortes Arts Festival is wrapping up Sunday, don’t worry, it’s just the tall ships Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain making a grand entrance. The Official Ship of the State of Washington and her companion ship plan to arrive with cannons blazing and tie up at Cap Sante Marina at approximately 4:30 p.m. Aug. 3.

Anacortes will become a temporary base of operations for nearly two weeks of maritime adventures and environmental explorations of Anacortes and the San Juan Islands, as the crew hosts families, young people, and the general public for a variety of hands-on shipboard education opportunities. The ships just completed appearances at Tall Ships Challenge events in Tacoma and Victoria and Port Alberni, British Columbia.

To book a voyage or for more information about the ships contact http://www.historicalseaport.org or (800) 200-5239.

• Aug. 4-8 — Family Expedition Voyage, a family-style exploration of the San Juan Islands. Limited space is still available. Participants will learn to set sail, stand watch, and take the helm of a replica 18th-century tall ship. At each remote stop, they’ll explore the island with trained naturalists. In the evening, participants discuss the expedition's findings and develop a plan for the next day. There’ll be time for a day hike and a brisk swim.

• Aug. 9-10 — Public walk-on tours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days, $3 donation appreciated. Battle Sails, featuring three hours of booming cannons and close-quarters maneuvers, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. both days. Tickets for Battle Sails are $60 for adults, $50 for seniors, students, and active military, and $45 for children under 12. Reservations are recommended.

• Aug. 11-15 — Youth (12-18) Expedition Voyage, a camping and environmental education experience in the San Juan Islands similar to the Family Expedition. Space is still available.

Information is subject to change without notice. Confirm before boarding.

Launched on March 7, 1989, the Lady Washington was built in Aberdeen by Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public development authority.

The new Lady Washington is a full-scale reproduction of the original Lady Washington. Built in the British Colony of Massachusetts in the 1750s, the original vessel carried freight between colonial ports until the American Revolutionary War, when she became an American privateer. In 1787, after the war, she was given a major refit to prepare her for a unprecedented trading voyage around Cape Horn. In 1788, she became the first American vessel to make landfall on the west coast of North America.

A pioneer in Pan-Pacific trade, she was the first American ship to visit Honolulu, Hong Kong and Japan. Lady Washington opened the black pearl and sandalwood trade between Hawaii and the Orient when King Kamehameha became a partner in the ship.

The modern Lady Washington was thoroughly researched by historians and constructed by skilled shipwrights. She was launched as part of the 1989 Washington State Centennial celebration. The new Lady Washington meets all of the U.S. Coast Guard safety requirements for a 21st–century ship.