Kaci nominated for PT Business Leader of the Year

First, I want to say a huge thanks to Port Townsend Chamber of Commerce for the honor! Second, huge congratulations to all the other nominees, as some of them clearly kick my butt with their business accomplishments.  Kris Nelson, especially stands out as a Thirty-Something generation home town gal who not only does "big" business in town, but serves on City Council.  A heroine for our times and despite all the things all the rest of us have done, and my sincere congratulations to the winner, Linda Lakush, Kris would have gotten my vote for the top honor this year. That's probably ageist, but so be it. At 50, I want to balance my cheers for my elders with the cheers to those coming along behind us.

Regarding my nomination, I am giddy with gratitude for the attention it brings to DECADES of work by Port Townsend marine trades and gigantically generous people who volunteer and businesses, Port leaders and Chamber volunteers who have always been vital to it's success.  Here's what I wrote to Fred Obee at the Port Townsend Leader when he emailed me with the news of my nomination.  I regret I couldn't be there in person to say it at the banquet, but I'd already booked a flight out before knowing anything at all about the banquet. 

 "The WBF Founders, the early Directors, Festival Coordinators and Volunteers are who should get this honor.  Their incredible vision, the generosity of Port Townsend people of all political persuasions, the skill contributed and committed to for decades in our marine trades, the cooperation and support of the Port of Port Townsend and the partnership with the City, the Leader, accommodations owners, neighbor businesses, PTPD, transportation, heck...even Goodman Sanitation! are why I fell in love with the Festival personally and why it was such an honor, such a dream job for ten years.  Certainly my international experience and passion for making the event richer in every way possible for people attending, my deep respect for the traditions of those who'd created before me and for the visitors was where my previous experience contributed most, but without the wooden boat owners year round contributions and without the local marine trades and Port keeping our town "authentic" we could never have accomplished the reputation in the world we have.  Through the festival a wooden boat found me and now, without the full-time job as director, I'm writing my first book called Finding PAX.  Pax is the 1936 Danish spidsgatter that came into my life on a windy day at Cupola House and I will be aboard her the entire Festival this year with owners from near 8 decades of her life.   Forever a fan of wooden boats, my passion and support continue for the Festival, Port Townsend's Port and marine trades and the impact this makes on people worldwide. Thank you so much for the honor.   Kaci Cronkhite"

Words of Wisdom: Thanks to Lin Pardey

Last winter at a new event I worked on called NW Maritime Spring Boating Symposium, Lin Pardey gave a talk called The Compelling Life of Adventure. Boom! Little did I know how it would ring in my ears six months later when I turned 50.

First, you should know that I've worked with Lin through at least 4 other events connected to Wooden Boat Festivals. I've been a fan of her writing and their adventures for more than a decade using their advice while sailing around the world. I'd also been fortunate to get an early copy of her book Bull Canyon while spending a month writing in my own arid canyon, so I thought I was pretty "caught up" on their advice.

Second, being the director of this and other first-time events, I knew I wouldn't get to enjoy the Symposium. At best, I'd get snippets

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CHARLOTTE, a wooden boat story & movie

Flash! October 7, Movie Trailer released. Charlotte: a wooden boat story is due for release on DVD December 1st. This beautifully filmed documentary, shot over 6 years on Martha's Vineyard by award winning cinematographer Brian Dowley and directed/produced by Jeffrey Kusama-Hite (most recently honored for producing The Kids Are Alright) features the story of the legendary traditional boatyard, Gannon & Benjamin with a special focus on Nat Benjamin building a schooner for himself and his family. Premiere showing for the West Coast was at the 2011 Wooden Boat Festival in Port Townsend and we packed the house! It was also featured at PT FilmFest. I'm helping spread the word to communities throughout the west coast of US and Canada whose history, culture and livelihood is echoed in this film through every tap of the mallet, every splash of a wave on a bow and every chuckle. A must see for wooden boat lovers and those who love them!

Spidsgatter Pax: Best Haul Out Ever

When a travel lift opening at Boat Haven came up suddenly and my fav woman shipwright, Diana Talley said "come on, the space right next to our shop is open!" I had no idea how incredibly my life as a wooden boat owner would change. Yes, change! In the past when I've hauled boats, Pax included, I wanted the boat most convenient for me and in Port Townsend, that always meant Point Hudson. Boat Haven was the "big boat" work yard, the place where fishermen and 6 figure haulouts were managed by the "big shops," all way out of my league. The chance to set my 28 foot double ender in a corner, by a fence with grass on one side and asphalt beneath us. Luxurious enough, but then add a brew pub, coffee roaster and the best brunch in the boatyard and it's hard to imagine anything better. The first day, we set up the scaffolding and the next day, 2 young gals (one a boat school grad and the other the daughter of a shipwright) joined me and Diana and Moose, a corker best known for his work on fish boats, got to work at 8. In a week, I got more done than I'd ever experienced during a haulout so I quickly pulled a few items off the wish list, put them on the To Do list and in a second week, they were done! Hauling out immediately next to a shipwright, with tools, power, water, work benches, secure storage for the paints, supplies and an easy way to leave today's progress ready for tomorrow's was absolute heaven. Beyond the blessing to my soul, it likely saved me 40% on the budget for the same list done somewhere else AND we got to laugh more, use our muscles for productive tasks instead of hauling and daily setup/tear down and I got to work side-by-side with professionals, learning every step of the way.