Sea Star Wasting Public Lecture

Have you been reading about sea star wasting disease in the news and would like to know more? PTMSC is excited to announce that one of the leading experts in sea star wasting, Melissa Miner from University of California, Santa Cruz, will be visiting us to give a presentation about sea star wasting. The presentation starts at 3:30 pm on Tuesday, February 25, 2014 in the Natural History Exhibit. If interested in attending, contact Shannon at sphillips@ptmsc.org or at (360)385-5582 x110. Space is limited, so please reserve a spot today!

Wildlife Cruises: 2014 Schedule

Our cruises are hosted by seasoned naturalist Roger Risley, who provides excellent commentary on the natural history of the island and the wildlife sighted. Join us on one of the cruises below!

Spring Migration Cruises

April 26 & May 3

1-4 p.m.
*now book online

Puffin Cruises

July 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19, 25, 26
& August 1 & 2

6-9 p.m.
*now book online

Fall Migration Cruises

September 27 & October 4

1-4 p.m.
*now book online

Winter Wildlife Cruises

November 29 & December 31

1-4 p.m.
*now book online

For reservations and information: 
(360) 385-5582
book online at pugetsoundexpress.com

Offered in partnership with and generous support from Puget Sound Express


(DISCLAIMER: Depending on weather conditions, the cruise may go to either Protection Island or Oak Bay/Port Ludlow area.)

The Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge is home to breeding, nesting, and flyway populations of close to 100 marine bird species at different times of the year. Located close to Puget Sound, approximately 70 percent of the nesting seabirds in our inland waters nest here, including the largest nesting colony of rhinoceros auklets in the world. The island contains one of the last 2 nesting colonies of tufted puffins in the Puget Sound area. About 1,000 harbor seals use the island as a pupping and rest area, and elephant seals often haul out to molt there during the summer. We have been leading seasonal wildlife cruises to view the changing community of birds and mammals using the sanctuary since 1984. 
Learn more information here.

Find us on Facebook  - get the latest updates and information on how you can inspire conservation of the Salish Sea.


 

MLK Day of Service: A Day On, Not a Day Off!

Join PTMSC AmeriCorps and staff for a day of service on Martin Luther King Day, Monday, January 20th from 12-4pm. Building on last year's progress we will continue our work to control invasive Scotch broom and English ivy in Fort Worden State Park. The day starts at our Natural History Exhibit with a short presentation about noxious weeds and recent plant restoration work in Fort Worden by the Jefferson Co. Noxious Weed Board and the Olympic Chapter of the Washington Native Plant Society. Dress for the weather and bring leather or gardening gloves. We will provide weed wrenches and light refreshments. Fort Worden will permit volunteer hours at this event to count toward acquiring a Discover Pass - a document will be provided to record your hours for submission to Fort Worden if this interests you. 

For more info contact Shannon Phillips at sphillips@ptmsc.org or 360-385-5582 x110. 

End of Year Report

PTMSC Marine Mammal Stranding Network

Winter Update

With the help of volunteers and community members we achieved some great things this past year! 

Here's a recap of what happened in 2013.

Unexpected visitors!
Three juvenile male elephant seals joined the lot of window shoppers, gallery goers, and tourists visiting Port Townsend's downtown beaches this past spring. Volunteer responders put in more than 400 hours "seal sitting" the elephant seals, educating thousands of curious passersby, and ensuring the safety of citizens and seals alike. 

Necropsy Program 
We completed 5 necropsies (animal autopsies) in 2013, all on harbor seal pups. We examined cause of death, tested for phthalates and toxics such as PCBs, DDTs, and flame retardants, collected parasite samples, looked for signs of human interaction, and sent tissue samples to a histopathology lab to look for disease.

                                              Beach surveys begin

Back in May, volunteers and staff began conducting monthly surveys of Cape George and Marrowstone Island beaches looking for stranded marine mammals. The aim of this experiment is to better understand the distribution of strandings and to see if our network is getting reports of strandings in these less-visited areas. So far one decomposed adult seal was found. 

Record number of harbor seals!

There were 47 harbor seals reported this year, compared to an average of 32 in previous years (2008-2012). Of those 47, 43 were pups. Thank you to all those who reported them to us! Seal pups need time to rest ashore; more than half our calls come from citizens observing a resting seal pup. While these pups are not stranded, they may need protection from people or dogs off leash. 

Volunteer Responder Training

We welcomed 9 new responders to our network this year, bringing our total to a solid 45 volunteers. These folks would tell you it isn't all fame and glory. In fact, it's more gory than glory, but the work they do responding to marine mammals and educating the public is crucial to marine mammal communities in the Salish Sea.

                                             Marine Mammal Disease Seminar

Marine mammal veterinarian Dr. Stephanie Norman shared her knowledge of diseases of concern in marine mammals, including several zoonotic varieties. We invited our friends from the Central Puget Sound MMSN to join. Bringing the two networks together was fun and insightful.  

Save the whale!
An entangled gray whale was sighted on September 4th near Cape Flattery. NOAA, US Coast Guard, Canada officials, and the Makah Tribe worked together to finally free the whale on September 7th, removing 8 wraps of line around its caudal peduncle and tail flukes. Our network volunteers transferred the disentanglement gear (curved knives on long                                                                 poles) from Friday Harbor to Neah Bay. This success                                                             story is brought to you by the word teamwork! 
  
Webpage overhaul
If you haven't checked it out already, click here to see our revamped webpage. Also make sure to visit the links at the bottom- I especially love the ID guide (click on the Steller Sea Lion to see it).

What's in store for us this year? 

Mostly it's a mystery. We can't predict when or where or what will strand, but we're always on the alert. Keep your eyes peeled and if you spot a marine mammal that is dead, injured, or in a bad spot, give us a call!

Port Townsend Marine Science Center

Marine Mammal Stranding Network

360-385-5582 ext. 103

Other, more predictable, projects for the upcoming year include:

1. Installation of 20 signs to raise awareness of marine mammals and our network.
2. A brand new rack card, complete with handy pocket-sized ID guide
3. More phthalate testing! We received grant money to collect several more blubber samples to be tested for those pesky plasticizers. Stay tuned for results (but don't hold your breath- it's a slow process).
4. A short video highlighting our necropsy program, to be added to the website.

Thanks for the support throughout the year!

Danae Presler
AmeriCorps member
Marine Mammal Stranding Network Educator

A Crabby Christmas Tale

‘Twas a Saturday Homecrew, 

like almost all others

Hustle and bustle, 

with scrubbers and buffers

The siphons all strung, 

out and about

The tanks to be cleaned, 

inside and out.

The gloves were pulled up,

all over their hands

Attempting to keep clean, their fingers from sand.

And Danae with her scrubber, 

and me in accord

Had just begun the process 

to maintain the tanks we adored.

When at the staff door, 

we all heard such a clatter,

We rushed over to find 

what was the matter.

When what to our 

wondering eyes we did see,

But a man holding a crab 

as big as can be.

The question arose to 

what that was in the lab,

and I knew in a moment, 

it was a dead Puget Sound King Crab.

More rapid than waves, 

the curiosity came

As we quickly exclaimed, 

and called them by name: 

Now Maddie, now abalone, 

Now sculpin, Now Inky

On Pisaster, On Solaster, 

And even, on you, dear Pinky

To the top of the tanks, 

To the sides of the walls

Now splash away, 

splash away, 

splash away all

For those who haven’t seen

 this wonderful sight,

This isn’t the Science Center’s 

only crab delight.

The color it lacks, 

it’s pigment is missing

An albino Dungeness 

is worth reminiscing.

Families alike spring to your sleigh, 

and give us a visit

Open the weekend after Christmas, 

Come see our wonderful exhibit!

You shall hear us exclaim, 

doors open and lights shining bright

“Happy holidays to all, 

science is such a delight!”

By AmeriCorps Volunteer: Shannon Phillips

Losing a good friend: Michael J. “Moh” O'Hanlon

Photo credit: Tiffany Royal

PTMSC’s staff and volunteer community has been mourning the loss of long-time friend volunteer Moh O'Hanlon. Moh passed away on Friday, November 29^th, the day after his 71st birthday. 

Moh was a fixture at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center Marine Exhibit. Garbed in his English seaman’s cap and PTMSC octopus t-shirt, Moh would greet visitors into the exhibits and explain the rules. Moh was passionate about marine science and even more so about sharing that passion with others. Over the years, returning visitors have asked for Moh since their experience with him was so memorable.

Moh had a love for folk music and often played the harmonica in the PTMSC exhibits. His knowledge of fish was extensive and he would spend hours ID-ing the different animals that appeared in the tanks, and educating visitors. He began logging volunteer hours in 2000, and over the course of the past 13 years, racked up over 5,000 hours --- an extraordinary achievement.

Moh represents the true spirit of volunteerism at the PTMSC – he committed himself to our mission of Inspiring Conservation of the Salish Sea, and made it his personal mission to reach as many people as possible. In the summertime, he could be found here nearly every day. If Moh were here, I know he'd say "there's no place I'd rather be!" We have lost an irreplaceable friend ~ thank you Moh for your spirit and all your years of service! 

A potluck (with music of course) to celebrate Moh's life will take place on Saturday, January 4th at 2pm in the PTMSC Marine Exhibit, out on the pier. More information and details will be provided as they develop.

- Claudia Padilla, Volunteer Coordinator

Two PTMSC staffers are part of a national study circle with the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation

Jean and Chrissy observe pteropods in the Ocean
Acidification lab at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute

The Port Townsend Marine Science Center was awarded a grant in the summer of 2013 for Jean Walat, program director, and Chrissy McLean, marine program coordinator, to participate in a six month study circle with the National Network of Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation (NNOCCI). 

“Through the program, we are grappling with how to help the general public not only better understand the issues, but also how to communicate what can be done through collective action,” said Walat. Their first session was at the New England Aquarium in September, then Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute in October and for the final piece, they will travel to Salt Lake City’s Hogle Zoo in December.

Between these travel sessions, Walat and McLean have been working on applying new interpretation strategies to PTMSC exhibits with the goal of engaging visitors in civic action to support collective climate change solutions.

“It’s been exciting to participate in the NNOCCI study circle with zoos, aquariums, and science centers from across the country,” said McLean. “I am inspired by the cutting edge information we are learning about climate change science and the most effective ways to share this information with the thousands of students, guests and volunteers who come to PTMSC each year.”

A NNOCCI Study Circle is a cross-disciplinary learning group made up of peers with expertise from fields of professional interpretation, climate and ocean sciences and communications and cultural sciences. Through a series of facilitated in-person meetings, webinars, conference calls and practical activities, participants build knowledge of ocean and climate science and communications and cultural sciences. They apply lessons learned to communications or educational opportunities in the context of their work environment through several cycles of development, practice, sharing and reflection.

“NNOCCI has provided so much feedback about the ways people react to environmental information that we’re looking at all of our programs and exhibits with new eyes, and this will definitely inform our programming in the future,” Walat said. “But probably the most valuable insight that we gained is matching the scale of the environmental solution to the environmental problem. For large scale issues like climate change, collective action at the community, regional, national and international levels is essential.”

McLean added, “Port Townsend is an amazing place and we are really innovative when it comes to supporting climate change solutions in our community. From our robust farmers market to our walkable and bike-able town—we have the perfect platform to inspire responsible stewardship and civic action in so many people who come to visit. Together we can make a big difference.”

NNOCCI is a collaborative effort led by the New England Aquarium with the Association for Zoos and Aquariums, the FrameWorks Institute, the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Monterey Bay Aquarium, the New Knowledge Organization in partnership with Penn State University and the Ohio’s Center for Science and Industry. With support from the National Science Foundation Climate Change Education Partnership program, NNOCCI’s goal is to establish a national network of professionals who are skilled in communicating climate science to the American public.