For the first time, the Port of Tacoma’s annual Free Boat Tours event will depart from Tacoma’s Thea Foss Waterway, in the heart of the Tacoma’s annual Maritime Fest.

The Port’s Free Boat Tours take place Sept. 16 with departures at 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Boarding is first come, first serve, so the public is encouraged to arrive 30 minutes prior to each sailing. The tours depart from the Dock Building at 535 Dock Street.

In the past, the tours have departed from the Port of Tacoma Administration Building with a shuttle service from the Maritime Fest activities. “This year, we wanted to bring the boat tours closer to the Maritime Fest crowds and make our tours more convenient for everyone,” said Port Commissioner Clare Petrich.

Held on a September Sunday each year since 1980, the Port’s Free Boat Tours event attracts between 2,000 and 3,000 people, who this year, will see the Foss Waterway and Port facilities from the decks of the Argosy Goodtime II sightseeing vessel.

For more information, visit the Port of Tacoma Web site at http://www.portoftacoma.com , or call the Port’s Activity Line at (253) 597-7564.

The Annual Free Boat Tours are held in conjunction with Tacoma’s Commencement Bay Maritime Fest (Sept. 15-16). For more information, visit http://www.maritimefest.org .