Tarry Not was built on the Olympia waterfront in 1924 to serve as the mail boat for the waterfront homesteads between Olympia and Shelton, Washington. It also carried passengers and freight to and from Percival’s Dock, where Olympia’s Percival Landing Park is now. The boat’s name served as a reminder for the passengers coming into town. If they were late getting back to the boat, they would be spending the night in town.
Tarry Not was salvaged off the beach in 1972 by Steve Wilcox, who owned Sea Blossom Seafoods. Steve renamed the boat “Sea Blossom”. Sea Blossom Seafoods still sells fresh fish at the Olympia Farmers Market. Steve rebuilt the boat and mostly used it to salvage logs off the beach, which he milled into lumber on his own antique sawmill.
George Kurzman and Angie Van Camp bought the boat in 2022. George is a life-long boater and boat-builder. He also got his U.S. Coast Guard Captain’s License (Master Inland 25-ton) in 2022. George has at various times been on the boards of both the Sand Man Foundation and the South Sound Maritime Heritage Association, working to highlight Olympia’s maritime history and to provide access for the public to genuine maritime experiences. Our intention with Tarry Not Tours LLC is to continue that mission.
George moved Tarry Not to Tacoma in 2023 to support his work at Tacoma Boatbuilders, a non-profit on Foss Waterway, where he serves as the Boat-Operations Manager. Tacoma Boatbulders serves youth ages 12-18 who are involved in the Pierce County Juvenile Court system. They have a large woodshop and a fleet of wooden boats, and they provide an opportunity for the youth to demonstrate their ability to participate in their community. George has been using Tarry Not to support the Tacoma Boatbuilders fleet and to to take youth and volunteers out on the bay. Check out Tacoma Boatbuilders at tacomaboatbuilders.org
George is available on weekends to take people on tours of the Foss Waterway and Commencement Bay, so feel free to get in touch!