Seafair Pirates Make Surprise Appearance at Alki Beach

The Seafair Pirates were founded in 1949 by younger members of the Washington State Press Club's "Ale & Quail Society" to add entertainment and promotion for Seattle's first Seafair festival in 1950. This volunteer group kicks off the annual festival with a ceremonial landing at Alki Beach, reenacting a playful battle with "King Neptune." The group's iconic ship, the Moby Duck, is a heavily modified 1944 DUKW, a World War II-era amphibious landing craft. Acquired by the pirates in 1954, it was designed to resemble a Spanish galleon and, while once amphibious, now operates exclusively on land. After an engine fire in 2010, the vessel underwent significant repairs and was back in service for the 2011 Seafair. The broader Seafair festival was established in 1950 to attract tourism and celebrate Seattle's identity as the "boating capital of the world." Over the years, it has grown into a multi-week event that now attracts nearly 2 million attendees annually and features hydroplane races, the Blue Angels air show, and the Torchlight Parade. Alki Beach itself is historically significant as the landing site of the Denny Party on November 13, 1851, who were the first white settlers in what would become Seattle. The name "Alki" is derived from a Chinook word meaning "by and by" or "someday." The area became the West Coast's first public salt-water bathing beach in 1907.