Working Waterfront

KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek join students and faculty from the Coastal & Ocean Studies Program at Williams College and the Mystic Connecticut Seaport Museum for Part Two of a special tour of Port of Port Townsend’s boatyard. This episode is all about “the Catch” – fishing and life on the water! We’ll finish our conversation with Brian Dafforn, owner and captain of the Polaris, one of the twenty remaining vessels of the historic longliner fleet; Captain Ozzie Anderson, owner of the 1949 fishing tender Sunnyvale; and finally Rick Ottman, owner and captain of the schooner Cape Cleare, along with crew member Kaila Janders. 

Chris, Pam, and Eron join students and faculty from the Coastal & Ocean Studies Program at Williams College & the Mystic Connecticut Seaport Museum, for a special tour of Port or Port Townsend’s boatyard. In this episode, Part One of our visit, we meet up with Blaise Holly, alumnus of the Williams/Mystic Program and owner of Haven Boat Works, and then pay a visit to Brian Dafforn, owner and captain of the Polaris, one of the twenty remaining vessels of the historic longliner fleet.

Each month on alternate weeks, Tuesdays at 5:30 and Sundays at Noon, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker and his co-hosts, Port Director Eron Berg and Commissioner Pam Petranek bring you updates and stories from Port Townsend’s working waterfront. A new tradition was born this year, right here in our Boatyard!  A special celebration took place under the stars and in the glow of the full moon above the giant Marine Travelift. It was organized by the Port of Port Townsend and its sponsors to welcome our Fishing Fleet home. There were crew members, skippers, shipwrights and apprentices who keep these boats alive. There were brokers, townies, families, and children of all ages. They all gathered in a corner of the Yard for a truly local and authentic gathering. Roving the festivities with a field mic was never more fun!

Welcome to our extended format and new time slots! We’ll air in alternate weeks with KPTZ’s Community Tides, at 5:30pm on Tuesdays and at noon on Sundays.
Each month, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins his co-hosts, Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek, to explore people and stories surrounding our beloved Working Waterfront and Port. This month, seniors from Port Townsend High School tag along to tour the boatyard and visit some of its business owners, cooperatives, and artisans. Opportunities abound in our local maritime industry, which creates 20 percent of the jobs in Jefferson County – from entry-level employment, to mentorship and training, to eventual careers.

Each year the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce presents Leadership Awards in four categories: Business Leader, Citizen, Rising Entrepreneur, Young Professional, and Future Business Leader from our County’s youth. Pete and Kathy Langley are the 2023 recipients of the Business Leaders of the Year Award. They’ve been married and in business together at Port Townsend Foundry for over 40 years. Together, Pete and Kathy  share a life commitment to the phrase, “A Rising Tide lifts all boats.”  Both of them freely admit that it takes the two of them together to run their business! KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins co-hosts Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek for a Port update, and then a conversation with Pete and Kathy about what it means to create a “circular economy” here in this region, about their leadership and mentorship roles, and their longstanding involvement in our beloved community.

What kind of vision and resourcefulness does it take to fabricate frames for a small submarine, or come up with a physical solution for a broken fitting in the middle of nowhere?  Oh! And by the way, maybe repairing a tea pot now and then? Hosts Chris Bricker and Port Commissioner Pam Petranek find out the answers from Peter Chaffee, of Peter’s Marine, right here at the entrance to Boat Haven. Co-Host, Port of Port Commissioner Eron Berg also gives us our monthly recap of happenings around the Port.

Every month, KPTZ’S Chris Bricker, along with co-hosts Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg, bring you the news, issues, and stories of the people that make up our vibrant maritime community. In this repeat airing, our Port’s Capital Project Director and Port Engineer Matt Klontz gives us an ongoing projects update. Pam gives us some historical perspective on Point Hudson – from the S’Klallam peoples, to boatbuilding and the evolution of a seaport, to the present-day boatyard of Sea Marine. Partners Pat Shannon and Chris Bakken, friends since childhood, are shepherding trade, craft and apprenticeship into Point Hudson’s 21st Century.

Every month, KPTZ’S Chris Bricker, along with co-hosts Port Commissioner Pam Petranek and Port of Port Townsend’s Director Eron Berg, bring you the news, issues, and stories of the people that make up our vibrant maritime community.
This month, our Port’s Capital Project Director and Port Engineer Matt Klontz gives us an ongoing projects update. Pam gives us some historical perspective on Point Hudson – from the S’Klallam peoples, to boatbuilding and the evolution of a seaport, to the present-day boatyard of Sea Marine. Partners Pat Shannon and Chris Bakken, friends since childhood, are shepherding trade, craft and apprenticeship into Point Hudson’s 21st Century.

Each Month during the noon hour, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins his co-hosts, Port Director Eron Berg, and Port of Port Townsend Commissioner Pam Petranek, to bring you news and stories surrounding our vibrant Maritime Community. The fishing fleet is preparing for this upcoming season.  Most boats will be headed to Alaska.  Alaska has the most prolific commercial fishing industry in the United States, producing more harvest volume than all other states combined.  We’re heading out into the Boatyard today on Our Working Waterfront, to catch some of our hauled-out fishing fleet.  We’ll visit with Greg Friedrichs, Captain of the Arminta, Grant Fletcher of fishing tender O.L.Elgin, along with David Griswold from the Shipwright’s Co-Op, and Greg Veitenhans, aboard the Voyager as he preps for the season with helpers and fisherwomen Lauren and Brenna. The attached sound file is an update of the April 14 show.

Each Month during the noon hour, KPTZ’s Chris Bricker joins his co-hosts, Port Director Eron Berg, and Port of Port Townsend Commissioner Pam Petranek, to bring you news and stories surrounding our vibrant Maritime Community. The fishing fleet is preparing for this upcoming season.  Most boats will be headed to Alaska.  Alaska has the most prolific commercial fishing industry in the United States, producing more harvest volume than all other states combined.  We’re heading out into the Boatyard today on Our Working Waterfront, to catch some of our hauled-out fishing fleet.  We visit with Greg Friedrichs, Captain of the Arminta, Grant Fletcher of fishing tender O.L.Elgin, along with David Griswold from the Shipwright’s Co-Op, and Greg Veitenhans, aboard the Voyager as he preps for the season with helpers and fisherwomen Lauren and Brenna.