Low Tide Fest

Ah, memories of Low Tide Fest..... What a wonderful event! It happened right around this time of year, too.

Low Tide Fest was an annual PTMSC thank you to the community and celebration of everything we value about our marine environment—the beach, the water and the creatures that live on, in or nearby.

 We had low tide walks, classes and astounding presentations, music and entertainment, crafts and activities for children, teens and us bigger kids. We had the original community, the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, tell their stories and bring an oceangoing canoe for rides (tippy and exhilarating!). We had a wonderful musical family (the Cadorettes) sing their ode to Echinodermata—sea stars, sea cucumbers, sea urchins and their cousins. Who knew there would be so many choruses?

Most of all we had fun! But above and beyond all the activities and enjoyment, the Marine Science Center volunteers worked long and hard; and those long hours of working together with the amazing PTMSC family are my most treasured memories.

  By Karen DeLorenzo

                                                                                

This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Itti-vik, the baby seal

On July 4, 1986, 23 years ago today, a resident of Port Townsend walked into the Marine Center and handed us a small baby seal. It had been left on the beach near her house, perhaps deserted because it was born prematurely (its white coat indicated that possibility). Possession of any marine mammal is strictly regulated and so we quickly tried to contact the appropriate authorities before we decided what to do with it. Alas, it was the 4^th of July and they weren’t available. We also felt the need to feed and hydrate the tiny seal – but how could we simulate seal mother’s milk … and how to get the pup to drink it?

What followed was 10-14 days of intense round-the-clock caring, feeding and observing the baby seal, soon named Itti-vik, meaning “spirit of the sea” in some native Alaskan language. A crew of about 12 volunteers provided 24-hour care, including spending nights in sleeping bags on the Marine Center floor.

During that entire time, visitors and the public never learned about Itti-vik. He was kept in a back office to minimize contact and possible infection. Only afterwards was an article written about him.

The pup quickly moved from drinking water to eating herring. As it thrived, grew and gradually shed its white coat, it started looking like the more familiar harbor seals we see around here. Meanwhile we were learning about the next steps in its care – catching food, getting exercise in a large tank, etc. – and soon were able to transfer him to a Kingston vet who specialized in reintroducing seals to the wild.

The emotional day finally arrived when four of us drove Itti-vik to his next temporary  home in Kingston. The tears flowed, as Itti-vik circled the large tank trying to stay close to us, completely ignoring the other seals in the tank. We left and later learned that he continued to prosper and was finally tagged and released on a beach close to where he had first been found.The next time someone offered us a baby seal, we said, “No, thanks.”

                                By Libby Palmer

This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

Flensing the Baleen (whatever that means)

Volunteer Roger Wilson teaches students
about the flensed gray whale skull

The Marine Science Center is celebrating its 30^th anniversary here in Port Townsend and I for one am glad to be a part of it. From the various educational opportunities offered to local schools, to the citizen science program, there’s a little something for everybody here.

The very first thing I did at the Marine Science Center was flense the baleen of the gray whale now hanging up in the Natural History Exhibit. It was done at Fort Worden in one of the back workshops. I didn’t know it back then, but this was part of a much larger project that would echo through many people’s lives in the years to come.

When I first came to Port Townsend I was 10 years old and living in an RV at Point Hudson. My mother, being the Marine freak that she is, immediately sought out the Marine Science Center. I, not knowing any better, tagged along. Little did I know I was in for something rather unexpected. At that point I didn’t know what baleen was, let alone how to flense it. At this point in my life I still don’t remember the exact process, but I do remember that it was time-consuming and hard. 

Why did I sign up for this? is just about the only thing I remember about that day.  Looking back on it many years later and seeing the skull hanging up in the Natural History Exhibit, I realize that it was indeed a worthwhile thing to do.

                                                                        By Ethan Walat (age 22)

This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

PTMSC’s First Beach Seine and First Octopus

Our co-founders are not only scientists, but they have an 

artistic side too. Occasionally, you can catch them singing 

and playing music together.

            In the summer of 1982, when Judy D’Amore and Libby Palmer were first envisioning the PTMSC, they decided to do a fish seine with a group of students. They were blown away by what was caught…rockfish, large perch, sea pens, and an octopus! Most of the fish were let go since they didn’t have aquariums large enough to house them. 

            Judy and Libby tried to keep the octopus in a tank, but in the middle of the night it crawled out and died from lack of water before they could get to it in the morning.

Hoping to solve the problem of how to keep an octopus in the water, they were delighted when someone finally donated a large round tank with a lid that could by tightly secured. With that solution, they were able to seine again and catch an octopus that could live in the tank for the rest of the summer. This allowed the two women to teach their students about our local octopus, their habitat and their eating patterns.

As time passed and the PTMSC grew, the octopus became our iconic symbol.

This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368

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History of the Port Townsend Marine Science Center

In 1982, a small group of dedicated individuals, led by Libby Palmer and Judy D’Amore, approached Washington State Parks to obtain use of an empty building on the pier in Fort Worden State Park. Their goal was to establish a community-based, marine educational facility so that Port Townsend residents, along with state park visitors, could learn more about and directly experience the region’s abundant marine heritage. These founding volunteers established a non-profit corporation, signed an agreement with Washington State Parks, received a small grant to build the first touch tables and purchase a pump, and started offering seasonal marine educational programs. 

For many years the PTMSC operated solely on a voluntary basis. Programs expanded into local classrooms, an adult lecture series was established and in 1988 the PTMSC secured a significant water quality monitoring grant that marked the beginning of the PTMSC’s Citizen Science Program.

In 1989, the PTMSC established year-around paid staff positions. From there, growth took off—a formal volunteer program was begun; residential marine science summer camps were established; partnerships with local, regional, state and national schools continued to flourish; the state-wide, model education program, “Our Water World” started; bird-watching and natural history cruises were established; Citizen Science opportunities expanded; an annual teacher training workshop was established in addition to operating the aquarium and offering daily interpretive programs. 

            In order to accommodate this continued growth, in 2001 the PTMSC renovated the marine facility on the pier and refurbished a vacant building across the street, creating a new exhibit space focusing on natural history and entitled, “Where the Land Meets the Sea.” Programs and exhibits in the Natural History Exhibit were developed in partnership with the Burke Museum on the University of Washington campus and with Washington State Parks.

            30 years later, we’re celebrating PTMSC’s birthday in July! This is one of 30 reasons to give $30 to celebrate 30 years. Or increase your impact and give more. All funds support the Future Fund to keep the PTMSC going strong. Donate online or call (360) 385-5582, ext. 104, or send a check to 532 Battery Way, Port Townsend, WA 98368.

           Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

The PTMSC Exhibits are Free on the Fourth—plus Fish Printing!

Don’t wait for the fireworks—come to the Port Townsend Marine Science Center on the 4^th of July from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and enjoy free admission to both exhibits. 

“We welcome families to come and interact with our marine animals in the Marine Exhibit on the pier and enjoy the hands-on activities in the Natural History Exhibit, all free of charge on the Fourth of July,” said Anne Murphy, Executive Director for the PTMSC. “We’ll also be offering the ancient art of Gyotaku, better known as fish printing.”

Fish printing is fun for all ages. You can buy a shirt or paper, or bring your own to use as your “canvas.” PTMSC volunteers will be on-hand to offer creative assistance with any designs you may have in mind. Although guests are encouraged to buy a Discover Parking pass,  they don’t need a pass to visit  PTMSC buildings.

The M.A.D Interns have Arrived!

It's that time again! On June 15th we had three new Marine Educator Interns start working here at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center. We are really excited to have them kick off the summer with us, and help move forward on our various projects. Two of the interns are full time and will be with us until October 31st. The third intern is part-time and will be leaving us in August when she heads back to college. Here is a little something about each of them:

Megan Veley is a full time intern who grew up in Ithaca, New York! She recieved her Bachelors of Science in Natural Resources Management & Policy from Paul Smith's College in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. Megan then attended school in Iceland to obtain her Masters in Natural Resources Coastal and Marine Management. She always dreamed of living on the West coast, where the mountains meet the ocean. Megan saw the Marine Science Center as a perfect opportunity to explore the West coast, while still pursuing her dream to help protect and conserve the oceans she loves. It's hard for Megan to choose her favorite marine animal, but she has formed a special bond with Harry the Helmet Crab in the Marine Exhibit!

Amber Heasley is the other full time intern who grew up in Overland Park, Kansas! She received her Bachelors of Science in Biological Sciences with an emphasis on Ecology and Evolution from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Amber was introduced to the Marine Science Center when she began volunteering here shortly after moving to Port Townsend. Soon after, she applied for the internship so she could continue to learn about marine biology and help educate the public on conservation issues. Amber's favorite class of marine animals are cephalopods, and she especially enjoys the octopuses that live in the Jewel Tanks in the Marine Exhibit.

Daphne Hamilton is our part-time intern, but we are extra excited to have her around because she is a Port Townsend local! She graduated from Chimacum high school and spent the past two years at the University of Washington and this fall she will be transferring to Lewis and Clark College. Daphne will be majoring n Environmental Studies with a minor in Dance. Growing up in Port Townsend she loved visiting the Marine Science Center. Daphne believes that working here will give her the experience she needs to pursue a career in conservation, while learning more about the area she grew up with (we agree!). One of her favorite marine animals in the Marine exhibit is the Nudibranch!

Our awesome volunteers think it's easiest to remember them as the M.A.D interns (Megan, Amber, Daphne)...nothing to do with their personalities at all!