Working Waterfront

In this month’s edition of Our Working Waterfront, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins co-hosts Port Director Eron Berg and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek for an update on happenings around the Port. Then Pam gives a special guided tour of the Boat Yard for high school student guests from the Port Townsend Maritime Academy, along with their instructor Karl Jorden. We’ll visit with Shipwrights Pat Mahon, Cory Armstrong (owner of Goldstar Marine), Pete Stein, Melanya Nordstrom, and Dave Thompson.  Working in the Boat Yard means building friendships and experiences along the way. Opportunities abound to learn about design, building, maintenance and repair. Businesses in the Yard are independent yet interconnected, because they complement one another in so many ways. You can start out with a box of tools, work with others or on your own, be employed by businesses, rent shop space. A good work ethic and the willingness to learn are the main ingredients that can lead to a fine career as a shipwright.

(Airdate: December 9, 2022) KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins co-hosts, Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek, for our monthly update on news, issues, and people that surround our Maritime Community. After Eron’s Port update, Chris and Pam take a stroll down the Boathaven’s “A Dock” to visit 23-year-old Damian Detweiller, who moved here from Aspen, Colorado to attend the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building. He now works at the Shipwrights Co-Op, and tends to his boat Lacey, using the talents he’s brought with him, and the skills he’s learned from the Boat School and as an apprentice to the Co-Op’s fine craftsmen. We learn about Damien’s projects, plans, dreams, and his deep love of boats.

(Airdate: November 18, 2022) In this reprise airing, co-host Eron Berg, Port of Port Townsend’s Director, joins KPTZ’s Chris Bricker to give us a monthly update from Our Working Waterfront. Then Port Commissioner Pam Patranek and Chris pay a visit to Brad Seamans of the Port Townsend Shipwrights Co-Op, along with Captains Brian Dafforn of f/v Polaris, and Pat Baker of f/v Grant, who are part of the historic fleet of Longline Schooners that seasonally fish the North Pacific and bring back halibut and black cod to our dinner tables. 

(Airdate: October 28, 2022) In this special Part Two of Our Working Waterfront, host Chris Bricker takes us from his earlier Tour of f.v. Cape Cleare with Skipper Rick Oltman to this week’s conversation with three of the five young crew members from this season’s fishing trip to Alaska. Pam Petranek, her daughter Kaila Janders, and Natalie Toews tell us stories. Kaila and Natalie share how the experience change their lives and gave them new perspectives.

(Airdate: October 14, 2022) On alternate Fridays during the noon hour, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and co-hosts Port Director Eron Berg and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek bring you an update on news, people, and issues surrounding our vibrant maritime community. Home from Alaska and currently moored at C Dock in the Boat Haven, fishing vessel Cape Cleare sits at rest. It’s another story for its Skipper, Rick Ottman, who at any given time can be found fixing, replacing, repairing and caring for this 80-foot schooner which has been re-fitted for trolling under sail power. Rick gives us a tour of the boat this week, and then in our next episode we’ll meet the unique crew that accompanied him this season.

(Airdate: September 9, 2022) Pete Langley has been the owner of the Port Townsend Foundry since he re-established it in 1983, nearly 100 years later. The use of heritage techniques as well as modern technology allows Port Townsend Foundry’s craftspeople to produce pieces of continuing history.  KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and Co-Host Eron Berg, Port of Port Townsend’s Director, join Pete for an up-close-and-personal tour, along with some sage insights about craftsmanship and about the niche Port Townsend Foundry serves in the Industry.  

In this month’s edition of Our Working Waterfront, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins co-host, Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg, along with the Port’s Chief Engineer, Matt Klontz, for an update on the month’s activities and a review of the timeline for the North Jetty Project set to begin right after the Wooden Boat Festival. Our special guest is Captain Robert D’Arcy, proprietor of Robert D’Arcy Marine Services and Primary Captain and Project Manager for the restoration of the 1907 Schooner Martha. Robert introduces us to Martha, tells us how she got here, and notes her unique place not only as a “living history” project, but also her role in sail training and education.
Robert and Eron emphasize the complementary, dynamic, and organic nature of a Port such as ours and its synergistic relationship with our local community and economy. We truly have a World Class boatyard that includes all facets of the Marine Trades, along with an amazing panorama of expertise.

In this episode of Our Working Waterfront, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker, Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg, and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek explore the Boat Yard and visit with tuna fisherman Paul Svornich and his wife, Lorraine, beneath the stern of their 38 foot sloop named Ocean. As usual, Eron gives us a brief update on the happenings around the Port, and then Project Director and Engineer, Matt Klontz, chimes in with the latest news and projections for the long-awaited north and south Jetty Projects. Paul Svornich tells of his family’s rich Croatian heritage, how he’ll always call Bainbridge Island’s Eagle Harbor his home, how he and Diana Talley built his sloop, and of his adventures with wife Lorraine. Though his daughter, Kashmira has also fished with him in the past, Paul will captain his ship solo these days. Lorraine no longer fishes, and now minds the home front.  Paul minds his sails, pampers his small biodiesel-fed engine, and fillets, packages, and freezes his catch onboard. Then brings all of it home to sell to the niche market he’s created for himself over time. In Paul’s own words, he loves dancing with the Sea.

It’s time again for our monthly update on news, issues, and stories surrounding our vibrant Maritime Community. In this edition of Our Working Waterfront, KPTZ’S Chris Bricker and co-hosts Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg give us a report from the boatyard. Then, sitting in the sunshine at “C” Dock, we engage in conversation with Eric Toews, the Port’s Deputy Director, about current developments in the Quilcene community’s Port Property planning process. Later, we speak with Pete Langley, Port Townsend Marine Trades Association President and owner of the Port Townsend Foundry. We Discuss the PTMTA board, its activities, and the role Marine Trades have in the County’s economic development. Topping things off, Pam honors the past District 3 Commissioners, especially Herb Beck, who recently passed and will always be remembered for his long service.

This month on Our Working Waterfront, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and co-host Port Commissioner Pam Petranek visit with 3rd generation Quilcene resident Joel Kawahara. We meet by the stern of his 42-foot troller Karolee, now hauled out for maintenance near Dave Thompson’s shop at the north end of the Boatyard. He’s a career commercial fisherman who is widely known as an advocate for sustainable fisheries and habitat restoration. He’s involved with the Wild Salmon Coalition and the North Olympic Salmon Coalition and their efforts at preserving this important resource.
Joel is a guy who has never quite fit in the corporate world, but has combined his credentials, talents, and caring nature as a catalyst for bringing disparate interests to the table in order to affect significant change.

This month on Our Working Waterfront, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and co-hosts, Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg wander the boatyard and meet up with brothers Tim and Mike Quant. Tim  & Mike have been commercial fishermen all their lives, and throughout their years they’ve acquired valuable skills in the maritime trades.
In their “retirement” from commercial fishing, they tend to the haul-out needs of the fv Sundancer and enjoy life ashore as craftsmen.  Now they can fish leisurely, without the long hours and physical demands of the commercial season. In his monthly recap, Eron tells us about the reorganization of the Port’s staff structure, and he applauds the arrival of the Port’s new Travel Lift,  Pam give us the historical timeline of the boatyard since before the arrival of the very first Lift to the present day. Of course, brothers Mike and Tim give us a few stories to spice up our visit.

Our boatyard and Port are one of the most unique places in the maritime world, considering that so many of its navigable tenants, great and small, have sailed, cruised, and fished our planet’s vast waters for decades and decades. This month, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and co-hosts, Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and Port Director Eron Berg, explore the history, ambience, and governance of our beloved Port of Port Townsend.

In this episode of Our Working Waterfront, we follow sixteen young students from the Port Townsend Maritime Academy as they tour the Boat Haven with Instructor Kelley Watson, Port Commissioner Pam Petranek, and Port Director Eron Berg. They learn from young shipwrights about the different ways each has come to their craft. They also learn about the abundant and varied opportunities our bustling Shipyard offers to those who already possess hands-on skills or to those willing to learn them as apprentices to master craftspeople. Jobs in the boatyard pay well and they are rewarded well by hard work and the desire to learn.

Each month on Our Working Waterfront, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins co-hosts, Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg and Port Commissioner PamPetranek for our monthly update on news and issues surrounding our vibrant marine community. Eron gives us his monthly recap of all things Port, and introduces our new Director of Capital Projects and Chief Engineer, Matt Klontz. Since November 1, Matt has been getting up to speed on the multiple Port projects, along with their proposed schedules and priorities. Matt grew up in Port Townsend, graduated from Port Townsend High School, and earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Washington State University and the University of Washington. Since then, Matt has gained considerable experience with major projects in California and Washington State, worked with Jefferson County, and was City Engineer and Public Works Director for the City of Sequim for the last six years. Pam talks about the impact that the Boatyard has had on our local economy, about the Economic Development Council, and about the upcoming discussions to develop and enhance the Jefferson County Economic Framework.

On Our Working Waterfront today we bring you a reprise of a visit with Dave Thompson, our Boatyard’s iconic shipwright.  We learn a little about his life, his career, and his mentoring of past and current young shipwrights and apprentices that have graced his open-air shop. His “Career of a Lifetime” has spanned the decades here, from the mid-1970s to present day, as apprentice, as advisor to artisans, as the Yard’s advocate, as two-term Port Commissioner,  and overall generous soul.  Oh, and he also reveals the origin of “Charlie Noble Enterprises” (a.k.a. Thompson Boat)!

The Port of Port Townsend’s south county facility is located on Quilcene Bay at the southern terminus of Linger Longer Road. The property encompasses 58 acres of waterfront and uplands. Five months ago, the Quilcene Outreach Project was launched in order to involve area residents in helping to paint a picture of the future for this Community treasure. In this edition of Our Working Waterfront, Jeannie McMacken, Communications Consultant for the Port, along with the Port’s Deputy Director Eric Toews, share their personal takeaways from this listening experience and give us a preview of the formal public presentation and workshop to take place on October 13 at 6pm. Click here for more information.

In this edition of Our Working Waterfront, co-hosts Port Director Eron Berg and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek join KPTZ’s Chris Bricker to celebrate this year’s Maritime Lifetime Achievement honorees: Jake Jacobsen, Diana Talley, David King, and Jim Franken.  David and Jim join us to share their stories, their histories and their passion for the Working Waterfront and its boats, and for the community they’ve embraced and loved since they both arrived here in the late 1970’s.

Each month, on the second Friday at Noon, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and his Co-Hosts, Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and our Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg bring you an update on news, issues, and personalities surrounding our vibrant Working Waterfront community. This month we visit Dave Thompson, our Boatyard’s iconic shipwright, and we learn a little about his life, his career, and his mentoring of past and current young shipwrights and apprentices that have graced his open-air shop. His “Career of a Lifetime” has spanned the decades here, from the mid 1970s to present day, as apprentice, as advisor to artisans, as the Yard’s advocate, as two-term Port Commissione,r and overall generous soul. Oh, and he also reveals the origin of “Charlie Noble Enterprises” (a.k.a. Thompson Boat)!

KPTZ Host Chris Bricker checks in with Port Director & Co-Host Eron Berg for his monthly update on all things Port. And then Port Commissioner & Co-Host Pam Petranek introduces young shipwrights Peter Stein, Erik Fahlstrom, and Leo Goolden, along with volunteer apprentice and sculptor, Patrick Kingshill.
Chris has a conversation with them about how the marine trades’ 40 year history of synergy here in the Boatyard has cultivated a giving atmosphere where craftsmanship is shared through true apprenticeship.
Peter and Erik have rented the buildings formerly occupied by the Shipwrights Co-Op, and are providing another haven for independent workers to garner and share more skills. Leo just moved his business, Sampson Boat Company, and his boat, Tally Ho, to Pete and Erik’s expanding adventure as their new business tenant. They’re all examples of how a rising tide of cooperation is one that lifts all boats.

This month Chris Bricker, with co-hosts Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and Port Director Eron Berg, speaks with Deputy Port Director Eric Toews and Jeannie McMacken, organizer for the Quilcene Citizens Listening Tour set to launch on June 26. We talk about all things Port for the Quilcene community and the Herb Beck Marina Project.  Jeannie tells us that the listening has already begun, and it all made for an interesting and informative conversation for this month’s show.
Note: Our Working Waterfront will be moving to a new Friday time slot in July. Look for us at noon on July 16!

(Airdate: May 17, 2021) For our special Birthday episode of Our Working Waterfront, we check in with Co-Host Eron Berg, Port of Port Townsend’s Port Director, for his regular recap for the month, with a special emphasis on developments in the formulation of a Citizens’ planning process for the Port properties there. Then Chris Bricker and Co-Host, Port Commissioner Pam Petranek take a walk through the boatyard to encounter some of our Women of the Waterfront. They speak with shipwrights Esther Whitmore of Haven Boatworks and Angi Lungu of the Shipwrights’ Co-Op. Then they visit Port Townsend sailing legend, Carol Hasse and her wooden boat Lorraine in the marina, and finally a delightful conversation with Erika and Alyson of Port Townsend Sails, locally known as the Sail Loft, in Point Hudson.

On Our Working Waterfront this month, Chris, Port Commissioner Pam, and Port Director Eron visit with Betsy Davis, Director of the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding (NWSWB), and Kevin Ritz, Lead Instructor for the school’s newest program, a six-month intensive course in Marine Systems. The Port and the NWSWB are sharing the exciting news that the School will now have an on-site campus extension right there in the Boatyard. We discuss the importance of apprenticeship and hands-on learning, and Kevin shares some stories about jobs that young student graduates have found with businesses in the Yard. Eron and Pam emphasize the economic value of having this synergy between the NWSWB and the Marine Trades at the Port. Betsy gives us an overview of the application process, scholarships, and financial opportunities for loans and grants that National Accreditation brings.

This month on Our Working Waterfront, Port Commissioner Pam Petranek took us on a stroll through Port Townsend’s busy Boatyard. We encountered Robin & Amanda, a young Swiss couple who stopped here for repairs on their world-wide cruising sailboat. Like many sailors who encounter our community, they’re falling in love with it. Then we visited two 100-year-old wooden boats and talk with the craftsmen who are tending to them: shipwright Brad, working on a 108-year-old commercial fishing boat from Seattle; and shipwrights Erik & Dylan, working on a local commercial fishing boat.

On this edition of Our Working Waterfront, Eron Berg, the Port’s Executive Director, gives us a recap of the past month’s activities around the busy Port. Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and Eron discuss the “Strong Towns” community conversation that took place February 4, along with some insightful responses from the public. We discuss our Port’s economic centers, the ongoing planning process in Quilcene, and then finish with highlights from the ship and boat yard. Businesses are seeking new
talent, sails are being recycled – and the Shipwright’s Co-op is celebrating 40 years of a successful journey!