Seafair Fleet Week brings military ships to Seattle waterfront

SEATTLE — Since 1950, Seafair has hosted Fleet Week on the Seattle waterfront, where the public can tour impressive military ships.

The festivities started on Tuesday when Navy Destroyer USS Barry and ships from the U.S. Coast Guard and Royal Canadian Navy arrived in Elliott Bay for the majestic Parade of Ships.

Free ship tours are available at Pier 46 South now through Sunday, Aug. 6. There will also be Navy and Coast Guard search and rescue helicopters, exhibits, food trucks and more.

KIRO 7′s Briseida Holguin went onboard USS Barry Thursday morning.

“We’re 500 feet long, 66 feet wide… We use it for a number of things, regional stability, building international partnerships with other nations, also maintaining sealine of communications,” said Commander Roger Young, Executive Officer, USS Barry.

People will be able to take a look inside the ship’s pilot house.

“Right here is where we actually steer the ship,” said Petty Officer First Class Jared Deviller.

Deviller says when the seas are rough they see between 10 to 20 foot waves.

“You’ll have that little zero-G feeling as you come back down… Our watch team will grab onto this cable right here,” said Deviller.

The massive Navy ship will be open for tours Thursday and Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., and Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Coast Guard ship tours are available Thursday through Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Tour times for the Royal Canadian Navy ships are Thursday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Friday from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and Saturday from noon to 3 p.m.

The tours give the public a chance to meet crews as they showcase what their ships can do.

If you’d like to tour a ship, be sure to bring photo identification, be prepared to pass through an airport-style security screening checkpoint before boarding, and wear flat-heeled, closed-toe shoes.

For information about what’s not allowed on board, visit https://cnrnw.cnic.navy.mil/Operations-and-Management/Fleet-Weeks/. Get more information about Fleet Week here.

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