New “Boats of Hope” Art Tour in Del Norte County, California Highlights the Significance of the Kamome Story and the Ongoing Student Connection Between Del Norte High School and Rikuzentakata, Japan 

Visit Seven Artfully Designed and Hand Painted Miniature Kamome Boats to Earn a Prize

(Del Norte County, California) The story of Kamome lives on as an art tour now open in Del Norte County, California. Follow the map to tour seven small replica boats hand-painted by local Del Norte High School students to earn a commemorative prize. Snap a photo of each boat, then stop by the Crescent City-Del Norte County Visitor Center to pick up a prize.

The backstory began when a little boat named Kamome, covered in barnacles, washed ashore on South Beach in Crescent City. Students from Del Norte High School scrubbed it clean, uncovering its name and origin. Come to find out, the small boat drifted for two years and 5,000 miles across the Pacific after the devastating 2011 tsunami in Rikuzentakata, Japan. The boat, belonging to Takata High School, was returned, forging friendship and collaboration between two communities an ocean apart that have both experienced destructive tsunamis.

The Kamome boats were artfully designed and painted by Del Norte High School students in coordination with seven community partners: City of Crescent City, Crescent City Harbor District, Del Norte County, Elk Valley Rancheria, Fishermen’s Marketing Association, Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation, and the Yurok Tribe.

Carol Zocchi, who leads the Del Norte High School Japan Club put out a call for interested students who then pitched their design and inspiration for their boat to earn an artist stipend. Each partner organization chose the design that best aligned with them.

“The students worked on their boats outside of school hours. Some of the students who proposed a boat design were not advanced artists, but they were passionate about the story and the similarities between their cultures,” says Carol Zocchi. “We had a Yurok student decorate the boat for the Yurok Tribe, while the entire Tolowa Language Class collaborated on a boat design representing the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation.” 

In addition to being hand-painted, the small boats were handcrafted by Nunzio Lagatutta, an art teacher at Del Norte High School. He also supervised the artists after school as they worked over 10 hours on their projects. The wooden boat stands were cut by Eileen Silvey, a woodshop teacher.

The Japan Club at Del Norte High School will present a replica boat to Takata High School students from Japan as a gift during the upcoming student exchange visit this January in Crescent City. A student, Elle Jacot, has been chosen to paint the eighth boat and she hopes to capture the contributions from all seven boats. Elle has also painted the boat for the Crescent City Harbor District (stop #4 on the tour) based on her cherished memories of fishing with her family and the tight-knit fishing community of Del Norte County.

Learn more about the student artists, download the Kamome “Boats of Hope” Art Tour map, and go see them for yourself. And, save the date for the annual Kamome Festival celebrating the friendship sparked by Kamome in Crescent City every April.

Tour Stop #1: Visit the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation’s boat located at the Xaa-wan’-k’wvt Howonquet Lodge lobby at Lucky 7 Casino in Smith River (350 North Indian Road, Smith River; open 24 hours), painted by the Tolowa Language Class: Alexis See-t’vm Owen, Blake Daa-sralh-ni Owen, and Delaina Ban-lht’suu-tr’e’ Bommelyn

Tour Stop #2: Visit the City of Crescent City’s boat located at the Fred Endert Municipal Pool (1000 Play St. Crescent City; open 5:30am – 8:10 pm Mon-Sat), painted by Jasmynn Vang.

Tour Stop #3: Visit Del Norte County’s boat located at the County’s Flynn Center Building (981 H St. Crescent City; open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri. Closed holidays), painted by Jessie Deen.

Tour Stop #4: Visit the Crescent City Harbor District’s boat located at the Harbor office (101 Citizens Dock Rd. Crescent City; open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri), painted by Elle Jacot.

Tour Stop #5: Visit the Fishermen’s Marketing Association’s boat located at the Harbor office (101 Citizens Dock Rd. Crescent City; open 8am-5pm Mon-Fri), painted by Ava Lagorio.

Tour Stop #6: Visit Elk Valley Rancheria’s boat located at Elk Valley Casino (2021 Elk Ranch Rd, Crescent City; open 24 hours), painted by Colton Woodral, a Tolowa student.

Tour Stop #7: Visit the Yurok Tribe’s boat located at the Yurok Country Visitor Center (101 Klamath Blvd, Klamath; open 11am-4pm Tues-Sun), painted by Moonshine Hunsucker, a Yurok student.

About Visit Del Norte County
Visit Del Norte County is the official brand of the Crescent City-Del Norte County Visitor Bureau which serves as the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) dedicated to promoting tourism within Del Norte County, California — including the communities, lodging and attractions within Crescent City, Smith River, Klamath, Hiouchi and Gasquet. To learn more, request a visitor guide, or to plan your vacation, go to www.VisitDelNorteCounty.com.

PRESS CONTACT
Lynnette Braillard 541-350-0594, Visit Del Norte County, hello@visitdelnortecounty.com

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