Two historic tall ships arrived Wednesday at Channel Islands Harbor for a weeklong exhibit.

The Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain are docked at the Channel Islands Harbor until Jan. 31 as part of the 12th Annual Tall Ships Tour.

The ships then will sail to the Ventura Harbor Village for viewing from Feb. 1-10.

The Ventura County visit is a promotional event for the Festival of Sail 2008, which is held every three years with a stopover at Channel Islands Harbor. It is scheduled this year from Aug. 7-10. Other festival port stops include San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego and Dana Point in Orange County. More than 10 tall ships are expected to participate statewide.

Michele Gilmour, marketing director for the Channel Islands Harbor, said turnout for the festival in 2005 was outstanding. That was the first time the festival was held at Channel Islands Harbor.

The Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain make annual trips to Ventura County. Last year, from 6,000 to 8,000 people toured the ships at Channel Islands Harbor.

Gilmour doesn't expect rain to discourage visitors this weekend.

"Most of the time it rains at some point during their time here. There are a lot of repeat visitors, people with a passion for tall ships," Gilmour said. "Once they see the mast from the street, they will tour the boat in the rain."

Of the likelihood of weekend rain, John Morrison, chief mate of the Hawaiian Chieftain, said: "Don't let it discourage you. It's not discouraging us."

Launched in 1988, the Hawaiian Chieftain is an authentic replica of an 18th century square-rigged ship, similar to Spanish ships used in the expeditions of the late 18th century along the Washington, Oregon and California coasts. The vessel is 103 feet long with a main mast more than 75 feet tall and 4,200 square feet of sail.

Visitors will get to see the full weather deck and community crew space, a multipurpose room that serves as dining room, the meeting room and planning room, Morrison said.

The Lady Washington is a replica of the first American-built ship to round Cape Horn and travel to the Pacific Northwest. The ship is a 112-foot-long brigantine, square-rigged and built of old-growth Douglas fir. And it might look familiar: The ship appeared as the Interceptor in the movie "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl."

Crews of the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftain will be conducting educational programs for fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders from 14 local schools. Students will be divided into three groups while they are sailing and rotate to different stations, learning about life as a sailor in 1790.

"It's the best field trip they have ever been on," said Bruce Royce, captain of the Lady Washington.

The entire sailing experience is interactive, where students haul lines and put up sails, Gilmour said.

"The students are having such a great time that they don't realize they are learning," she said.