Sunday, August 9, 2026 was the birthday of the century! Zenia Sophia's century, to be exact.
​Friends, family, old salts and young ones all came together to celebrate her 100th birthday. Over 50 people gathered on C Dock at Shilshole Bay Marina to toast one of the grand ladies of Puget Sound maritime history on a beautiful summer's day!
Here are a few of the photos from that day. If you click on a photo, it will enlarge.
If you have any more photos we can post, please send them to Pamela at [email protected] 

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In the late afternoon, Pamela sang The Ballad of the Zenia Sophia (Pamela's lyrics set to a familiar tune), accompanied by low-flying planes and laughter. The original video is the Party Video.

Ballad of the Zenia Sophia
There is a boat in Puget Sound, she’s floated for a century,
She started out as a tugboat sound, and she has a long memory.
Her name in ‘26 was Edward A, Young, named after a man that had died,
His brother christened his newest tugboat to keep his brother alive.

She towed log booms Tacoma to the Straits, Dependable, loyal and true,
Until the fateful day in 69 when all the bills came due.
She went into irons on Tacoma’s waterway, there was nothing they could do.
But jump into the water as she rolled o’er, You couldn’t find a sadder crew!
 
She rose like a phoenix 3 years after that, salvaged by the Cribb family,
They mounted two masts on her deck with crutch posts and took her out to sea.
They gave her the name Crusader and she led them out on the Sound,
As long as the wind blew furiously, the Crusader sailed round and round.
 
It was 5 years later that the Flynns took her on, and sailed her to Tillamook Bay,
The fierce winds off the Pacific made sure it was always Anchors Aweigh.
They sailed north and south for 5 years more then Jonathan White came to buy her,
He had an idea she would fit the bill for his latest idea and desire.

The Party Video (right) was recorded during the Zenia Sophia's birthday party by John Kottcamp, an old friend. Pamela had the advantage of a very easy and pleasant audience, as well as background noises, like various planes overhead. 

 Writers, scientists and philosophers came to sit on her fore and aft decks
Conversing, arguing and dancing about, it was better than sex.
After 10 years, though, it had run its course and Jonathan looked for who’s next,
Rich Pakker looked past the sagging spars and gunwales, ignored the questionable decks.
 
He was in love and convinced me and the bank that the old girl still had life,
Our family of three was excited to be onboard and start our new life.
But first came 21 months in dry dock, caulking seams, pulling planks and the rest,
I got pregnant with Zenia, we became 4, and cuddled and grew in our nest.
 
The girls grew up and adventured with us. It was far from a normal life,
And all we gave to this boat of ours, she returned in love and light.
It’s been 31 years of loving her bones, and even changing her name,
She’s the Zenia Sophia, and long will she live, floating on salty main.
 
So mothers, tell your children, you knew the Zenia Sophia,
And fathers just hope you never know, this type of mariners’ fever.
So now you know her story my friends, look on her and tell me, in trust,
Was it stupid or romantic or adventure or fate that brought this ship to us. ​

The video at right is the Not-Exactly-Studio version of the Ballad of the Zenia Sophia.
​Pamela, not being very happy with her own voice quality on the Party Video tape, insisted that Rich re-record her singing the Ballad a couple of days later. Sheesh! What a diva.
​She's happier with this version BUT it doesn't have the lovely, friendly crowd of 50 or so people yucking it up in the background. ;)