09:58 AM PDT on Friday, June 2, 2006

Compiled by kgw.com Staff

Ships from the United States Navy, Coast Guard, and the Canadian Navy will drop anchor at the Tom McCall Waterfront Park for Fleet Week during this year’s Rose Festival, along with two authentic sailing ships with cannons blazing.

kgw.com photo by viewer Brian Hughes

The USS Stethem pulled into downtown Portland for a past Fleet Week celebration.

Fleet week has been an annual tradition in Portland for nearly 70 years. This year, two celebrity tall ships sailed up the Willamette River Thursday, to kick off Fleet Week in style.

The Lady Washington, from "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the Hawaiian Chieftain, featured in the upcoming TV movie "Blackbeard," arrived around 2 p.m.

The crews on board the tall ships acted out a pirate attack, complete with loud guns and cannons to entertain fans along Portland's waterfront. The ships will be open to free tours through Sunday, June 4. Sailing trips on the river will also be offered for a fee.

Coast Guard ships arrive on Wednesday, June 7

Later in the week, U.S. Coast Guard ships will arrive. Four ships are scheduled for a visit -- the USCGC Steadfast, Bluebell, Halibut, and Henry Blake -- but officials said the lineup is subject to change.

Navy ships arrive on Thursday, June 8

On Thursday, June 8, four ships from the U.S. Navy will arrive in Portland. The arrival times will be in the late afternoon and early evening, allowing the Willamette River bridges to be available for rush hour traffic between 4:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The ships will remain anchored along the waterfront through Monday, June 12.

More coverage: Special Rose Festival Guide

The U.S. Navy ships, including two destroyers and two guided-missile frigates, will moor along the Portland waterfront. For security reasons, Navy officials said names of the actual ships would be released at a later time.

The USS Charleston was the first ship to visit the Portland Rose Festival in 1907. Canadian Maritime Forces joined the fleet in 1924 and continue to bring about four ships each year.

The Battleship USS Oregon visited the Rose Festival in its final tour before decommissioning in 1925. The mast of the USS Oregon now resides in Tom McCall Waterfront Park.

Public tours:

Tours will generally be available to the general public on a walk-up basis. Folks will be guided through the ships between 12:30 and 4:30 p.m., Friday through Sunday, for 30-minute tours.

All visitors will be required to present a photo ID and pass through an airport-style security screening checkpoint prior to boarding the ships. Everyone is subject to search prior to entering the security zone. And visitors are encouraged to bring as few items as possible when arriving for their tour, and are recommended to wear flat-heeled, closed-toe shoes.

The following items are prohibited during ship tours:

•Weapons, including knives, firearms and club weapons

•Defensive chemicals or spray, including mace and pepper spray; spray cans of any type

•Fireworks, flammable liquids or other explosives

•Illegal drugs and/or drug-related paraphernalia

•Large bags, including backpacks, diaper bags and large camera bags (small camera bags and small handbags may be permitted, but will be subject to search)

(Please note that no items, including strollers or wheelchairs, may be left unattended at the security checkpoint at any time. And no political or marketing activities are allowed while aboard U.S. Navy ships, including pamphleteering, making speeches, posting displays or advertising commercial interests.)