HOWB 079 – Interview | Korie & Tupper Griffith, Wooden Boat Lovers, Owners of Sharon L - 03.21.13

Today’s featured segment is an interview with Korie and Tupper Griffith and their son Owen, of Port Townsend, WA. The Griffiths have a rich history of sailing and wooden boats.

Tupper grew up in Eugene, OR and learned to surf in CA while visiting relatives. After high school, he moved to San Diego, CA and became heavily involved in surfing. He also started cutting his teeth at sailing as crew on the 1928 Alden Schooner Kelpie . Next was a stint in the USCG at Tillamook Bay, OR where he served as crewman on ’44 motor life boats. In 2003, Tupper was invited to crew on the Schooner Martha by his sister Holly (wife to Captain Robert d’Arcy of the schooner Martha). Shortly thereafter he moved to Port Townsend and met his now wife, Korie, who was Captain of the Adventuress.

Korie was raised in Wisconsin and did very little boating as a kid. However she dreamed of moving to the coast and experiencing the ocean someday. During her college days, she spent one summer in the Florida Keys working at a Boy Scout adventure training (thru boats) camp. And then later, went back for a full year of work at the Camp – and loved it! Next it was on to grad school in chemical oceanography during which time she learned about the Tall Ship programs.

In Long Beach, CA, Korie became involved with the Spirit of Dana Point schooner directing educational programs and experienced her first blue water cruise. While earning her Captains license, her sailing destinations included the east coast, the Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas. In 2003 she Met Wayne Chimenti (Captain of Adventuress) at Long Beach who called on her to be a relief mate for Adventuress. Then in 2006, Chimenti brought Griffith on to replace his as one of the Captains of Adventuress.

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You can contact me at woodenboatdan@gmail.com to share your comments, feedback, stories, and wooden boat adventures.

Keep the bright side up and the barnacled side down - Wooden Boat Dan over and out :D

PS Please note this podcast was recorded several years ago - some of the links, email addresses, phone numbers, and promos mentioned are outdated and no longer valid.