Port Townsend Marine Science Center purchases historic Flagship Landing building

On August 5, we celebrated our purchase of the Flagship Landing building on downtown Port Townsend's Water Street. 
(photo by Jen Lee Light Photography)

We are so excited to announce that the Port Townsend Marine Science Center has purchased the Flagship Landing building at 1001 Water Street. 

In my 10+ years working to advance our mission, first as the Administrative Coordinator and now as the Marketing and Development Coordinator, I’ve associated the Port Townsend Marine Science Center to a very specific location: Fort Worden State Park. From the dock that stretches out over the calm shores and cradles our aquarium, to the historic building that houses the legendary skeleton of Hope the orca, to even the high-ceiling office where my desk resides for me to perform my tasks, my work has been tied to a fixed location for over a decade. But in recent months, my construct of a fixed location has been challenged by COVID-19, a force that has little respect for geography. Since March of 2020 I have worked from home. At first I did this begrudgingly. But now, after a year and a half, I’ve come to a new understanding: for PTMSC to advance our place-based mission of “inspiring conservation of the Salish Sea”, we may not necessarily have to stick to just one location. 

We are excited and proud to announce our purchase of the Flagship Landing building on Water Street, Port Townsend’s historic downtown thoroughfare. Our plan is to make this a platform for our vision to foster the growth of generations of environmental stewards living in balance with marine ecosystems. Our Executive Director explains, “Not only does Flagship Landing give us the flexibility to move in over time, but most importantly, by bringing new life to this historic 132-year-old building, we dramatically reduce the carbon footprint of the project. The purchase of this building provides us with an exceptional opportunity to showcase best practices in shoreline redevelopment for a healthier marine environment. And working with Port Townsend’s city manager, John Mauro, we intend to be a demonstration project of seismic and sea level rise adaptation for our town.”

PTMSC staffers Mandi Johnson (left) and Marley Loomis display a piece of
whale baleen in front of PTMSC's newly aquired Flagship Landing building. 
(photo by Jen Lee Light Photography)

Even as the scope of our mission has expanded, the pier on which our aquarium sits was assessed by Washington State Parks to be near the end of its useful life. We participated in State Park’s planning efforts and, when it became clear a smaller pedestrian pier was best for the marine environment, our Board of Directors began the search for a new home. Our long-term goal is to create an aquarium at our new Flagship Landing building; in the meantime, we’ll continue to operate at the existing Fort Worden aquarium and museum as long as possible during the transition phase.

And then there is the issue of reaching more people. When the news of this change was shared with Anne Murphy, founding Executive Director, she responded that “this is a time for bold and radical action. The time to make a radical change is now.” She wholeheartedly endorsed the plan.

Throughout this process, I have thought about how difficult it would be to give up our location on the Fort Worden dock‒this has been an iconic spot for our organization and a focal point for our visitors, volunteers and staff. But I weigh this feeling of attachment against the ever growing need for our mission “to inspire conservation of the Salish Sea”‒ if we truly wish to fulfill this mission, we must inspire via leading by example. Letting go of an old dock in the interest of marine conservation is ultimately a better fit with our values, and retrofitting a historic building is entirely more environmentally sound than building a new facility from scratch.

Led by Executive Director Janine Boire (right), PTMSC's staff and board members carry items across Port Townsend's Water Street signifying the organization's transition to a new headquarters downtown. (photo by Jen Lee Light Photography) 

Besides, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center is so much more than an aquarium. While we transition in phases to our new location over the next several years, we offer and will continue to to offer programs like our popular summer camps, marine mammal stranding assistance, The Future of the Oceans lecture series, quality marine education programs for schools, Protection Island wildlife cruises (in partnership with Puget Sound Express), and so much more.

Even after we have fully phased into the Flagship Landing building, we will retain our museum building at Fort Worden as an environmental learning center. 

Our partnership with Fort Worden remains strong, and we look forward to strengthening the connection between downtown and Fort Worden by deepening our collaborations with other nonprofits that operate (or wish to operate) in both locations, such as Northwind Arts, Jefferson County Historical Society, and the Northwest Maritime Center. 

We look forward to this exciting new phase of inspiring conservation.
Become a member and be a part of this thrilling new chapter in our 40+ year story!

Brian Kay

Brian Kay (he / him)

PTMSC Marketing & Development Coordinator

Read the media links below:

Peninsula Daily News article

Port Townsend Leader article

New Faux Piling for our Piling Tank

One of our tanks in the aquarium represents how animals and algae can grow even on human-made substances, such as pilings under piers. While this is true, our current “piling” is made of wood and could be misinterpreted to represent creosote-treated wood pilings.

Creosote is a substance comprised of over 300 chemicals that are used to preserve the wood (read: protect it from decay, insects, etc.). There have been many efforts to remove and replace all creosote-treated wood from the water due to its terrible environmental effects. The preservative is toxic to organisms that ingest it or even live in its proximity.

 When the waves and salt water break down the wood, small pieces of debris containing the creosote can be ingested by the animals living around it. Additionally, the chemicals in creosote are even more likely to leach into the water when exposed to ultraviolet light (i.e. sunshine).

Many organizations, including the Washington Department of Natural Resources, have made large efforts to remove all creosote-treated wood from the ocean. The Puget Sound Partnership was launched in 2007 with the mission of cleaning up the Puget Sound by 2020. The PSP’s Action Plan includes creosote removal because of its adverse effects on the environment.

Here at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, the wood piling in our Aquarium is, of course, not treated with creosote. However, it is slowly starting to break down, and we would like to showcase a piling that is not harmful to the wildlife, has the appropriate pH, and supports the natural animal life that would occur in our Salish Sea.

Marley, AmeriCorps member, and Ali, PTMSC Aquarist,
with the new piling before it was lowered into the water. 

After a lot of research on the best method and recipe, we cooked up our own piling that we hope will fulfill our requirements! The cylinder is a mix of crushed oyster shells, concrete, and foam. We added the foam so that the faux piling would be a maneuverable weight, while still being negatively buoyant to sit on the bottom of the tank without floating.

 After curing for a couple of days, we tied it off the side of the pier to hang in the water. This will allow it to finish curing and maybe start growing some new small organisms before we place it into the tank. It will hopefully go into the tank in early spring!

If you see a wood piling or a piece of wood that you suspect may be treated with creosote, you can report it using the MyCoast Washington website or phone app! Check it out here.

Written by Marley Loomis, Americorps Aquarium Educator

An Enchanting Lady stars in the Octopus Learning Project

Eleanora, a giant Pacific octopus, has taken up residency at the aquarium

Eleanora, a giant Pacific octopus, in repose in her tank at entrance of the Aquarium. Photo by Florian Graner.

Her name is Eleanora -- Nora for short -- and she is as mysterious as she is majestic, as elusive as she is enchanting. She’s a two-year-old (ish) giant Pacific octopus and, these days, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center is lucky to host her.

Given to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center by Friday Harbor Labs, Nora is the subject of filmmaker Florian Graner’s "Octopus Learning Project." The goal of the collaborative effort between Graner and PTMSC Aquarist Ali Redman can be summed up in three words: observe and learn.

PTMSC Aquarist Ali Redman observes 'Nora.
Photo by Florian Graner.

Graner, who has devoted his life to studying and filming undersea creatures, explains that the octopus is quite a reserved animal in the wild, only leaving the safety of its habitat (such as rocks and reefs) to feed.

So in order to truly understand its behaviors, we need to be able to observe them in a non-threatening environment.

Several times a week, Graner visits ‘Nora at the aquarium to film her for a German documentary he is producing about the giant Pacific octopus.

You might be surprised to learn that octopuses are smart. Very smart. In fact, they rank among the most intelligent invertebrates in the world.

Nora certainly lives up to that claim. Redman often coaxes her out of hiding with a clam in a bottle.

“Animals are trained in steps,” she explains. “When they approximate a behavior, you reward them.” 

Nora took her time warming up to the food jar with the green lid.
Photo by Florian Graner. 

But Nora also has a mind of her own. For some reason, she did not initially like the food jar with the green lid that Redman introduced, pushing it away and even avoiding it altogether. But then one day her hesitance vanished and she pushed the lid off so she could grasp the frozen fish “popsicle” inside. 

Having mastered that, Redman introduces a plastic Mr. Potato Head toy in an effort to teach ‘Nora how to open its back “flap” to retrieve a treat. Again, ‘Nora did not disappoint, billowing her large mantle out to envelop her shellfish snack before casting off the shells in a show of gastronomic satisfaction.

It’s mind-boggling to see Nora change colors – one minute a deep red-orange color, the next slipping into her brownish green-gray tones as she camouflages herself against the rocks. And then there’s her “digesting” phase – a somewhat more alabaster color. She’s got the perfect “outfit” for every occasion.

Octopus have an amazing ability to blend into their surroundings.
Photo by Florian Graner.

Nora will eventually outgrow her tank and be released back into the wild to live out her life to the fullest. One day, she may well approach 50 pounds.

But in the meantime, we look forward to watching her grow and learn, as we learn and grow from the incredible gift of her presence.

PS -- Watch video below of Eleanora retrieving food from a glass tube!

The Future of Oceans: Short of Breath―Marine Life in a Warming World

Curtis Deutsch, PhD

Associate Professor, 

School of Oceanography, 

College of the Environment 

University of Washington

Sunday, December 10
3 pm
Curtis Deutsch, PhD
The Fort Worden Commons*
*Please note change of venue


Admission: $5

(students, teachers FREE)


Dr. Curtis Deutsch’s research is aimed at understanding the interactions between climate and ecosystems. He combines numerical models of varying complexity with diverse types of biological and physical data, to discover the ways in which climate produces spatial pattern and temporal variability in ecosystems, and thus influences their basic functioning. Most of this work has focused on biogeochemical cycles in the ocean, with a particular emphasis on the mechanisms that regulate the cycles of nutrients and oxygen over a range of time scales from years to millennia. He also works with terrestrial ecologists to understand how climate influences the patterns of thermal fitness, and their implications for biodiversity in a changing climate. He received an Investigator Award from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, and is a Fellow of the Kavli Frontiers of Science.

This is the third installment of The Future of Oceans lecture series (learn more about the series here).

This event is offered with generous support by the Darrow Family.

Assisted Listening Devices available

The Future of Oceans: Sharing the Sound― Salmon, Steelhead and Settlement

Sunday, November 12

Jill Rolland, Sc.D.

3 pm

Jill Rolland, Sc.D.
The Fort Worden Chapel
Admission: $5 (students, teachers FREE)

The Sonic World of the Amazonian Pink Dolphin

Sunday, October 8, 2017 

3 pm

David Bonnett, Citizen Scientist

The Fort Worden Chapel

Admission: $5

(students, teachers FREE) 

Mr Bonnett will present his most recent finding of his acoustical research with Amazonian Pink Dolphin (Inia geoffrensis) including how ecosystem changes in the Amazon are impacting this species and how this research relates to our local species of Cetacea. His research grows from decades of underwater acoustical research and designing ultra-quiet vessels. 

This is the first installment of The Future of Oceans lecture series. 
This event is offered with generous support by the Darrow Family.

Assisted Listening Devices available

Building the Future Through Education

This year, in honor of our 35th anniversary, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center is asking our supporters to match a generous $10,000 bequest from Mirriel Bedell, the mother of co-founder Judy D’Amore, to underwrite our commitment to place-based, people-powered, hands-on learning. Donate today to help us reach our goal and fulfill our mission to inspire conservation of the Salish Sea!

You may not immediately recognize the name Mirriel Bedell, but it’s fair to say that if you are passionate about conserving the Salish Sea, this inspiring woman has impacted your life.

Mirriel Bedell

That’s because Mirriel was not only a remarkable person in her own right, she is also the mother of Port Townsend Marine Science Center co-founder Judy D’Amore.

Born in 1919 in Chicago, Mirriel was raised by her mother and two aunts after her father’s death.  She received a degree in chemistry at the University of Iowa, where she also met and married Jack Hummel. Over the next few years, the family grew to include their daughter Judy, the eldest, and four other children.

Learning about the natural world was a "given" in Hummel 
family life. 

“Nature was important to both our parents,” says Judy. “We took lots of camping and canoeing trips when we were growing up. My parents even moved us to a house on the edge of town where our backyard consisted of five acres of woods.”

Mirriel’s inquisitive nature served her children well.

“Science and exploration were always a very big part of our lives,” Judy explains. “We raised chickens, rescued and rehabilitated snapping turtles and baby birds, and caught fish from local streams for our aquarium. There were endless tadpoles and, somewhere along the way, even a pet skunk!”

Throughout her children’s lives, Mirriel endowed them with the belief that anything was possible, and that the post-WWII days represented an exciting time where “the doors were open.”

When her husband died, Mirriel obtained a teaching certificate and continued to pursue her passion for knowledge by teaching high school science. She would later marry George Bedell, a physician and widower with four children of his own.

“George was a very kind and thoughtful man,” says Judy. “I think he felt that Mirriel would be a great mother for his children. And she was -- for all nine of us.”

As the Hummel and Bedell children entered adulthood and started their own families, Mirriel continued to share her enthusiasm for education by bringing her grandchildren to summer camps at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center.  

Last fall, Mirriel passed away at the age of 97. But that was not the end of her story. Her inspiring legacy lives on at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center, thanks to a $10,000 bequest from her estate.

We are grateful to Mirriel, not only for inspiring Judy and her siblings, but also for her generous gift that will allow future generations to learn about the curiosities and wonders of the Salish Sea. Her life is a testament to the eloquent words of English philosopher Herbert Spencer: “The great aim of education is not knowledge, but action.”

Spring Migration Cruise May 26th

Just outside of Port Townsend is an amazing National Wildlife Refuge — Protection Island. Nearly 70 percent of the nesting seabird population of Puget Sound and the Straits nest on the island, which includes one of the largest nesting colonies of rhinoceros auklets in the world and the largest nesting colony of glaucous-winged gulls in Washington. The island contains one of the last two nesting colonies of tufted puffins in the Puget Sound area. About 1,000 harbor seals depend upon the island for a pupping and rest area.

This 364-acre island is covered by grass and low brush, with a small timbered area, high sandy bluffs for seabird nesting, and low sand spits on two ends of the island.

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center – in collaboration with Puget Sound Express – hosts special expeditions to Protection Island. Cruises are scheduled in spring and fall, timed to coincide with annual migrations, with special trips planned for Thanksgiving weekend and New Years Eve.

Become a member of PTMSC and save $20 per person on your cruise!

BOOK NOW

Puget Sound Express hosts this special 2 hour expedition to Protection Island aboard the Red Head, with an on-board naturalist sharing information of bird and wildlife sightings.  On a recent Marine Science Center cruise, participants sighted a few tufted puffins, rhinoceros auklets, and an elephant seal among the harbor seals on the island beach. 

PS Express welcomes Marine Science Center members, volunteers, and the public with a special rate for the May 26 cruise of $45 for PTMSC members and $65 for nonmembers. The cruise departs from the Point Hudson Marina.

Location: 2333 San Juan Ave, Port Townsend, WA
Date: 5-26-2017
TIME: 3-5 pm

Spring Migration Cruise

May 6 | 1-4pm

$80 ($60 members)

Enjoy an afternoon on the water learning the history of Protection Island and the sea birds and marine life that make the island their home. The Port Townsend Marine Science Center - in collaboration with Puget Sound Express - hosts special expeditions to Protection Island. Cruises are scheduled on Saturdays in spring and fall, timed to coincide with annual migrations.

Become a member of PTMSC and save $20 per person on your cruise!

BOOK NOW!

The three-hour cruises depart from the Point Hudson Marina with Naturalists from the Port Townsend Marine Science Center serving as on-board interpreters to provide commentary on local birds, mammals, geology, history and weather. On-board refreshments are available, or you may bring a sack lunch.

On Wednesday, May 10, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center invites you to help raise $22,000 for summer camps scholarships and capacity-building to offer more camps through GiveBIG, a one-day, online charitable giving event hosted by the Seattle Foundation, but we can't do it without your help! Thanks to a challenge match from a group of local donors, the first $11,000 donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar. The #GiveBIG campaign only lasts for one day, so follow along onFacebook and the #PTMSC blog for stories and updates before the BIG day.

Now More Than Ever Take Action and Support Summer Camps for Kids

"Hi my name is Journey,  I have been to almost all of the Port Townsend Marine Science center camps. On my first day of camp I was so nervous I thought I might die. By the second day, I had a ton of friends all because the staff helped be more comfortable and helped me break out of my shell.
I also went to Water World which is a weeklong overnight program that involves art, dance, writing, and marine science which was one of the funnest experiences I have ever had! I even made 2 best friends. I cried the whole ride home because I missed them so much. At Water World we put a whale skeleton together which was so cool especially because I love whales. We looked at plankton under a microscope and that was the ice cream on the cake for me because I want to go into marine biology. When we took out the seine net the waves came into my boots and I said I had plankton on my thighs!

When my family and I went to Mexico, my dad and I got scuba certified. I was ten years old and the smallest person our instructor had worked with. If I hadn’t gone to camp at the Marine Science Center I would never had gone scuba diving. Also because of my experience at camp and Water World, I participated in Project Oceanology which is a marine science program through the University of Connecticut. While out on the research vessel, scientists asked questions and I was able to raise my hand and answer questions that no one else could! That made me feel proud.

Going to a marine science camp was a lot of fun and I know it changed me. I am more confident and I tried new things because of it, like scuba diving and an oceanography class. I don’t know exactly what I am going to do when I grow up, but whole new worlds are open to me now. Thank you for helping make this experience possible for me and thousands of other kids too."

On Wednesday, May 10, the Port Townsend Marine Science Center invites you to help raise $22,000 for summer camps scholarships and capacity-building to offer more camps through GiveBIG, a one-day, online charitable giving event hosted by the Seattle Foundation, but we can't do it without your help! Thanks to a challenge match from a group of local donors, the first $11,000 donated will be matched dollar-for-dollar. The #GiveBIG campaign only lasts for one day, so follow along on Facebook and the #PTMSC blog for stories and updates before the BIG day.

Screening of "Plastic Ocean"

Port Townsend Marine Science Center to Host Screening of Award Winning Documentary, A PLASTIC OCEAN :

Saturday, April 22, 2017 - Port Townsend, Washington @ 3:00 PM at Port Townsend Marine Science Center Natural History Exhibit

A PLASTIC OCEAN uncovers the shocking truth about what is truly lurking beneath the ocean’s surface. More than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans each year. A PLASTIC OCEAN follows an international team of adventurers, researches and ocean ambassadors on a mission around the globe. This award-winning documentary shows the devastating effects of our disposable lifestyle on marine life and the consequences for human health.

During its four-year production period, A PLASTIC OCEAN was filmed in 20 locations around the world, documenting the global effects of plastic pollution and introducing workable technology and policy solutions that can, if implemented in time, change things for the better.

NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries together with Washington CoastSavers are hosting free screenings in Port Angeles at Peninsula College on April 13th at 7:00PM, and in Port Townsend at Port Townsend Marine Science Center on April 22nd at 3:00PM. The screenings will be followed by panelist discussions and are open to the public. Washington CoastSavers is an alliance of partners and volunteers dedicated to keeping the state’s beaches clean of marine debris through coordinated beach cleanups, education and prevention. Make a difference, register for April 29, 2017.

Washington Coast Cleanup at http://www.coastsavers.org/

A PLASTIC OCEAN can be found on iTunes and other online movie platforms.

A Plastic Ocean Website: http://www.plasticoceans.org

Washington CoastSavers Website: http://www.coastsavers.org/

NOAA’s Office of National Marine Sanctuaries Website: http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center inspires conservation of the Salish Sea. A new initiative—Gone Green? Go Blue! Support Your Local Ocean—encourages collective action and civic engagement. Located on the beach at Fort Worden, the PTMSC offers two public exhibits: the Marine Exhibit and the Natural History Exhibit. The Natural History & Orca exhibit is open Friday through Sunday, 12 to 5 pm. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for youth, and free to PTMSC members. The PTMSC also offers a wide variety of educational programs and special events. For more information, call 360.385.5582, e-mail info@ptmsc.org or visit www.ptmsc.org/events.