Saturday afternoon, steward Rosie O’Bryen welcomed guests aboard the Hawaiian Chieftain and gave them a salty pep talk.

“There are three kids of sailors,” she said. “Those who have gotten sea sick, those who have yet to get sea sick — and liars.”

Welcome aboard life on tall ships — the Chieftain and the Lady Washington. Luckily for dozens of guests who boarded the ships while they were visiting Coupeville Saturday through Monday, it was nothing but smooth sailing on calm seas.

The Hawaiian Chieftain and Lady Washington are operated by the non-profit Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority with homeport in Aberdeen. In addition to public programs, the Chieftain and Lady also offer educational programs for students when in West Coast ports. Both boats are continually touring the West Coast providing a portal into the past for both students and the general public.

The ships, which operate sails and educational programs 360 days of the year, typically visit Whidbey once each year. They operate with both paid and volunteer crew.

Among them is 64-year-old Coupeville resident Charlie Drummond who has been a volunteer crew member for three years.

“I found the Lady Washington at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival in 2005,” he said. “A few weeks later she was out of the water for repairs and I was there with tools.”

Drummond admits that his previous sailing experience was limited. He and his wife, Phyllis, retired to Coupeville three years ago from Atlanta, Ga., after he retired from a 25-year career as an engineer with Delta Airlines. What drew him to the tall ship Lady Washington was his love and hobby of crafting with wood and metal.

“Working with these ships just comes naturally from my carpentry background,” he said.

After helping repair the 112-foot square-rigged brig, Drummond underwent the “Two Weeks Before the Mast” program through the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority to gear up for life on an 18th century ship.

Drummond is now a three-year volunteer crew member who does a little bit of everything.

“I scrub the decks, repair rigging, clean toilets, go aloft, work the sails, you name it,” he said.

Daily chores on the ships include scrubbing the deck with salt water, polishing brass, tidying lines, and slathering the rigging with pine tar.

“We don’t wear gloves, we grow them,” Drummond said of his toughened hands.

Surrounded by a crew of mostly 20-somethings, Drummond said he enjoys every day and every learning opportunity on the ships.

“I’m learning so much because they are all really great sailors,” he said. “They all really know their stuff.”

Yes folks, the crew are not actors. They’re real sailors — but sorry, not pirates. Although their appearance may sometimes show their inner pirate spirit through tattoos, piercings and period dress.

Saturday and Sunday the crews chanted out and repeated orders as they set the sails during the two ships’ various sailings that included cannon firing battle sails and serene sunset cruises.

If anyone took a snapshot of the area directly around the two ships this weekend they’d think the waters of Penn Cove were teeming with boats.

“They’re circling us like vultures,” one woman noted.

Recreation craft of various sizes circled, weaved in and around the two tall ships, not intimidated, but ever so curious. One woman even dared to challenge the two behemoths, yelling “Ayy, captain! Take that!” as she blasted a water cannon through the air.

Holly Furtner of Edmonds and her family were simply visiting relatives on the island when they happened across the tall ships.

“We couldn’t pass up the experience of being out on a beautiful sailing ship like this,” Furtner said as she waited in the crowd eagerly anticipating the sailing.

The Furtners boarded the Hawaiian Chieftain after her 6-year-old son Christopher chose the ship for its firepower.

“It has the most cannons,” he said.

For Christopher, this sailing is a continuation of the adventure he’s been living for a couple of weeks now.

“I’m a part of the Hudson’s Bay Company,” he said.

“We just came from Fort Nisqually down in Tacoma,” his mom explained.

Sarah and Tony Martin of Coupeville brought their two kids, 6-year-old Luke and 8-year-old Samantha.

Luke came outfitted perfectly for the occasion: a swashbuckling pirate- inspired shirt, flamed surf shorts and plastic sword in hand. But after three hours “at sea” Luke Martin learned he might not want to go into the seafaring business.

“There’s too much sailing and cannons and sinking ships,” he said of the mock battle.

His sister, on the other hand, was a convert.

“When I grow up I want to join the crew,” she said.