Nwm Star

WHO WE ARE

Weโ€™re many things, and at our core we are an organization that uses powerful maritime experiences to educate, inspire people to adventure, and celebrate our maritime culture. We do it for our own love of boats, in service to our community and maritime industry, but mostly because regardless of the subject, the sea is the most powerful teacher we know.

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Wooden Boat Festival

Early Bird Tickets on Sale Now

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Follow WA360

R2AK will be back 2026

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Youth Summer Camps

Registration is open!

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2025 Boatshop Workshops

Registration is open!

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Upcoming Events & Classes

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Latest Stories

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  • Nwmc Careerfair2025 102
    Volunteer Bulletin - May 2025
    By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Leadership Roles Available at the Wooden Boat Festival The 48th annual Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival takes place this year on September 5-7, and we...

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    Spring is in the Airโ€”and on the Water! Quarterly Update from Maritime High School
    As we conclude our third quarter, students in all grades have engaged deeply in hands-on learning, industry collaboration, and real-world maritime experiences. This quarter has been a powerful demonstration of...

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    Why Capsize Drills?
    By Chrissy McLean, NWM Career Launch Manager The water temperature is 47 degrees, your boat is flooded to the gunnels, and your crew isโ€ฆ smiling? Telling jokes? It sounds like youโ€™ve...

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    Volunteer Bulletin - April 2025
    By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator HAPPY VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION WEEK! Volunteers assist Northwest Maritime in nearly every aspect of our programming, and we are especially grateful to them all during Volunteer Appreciation...

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    Girls' Boat Project: The Sparkly Sea Slugs' Journey to the Water
    By Madison Maxwell, Girls' Boat Project Instructor What were you doing in middle school? I certainly was not holding power tools while wearing safety goggles in a boatshop. But this group...

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  • Volunteer Carl Berger hung a wonderful display of maritime artwork in the administrative offices.
    Volunteer Bulletin - March 2025
    By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Seeking regional (and local) postering assistance! We are hoping to get our fabulous WA360 poster posted in places where boaters, paddlers, and interested race...

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    Charting the Course
    Our 18 11th-graders participating in the MHS Vessel Operations, Design, & Maintenance pathway in partnership with Seattle Maritime Academy (SMA) are almost halfway through their two-year program.

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    PTMA: Boats launched for maiden voyages around Point Hudson
    Ever wondered what it would be like if you could substitute your average high school class to learn boat building skills in a boatshop perched on the shores of the...

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  • Volunteer Margot Desannoy
    Volunteer Bulletin - February 2025
    By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator VOLUNTEER APPRECIATION Welcome Center Assistance Appreciated A dedicated crew of ongoing volunteers are instrumental to staffing our Welcome Center. Special appreciation goes out to Mari Friend...

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    Printing the Sea: The She Tells Sea Tales Art Story
    Written by Eden Murrayhttps://www.edengrace.ca Hi there! My name is Eden, and I made a lino reduction print for the She Tells Sea Tells poster this year! The piece is named...

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  • (l-r) Volunteers Anne Jimenez, Kit Evans, Carl Berger and Patti Rowdabaugh assisted with WBF 20224 Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony.
    Volunteers are at the heart of the Northwest Maritime
    By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator Pictured above (l-r) Volunteers Anne Jimenez, Kit Evans, Carl Berger and Patti Rowdabaugh assisted with WBF 20224 Lifetime Achievement Awards ceremony. Volunteer Opportunities Weekend Welcome Center volunteers...

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  • PTMA students using the Pilothouse simulator
    PTMA: Stars, Charts and Digital Navigation
    โ€œI can plot courses on paper charts, identify latitude and longitude on a chart and explain the difference. I know the vessel rights of way hierarchy relating to the rules...

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    2024โ€”what a year!
    Hello friends!  Iโ€™m not sure about your familyโ€™s traditions at this time of year. For me, it's a time of connecting with family, avoiding fruitcake, then pouring a hot toddy and...

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  • Volunteers Harbormaster Rachelbradley 08
    Volunteers power Northwest Maritime all year long.
    By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator Thank you! Northwest Maritime is able to achieve its mission to engage and educate people of all generations in traditional and contemporary maritime life, in...

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    Team Longboat: Rowing together, growing together
    โ€œโ€ฆWe all row as a part of Bravo Team, a part of Bravo Team, a part of Bravo Team.  We all sail as a part of Bravo Team, a part...

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  • Pa171911
    Port Townsend Maritime Academyโ€™s Largest Class Ever Begins Their Maritime Journey
    Port Townsend Maritime Academyโ€™s (PTMA) Class of 2025 have taken to the stage in style, being the largest class size in PTMA history. Our students come from across the western shores...

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    Adventure Awaits: Team Longboatโ€™s Season is Underway!
    โ€œโ€ฆAnd weโ€™re bound away for Austraaaalia!โ€ We are three weeks into Team Longboat (formerly Bravo Team) with a motley crew of brand-new folks and seasoned returners! The returning crew has stepped...

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  • Day 1 Of The Wa360 Adventure Race
    Ready for WA360? Applications Open November 15!
    WA360 is finally back after four long years, and the cannon fires at 11 AM on June 28, 2025. If you missed it the first time or youโ€™re looking for...

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    Sparking Curiosity in the Maritime Discovery Program
    Whatโ€™s the salty equivalent of a jack-of-all-trades? A Maritime Discovery Program student. Master-of-none, however, might only apply since theyโ€™re often 5th graders. Each spring and fall, school groups from near...

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    Northwest Maritime partners with WA State Ferries to develop "Classroom on the Water" program for MHS students
    In their first week of school, Maritime High School (MHS) 12th graders had the opportunity to take their Classroom to the Water and spend the week with Washington State Ferries...

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    A Future in Maritime Careers: From First Festival to Summer Camps and PTMA then Cal Maritime
    By Mary Rothschild Because Northwest Maritime has had so much to do with the young man Matt is today, I wanted to update you on where he has landed. After graduating in...

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    WA360 Returns in 2025
    The wait is over. We've been dropping hints, teasing the possibilities, and now itโ€™s time to reveal the details of the next bucket list item that Northwest Maritime has cooked...

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    Maritime High School Partners with Harbor Island Shipyard to Launch New Marine Construction Pathway
    Maritime High School (MHS), a public choice school in the Highline School District operated in partnership with Northwest Maritime, Port of Seattle, and the Duwamish River Community Coalition, announces the...

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  • Sunset Looking North Hornbyisland 20220617 Julianlaffin 02
    August is Make-a-Will Month
    Whether youโ€™re 18 or 80, everyone needs a will, no matter how much money you might have. Now is a great time to gain peace of mind by planning for...

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    The Ultimate Guide to the 2024 Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival
    Welcome to your ultimate online guide to this year's most anticipated wooden boat celebration! Get an exclusive preview of a story from the soon-to-be-released festival program. Explore the highlights, special...

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    The Heartbeat of Northwest Maritime: Stories from Our Volunteers
    By Roberta Sommer, NWM Volunteer Coordinator We know well that the power of volunteers catapults the reach of our events and programs to more people throughout our region. For most of...

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    Maritime High School Students Complete Year One of Marine Engineering Program
    Our intrepid cohort of 17 Maritime High School juniors completed the first half of their two-year Marine Engineering Tech program at Seattle Maritime Academy (SMA). All the students have either...

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    MHS Mentors Connect Students to Maritime Careers
    Maritime High Schoolโ€™s Mentorship Program is an important component of the schoolโ€™s educational design. Paired with professionals from across the maritime field, students explore career paths while practicing networking skills...

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    Salish Sea Expeditions: Curiosity at Sea
    by Simona Clausnitzer, School Programs Manager As the evening dusk lingers, stars begin to appear in the sky. Students gather on deckโ€”itโ€™s been an action-packed day of sailing and science, but...

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    Charting a Course: The PTMA Pathway to Maritime Careers
    By Robin Mills, NWM Program Director Pride, inspiration, and validation. I felt all of it and more tonight at the end-of-the-year celebration for the Port Townsend Maritime Academy (PTMA), our maritime...

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    Summer Fun at Northwest Maritime
    This summer, make your way to Northwest Maritimeโ€™s Port Townsend campus for memorable maritime adventures. Perfect for day-trippers or those seeking a casual visit, our summer activities offer something for...

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  • Gbblaunch24 Photo From Peo Philanthropic Education Organization Visit
    Girls' Boat Project: Launching Sea Star
    Over the past few weeks, we have been working hard to wrap up all our projects. First, it was all hands on deck to assemble and glue up tool trays....

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    Bravo Team's Five-Day Island Adventure
    With calloused hands, warm hearts, and soaring spirits, Bravo Team returns from Journey! Five days out in the islands and four nights under a blanket of stars have left us...

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    R2AK VIII: Race Preview
    In 2015, the Race to Alaska was unleashed like a rubber duck in a tsunami. It grew from a wild dare to a testament of human grit and marine mastery,...

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    SEVENTY48 2024: Paddles Up, Community Strong
    Since its inaugural splash in 2018, SEVENTY48 has evolved from a daunting challenge into a yearly beacon for the PNW paddling community. This isnโ€™t just a race; itโ€™s a rallying...

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  • Northwest Maritimeโ€™s Welcome Center Debuts May 9
    Northwest Maritime Center will celebrate the opening of its new Welcome Center on May 9 with a Grand Opening celebration for the community. The former โ€œChandleryโ€ store space has been transformed...

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    Bravo Team: Preparing for Adventure in the San Juan Islands
    Bravo Team is excitedly preparing for adventure. With most of the students onboard to head up to the San Juan Islands in early May. We have been working hard to...

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    Girls' Boat Project: Shop Skills, Sun, and Skiffs
    Happy Spring! As the days get longer and warmer, the girls have been expanding on their shop skills and spending time out in the sun too. We are all looking...

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  • WA360 Adventure Race Returns Summer 2025
    WA360 will return next summer. WA360 is 360 miles of engineless, unsupported boat racing through the worst and most diverse water puzzles Washington State offers.

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  • Bravo Team: Sailing into Spring
    With longer days and warmer weather on the way, our band of singing, sailing, and rowing comrades are merrily, cheerily refining our maritime skills aboard our trusted vessel Townshend.

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  • Maritime High School 11th Graders Earn Merchant Mariner Credentials
    Our 18 11th-graders participating in the MHS Vessel Operations, Design, & Maintenance pathway in partnership with Seattle Maritime Academy (SMA) are almost halfway through their two-year program.

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  • Join Us at the Maritime Career Fair!
    Northwest Maritime Center is all about connecting people to opportunities on the water. That's why we're excited to invite you to our Maritime Career Fair on Saturday, March 16, from...

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  • New Volunteer Opportunity: Join the Welcome Center Team!
    Just a little too much time on your hands? Enjoy engaging with people in a fun environment? Want to share your knowledge of our historic region, the sea, or boating...

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  • Girls' Boat Project: Hands-On Learning & Heartfelt Fun
    Over the past 6 weeks, the girls have been getting to know each other, our boat, and many of the tools in the shop. We began with the foundations of...

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  • Bravo Team: Hoist the Sails and Sing Along!
    Bravo Team Sea Shanty (Sung to the melody of Yellow Submarine) In the town where we all live There is a boat that sails the winds We pack the cart and wheel is there Jump...

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  • Dylan Rondeau Remembered with Community Investments
    Rondeau Family Creates Funds at Northwest Maritime Center and Jefferson Community Foundation The family of Dylan Rondeau has chosen to honor his life by making two $100,000 gifts, one to Northwest...

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  • Port Townsend Maritime Academy Students Earn Drill Conductor Card
    This yearโ€™s Port Townsend Maritime Academy (PTMA) students recently completed six weeks of training to earn their Alaska Marine Safety Education Association (AMSEA) Drill Conductor Card. This US Coast Guard-approved...

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  • Experiential Exploration: 9th Grade at Maritime High School
    By Joe Cline, Managing Editor of 48ยฐ North Application Window for New Students Open Until January 31, 2024 Think back to the start of high school. Did you have options? Many students...

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  • Bravo Team: Wood Ships and Friendships
    There are good ships, and wood ships, the ships that sail the sea, but the best ships are friendships, and may that always be! And then there are wood ships! Anyone...

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  • Girls' Boat Project 2024
    For girls age 11โ€“14 (6thโ€“8th grade) Registration for our spring sessions is now open! Girls' Boat Project meets on Wednesdays from 1:30 to 4:30 PM from April 10 through May 8,...

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  • Winter Construction Will Bring Welcome Changes to Northwest Maritime Center
    Weโ€™re excited to announce plans to begin construction on two major projects this January, including a major remodel of the former Wooden Boat Chandlery space and a beach repair project!...

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  • Cummings Makes $25,000 Gift and Challenges Community to Support Real World Readiness Program
    Long-time Northwest Maritime Center donor and volunteer Sigrid Cummings has made a $25,000 gift to support the organizationโ€™s expanded Real World Readiness program, and invites the community to match her...

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  • Historic Vessel from NWMC Takes Center Stage in New Museum Exhibit
    A historic boat from Northwest Maritime Centerโ€™s collection will be getting its time in the limelight with a new exhibit at Seattleโ€™s Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). The Husky...

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  • Port Townsend Maritime Academy Students Dive into Outboard Operations
    This month Port Townsend Maritime Academy students have been working through their Outboard Operations Unit. Students pair up as helm and crew in Kachemak 10ft inflatable aluminum hulled boats to...

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  • Bravo Team: Learning the Ropes
    Nothing like closing out the year with full steam, as our group of young longboaters literally learns the ropes. Bravo Team is in full swing, and getting the feel for...

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  • Bravo Team is Back on the Water
    Leaves are changing color, days are getting shorter, and Bravo Team is back on the water! We have a full team of middle and high school students from the Port...

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  • SEA Marine Makes Gift to Maritime Discovery Program
    Full service boatyard SEA Marine has made a $30,000 gift to the Northwest Maritime Centerโ€™s Maritime Discovery Program. The gift, given over three years, will help underwrite the cost of...

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  • Dorjunโ€™s New Adventure
    When Emilia met Dorjun, neither of them knew that seven years later, theyโ€™d be embarking together on a new adventure. Once a shy and soft-spoken 7th grader, Emilia Ramsey first came...

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  • Port Townsend Maritime Academy Kicks Off the 2023-2024 School Year
    Port Townsend Maritime Academy is kicking off the 2023-2024 school year with a whole host of fresh new faces, and a few familiar ones. Our students come from as far away...

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  • Maritime High School announces partnership with the Seattle Maritime Academy
    Innovative and groundbreakingโ€”a partnership between Highline Public Schools, Northwest Maritime Center, and Seattle Maritime Academy (SMA) has officially been established to further address the increasing need for maritime employees.  Since opening...

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  • Towboat Golf Classic 2023
    September 15, 2023 | The Golf Club at New Castle Formerly the Towboat Golf Invitational, this annual maritime networking and fundraising event now benefits Maritime High School. Foursomes and sponsorships are filling quickly. Reserve...

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  • Applying Real-world Learning to a Seattle Waterfront Redesign
    10th-grade Maritime High School Students Dive into Urban Development This last spring, Maritime High School's 10th-grade students completed an inspiring waterfront design project that showcased the true power of project-based learning...

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  • MHS Mentor Highlight: Kimberly Cartagena, Centerline Logistics
    I found out about Maritime High School during its ideation phase and it was exciting to see it come to fruition. I was approached by MHS administration about becoming a...

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  • A Successful Spring for Salish Sea Expeditions
    By Dustin Vail, Salish Sea Expeditions Operations Coordinator Salish Sea Expeditions' spring programming has officially lowered sail for the seasonโ€ฆ but what an incredible season it was! From March to June...

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  • From Classroom to Coastline: A Look at the Achievements of PTMA Graduates
    This week, twelve students became the most recent graduates of our Port Townsend Maritime Academy (PTMA) program, run in partnership with West Sound Tech and the Port Townsend School District....

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  • Bravo Team: Setting Sail on the Historic Schooner Martha
    Last week, Bravo Team was invited to sail on the 1907-built B.B. Crowninshield schooner Martha. This was the culminating visit after Bravo Team contributed to re-rigging and refreshing Martha for...

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  • A New Perspective: Bravo Team's One Day Journey
    We had a hatch full of snacks, a forecast for sun and light wind, and a small boat to adventure inโ€”Bravo Team was ready for our full-day expedition! We were...

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  • Race to Alaska 2023. Get Ready.
    By Jesse Weigel, Race Boss Somewhere between the harbour of Sydney, Australia (where one aspirant still hasnโ€™t begun his solo ocean crossing to the start line), and a country lane just...

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  • Maritime Opportunities for High Schoolers
    Do you know a high schooler who is interested in the sea or a maritime career? Check out these exciting opportunities that are accepting applicants now! Dock Attendant We are in our...

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  • Bravo Team: The Garry Oak Project
    By Sean Bunting, Bravo Team Instructor Every year, Bravo Team donates time to an environmental project, giving something to the local community and strengthening the health of our local ecology. In...

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  • Get Your Tickets to Foulies & Food Trucks
    On April 14, join us down on the banks of the Duwamish at SeaTac Marine Services in your foul weather gear and get ready for a memorable and one-of-a-kind evening...

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  • Real World Readiness: Expanded Opportunities
    The Real World Readiness (RWR) program started in 2018 as a partnership between the Northwest Maritime Center and Jefferson County Juvenile Services to create the opportunity for youth connected to...

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  • Bravo Team: Confidence Grows
    By Sean Bunting, Bravo Team Instructor You get to a certain point in an undertaking where things start to get easier. Bravo Team, as a crew, has definitely put the work...

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  • Keeping the Fleet Afloat: Winter Maintenance Season at NWMC
    The smell of sawdust, paint, and epoxy is in the air. We're in the midst of fleet maintenance season here at the Northwest Maritime Center and that means a busy,...

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  • Register Now for 2023 Youth Summer Camps & Classes!
    Registration for our youth summer camps and classes is now open, and we have some exciting new changes and updates to share with you. First off, we are offering double the...

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  • Learn-by-Doing: Maritime High School Students Dive into the Maritime Industry
    Itโ€™s almost mid-way through year two of Maritime High School (MHS), and the 9th- and 10th-grade classes have been busy engaging in frequent boat-based learning trips and field experiences with...

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  • Bravo Team: Haulout for the New Year
    By Sean Bunting, Bravo Team Instructor Sometimes itโ€™s best to start a new year fresh. Bravo Team took this idea and ran with it (rowed with it?) all the way to...

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  • Bravo Team: Winter on the Water
    By Chrissy McLean, Bravo Team Captain This year's Bravo Team crew has been practicing the art of shoulder season on the water. We have been lucky in dodging the winter storms...

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  • Girls' Boat Project: Transom Building & Tool Practice!
    By Taylor Austin, Girls' Boat Project Instructor Over the past few weeks in the shop, the group has been focused on skill-building and practicing with various tools as we continue building...

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  • From Messing About in Boats to Cal Maritime Cadet
    Speech by Matthew Rothschild, NWMC Program Alumnus & Cal Maritime Academy Student, from Navigator Night Out 2022 I graduated in 2020 from Port Townsend High School and the Port Townsend Maritime...

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  • The Race to Alaska Movie: Now Available On-Demand
    Created by R2AK Film Boss Zach Carver and his team of filmmakers, The Race to Alaska movie is a visceral film showcasing the camaraderie of the racers and the competition of the...

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  • Bravo Team: Becoming a Team
    By Sean Bunting, Bravo Team Instructor Itโ€™s that time of year again. Driving rains reinvigorate dry ground, bitter winds gust through the land, wood stoves across the state are reawakenedโ€”and two...

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  • Girls' Boat Project: Boatshop Basics & Bandsaw Practice!
    By Taylor Austin, Girls' Boat Project Instructor Since our last update about the Girlsโ€™ Boat Project return, we have been getting underway familiarizing ourselves with the tools in the shop, the...

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  • Girlsโ€™ Boat Project Returns!
    This week on Wednesday, October 5, we had our first meeting of the Girlsโ€™ Boat Project program for this season! With eight students and two instructors, we are stoked to...

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  • Back to School, Maritime-Style
    The smell of fall is in the air, which means students in Northwest Maritime Centerโ€™s (NWMCโ€™s) partner programs are back in the classroom and in the field. In both Port...

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  • NWMC Hosts Teaching With Small Boats Alliance Conference this November
    By Jake Beattie, Executive Director โ€œThe sea is the most powerful teacher we knowโ€ is something we say at the Northwest Maritime Center because we believe it to the core. The...

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  • Salish Sea Expeditions: Manson Options School, May 2022
    By Abbie Smith, SSE Program Manager Back in May, a group consisting of 7th, 8th, and 9th graders from Manson Options School boarded schooner Zodiac for an expedition for the first...

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  • The โ€œLesser Knownโ€ Heroes of Race to Alaska
    By Daniel Evans, Race Boss For the first half of 2022, the Northwest Maritime Center has been putting out a beehiveโ€™s worth of activity: sailing and cruising camps, a solid finish...

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  • Canoe do it? Yes, we can!
    By Tyson Trudel, Maritime Education Manager In January, Maritime High Schoolโ€™s (MHS) inaugural class began their third project of the yearโ€”exploring the topic of vessels and voyages, looking at different vessel...

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  • Salish Sea Expeditions: Hyla School, June 2022
    By Abbie Smith, SSE Program Manager We ended our spring season with a four-day trip on Schooner Zodiac with a group of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders from Hyla School. We...

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  • Maritime Discovery Program: Revived After a Three-Year Break
    By Nancy Israel, Education Program Co-Manager The Maritime Discovery Program was very successfully revived after a three-year break! This year, we worked with 20 Quilcene Middle School 7th and 8th graders...

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  • Maritime High School Kayaking Trip
    By Danika Brown, Maritime High School Student Blogger Another great field trip awaited us Maritime High School students as we got our foul weather gear and got prepared to go kayaking...

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  • SEVENTY48: Medals made from other metals
    By Daniel Evans, Race Boss Love and joy never really come up in phrases involving SEVENTY48, and only to say things like, โ€œIt was such a joy not to race this...

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  • Race to Alaska: Replacing Doomscrolling with High Fives
    By Daniel Evans, Race Boss Artisanal cheese. Guns Nโ€™ Roses. Corn smut. Race to Alaska. At first glance, these are really bad ideas, but GNR won the World Music Award...

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  • Salish Sea Expeditions: Odyssey Middle School, April 2022
    In April, Odyssey Middle School joined Salish Sea Expeditions on an adventure to Blake Island. Two groups of seventh and eighth graders explored the Canada goose-covered island for one night...

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  • Bravo Team: hosting an adventure!
    Bravo team ended their year together with a one day journey from Point Hudson to Rat Island (about a mile across the bay). We were excited to spend the day...

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  • Manson Construction Site Visit
    By Danika Brown, Maritime High School Student Blogger At 8:30 am, my fellow Maritime High School students and I got our foul-weather gear packed up in our bags and got our...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Vashon Nature Center
    Vashon Nature Centerโ€™s mission is to provide transformative nature experiences through research, education, and community science for the benefit of our island home and the entire Salish Sea. We conduct...

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  • Let's Build a Canoe!
    By Danika Brown, Maritime High School Student Blogger We started working in the woodshop on February 28, and my fellow classmates and I were thrilled to be working there. With a...

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  • Artwork Inventory Crew ROCKED IT!
    In the waning days of 2021, we put out an unusual volunteer requestโ€”an all-points bulletin for a small team to inventory the collection of artwork and nauticalia that has gathered...

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  • A Volunteer Update From Our Public Engagement Manager
    โ€œVolunteering is the ultimate exercise in democracy... you vote in elections once a year, but when you volunteer, you vote every day about the kind of community you want to...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Samantha Griswold of Glosten
    I work as a Marine Engineer at Seattle-based maritime consultancy, Glosten. I grew up on the south shore of Long Island, New York, where I spent every summer boating in...

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  • Old & New Traditions
    by Mara Mersai, Maritime High School Student Blogger Hello! Mara Mersai here. Over the school year, MHS students have been interviewing people about their role from different parts of the maritime...

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  • Bravo team: slow is smooth and smooth is fast
    By Chrissy McLean, Bravo Team Co-Captain There is a saying that slow is smooth and smooth is fast.  According to the internet, the saying originated with the Navy Seals. In any case,...

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  • First Fed Gives $1 Million to Northwest Maritime Center to Expand Access
    We have some exciting news to share! First Fed Bank, which has been an incredible supporter of the Northwest Maritime Center and our programs and events for many years through...

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  • Ask an Expert Presents: LGBTQ+ and Finding My Way in the Maritime Industry
    By Susan Brittain. Get your free ticket to the LGBTQ+ panel with Susan Brittain on March 17 here! โ€œI believe that no one should ever have to choose between a career we...

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  • Meet Joel Arrington: Boatshop Manager, Class Instructor, and Fly Fishing Extraordinaire
    Joel Arrington is the instructor of our Boatshop Workshops at the Northwest Maritime Center. We sat down with Joel to learn a little more about him, what drew him to...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Brian Kirk of WA State Department of Ecology
    My name is Brian Kirk. Iโ€™m fortunate to be the Spill Prevention Section Manager with the Washington State Department of Ecologyโ€™s Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response program. Washington has some...

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  • Plastics Are a Problem: Our Unit on Plastic Pollution
    By Chanel Young, Maritime High School Student Blogger Sometime after we returned from winter break, we started working on our social media campaign (humanities class) and ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) boat...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Amanda Carr of Plauchรฉ & Carr LLP
    When I learned of plans to open a regional Maritime High School using hands-on, project-based learning to create access to local maritime careers, I jumped at the opportunity to serve...

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  • New School, New Start at MHS
    By Giselle Esparza, MHS Student Blogger My name is Giselle Esparza, and my experience at Maritime High School has been great! Previously, I attended a massive school in Arizona where it...

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  • Bravo Team- Confidence and Leadership Grows
    By Nancy Israel, Bravo Team Co-Captain Bravo Team this year is a group of creative and caring middle and high school students from Port Townsend's alternative learning program, OCEAN. We've really...

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  • Girls' Boat Project is Back!
    We are so excited to finally restart our Girls Boat Project program  this week! In the Girlsโ€™ Boat Project, middle school girls gain skills and have fun in the maritime trades. They learn woodworking and boat maintenance...

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  • New Year, New Hotel: The Swan Joins the NWMC Family!
    Happy New Year! We bought a hotel! You probably already know, as we announced our intentions back in June, that the future of our growing campus includes the Swan Hotelโ€”a 13-room...

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  • Preserving the Old While Building the New: The Schooner Martha Main Mast Project
    By Joel Arrington, NWMC Boatshop Manager, and Robert d'Arcy โ€œBuilt in 1907 for San Francisco Yacht Club Commodore J. R. Hanify, and named after his wife, Martha Fitzmaurice Hanify, Martha is...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Wilbur "JC" Clark of Pacific Pile & Marine
    My name is Wilbur Clark. I am the Chief Operating Officer for Pacific Pile & Marine, a heavy-civil marine construction firm based in the South Park neighborhood of Seattle. I...

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  • Onboard the Admiral Jack
    By Mara Mersai, Maritime High School Student Blogger Hello! Mara Mersai here. Sometime after the beginning of this quarter, we were introduced to voyage planning, where we learned about the different...

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  • Bravo Team...All Skills Are Learned Skills
    I have a personal philosophy: all skills are learned and anyone can learn a skill. This doesn't mean that everyone masters a skill easily, but that we all have the...

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  • Akeyla Behrenfeld: SEVENTY48 Is Only The Beginning
    Speech by Akeyla Behrenfeld from Navigator Night Out 2021 Hello, my name is Akeyla Behrenfeld. I am 14 years old, and I participated in two of the SEVENTY48 races the Maritime...

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  • Chuck Henry, Volunteer of the Year
    Chuck Henry moved from a small midwest town to Port Townsend in 1977, and that same year, he and his wife happened to attend the first Wooden Boat Festival by...

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  • Introducing the Maritime High School Bloggers!
    Hello! My name is Mara Mersai, and I am one of the bloggers for Maritime High School (MHS)! What interested me to choose MHS is that it focuses more on...

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  • The High School Sailing Team's Fall Season is in Full Swing!
    By Alyce Flanagan, High School Sailing Team Coach, and Ace Spragg, Adult Programs Manager Sailors Lhotse Rowell and Sevryn Rust hike out as they come into pressure at sailing practice on...

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  • Field Trip On a Boat? Yes!
    By Nancy Israel, Education Program Manager In October and November this year, up to 240 8th graders from six middle schools representing diverse communities south of Seattle have been given the...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Lindsay Holladay Van Damme of foundry10
    I have dedicated my career to inspiring the next generation of ocean-lovers. From feeding wolf eels underwater and talking with guests as an aquarium interpretive diver, to answering questions about...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Joe Youcha of Building to Teach
    My name is Joe Youcha. Iโ€™m the Founder and Director of Building To Teach, a train-the-trainer program for hands-on math instructors, and a proud community collaborator of Maritime High School....

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  • The Port Townsend Maritime Academy is Back in Session
    By Colleen Oโ€™Brien (NWMC Instructor for the PTMA) You know that moment when perspective happens? When enough time has passed to inform your opinion, your success (or failure)? Thatโ€™s where we...

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  • The First Month of School at Maritime High School
    By Tyson Trudel, Maritime Education Manager After months of work and through the combined efforts of the lead partnersโ€”Highline Public schools, Northwest Maritime Center, Duwamish River Clean-up Coalition (DRCC), and Port of Seattleโ€”Maritime High...

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  • Meet Point Hudson's New Dock Attendants
    We are excited to be partnering with the Port of Port Townsend this summer to provide Dock Attendants for Point Hudson! Four young people, some of whom have been students...

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  • Open Window School
    Who enjoys a three hour bus ride? Enthusiastic students from Bellevue's Open Window School that's who! A group of 31 excited sixth graders came to Northwest Maritime Center on June...

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  • 7th Grade Maritime Discovery Program 2021
    Considering the pandemic circumstances, we were thrilled to offer a modified Maritime Discovery program with the Port Townsend School District/Blue Heron Middle School in June. Our main goals were fun,...

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  • WA360 Race Recap: Finding Community and Connection in Our Home Waters
    What started as a substitute race for the second year of cancelling the Race to Alaska, became an adventure that blew away expectations and had racers and fans alike enamored...

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  • NWMC Campus Update: Big News!
    Hello Friends, Let's be honest, there's a lot going on. SEVENTY48 just happened and WA360's 1st place team, High Seas Drifters, finished two hours ago, living up to their boat's name...

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  • A Year Like No Other: Port Townsend Maritime Academy 2021
    By Kelley Watson of West Sound Technical Skills Center and the Port Townsend School District Needless to say, the two staff and fifteen students from this year's Port Townsend Maritime Academy...

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  • Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Thomas Barrett of Manson Construction Co.
    As a company that started tending to the Seattle waterfront in 1905 and has been a fixture of the Duwamish River community for the 116 years since, you might understand our feeling...

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  • A raingarden makes a big difference!
    Each year, Bravo Team studies both maritime expedition skills and our marine environment. As we build our knowledge of the Salish Sea, we consider service projects that we could complete...

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  • WA360: A new adventure starting June 7, 2021
    WA360. A celebration. An adventure. 360 miles of engineless, unsupported boat racing, circling Puget Sound. We stole the framework of Race to Alaska, because the Canadians still wonโ€™t let us...

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  • Real World Readiness: Encouraging consistency, competency, and connection
    Intro by Sonia Frojen, School Program Coordinator Real World Readiness (RWR) is a Northwest Maritime Center job-readiness program for adjudicated youth that encourages consistency, competency, and connection. One of our students...

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  • Bravo Team is Back!
    On March 4 Bravo Team students and instructors happily reunited at NWMC! Students from the OCEAN program at Port Townsend School District have been meeting online every Thursday all school...

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  • Marvelous Mistakes and the courage that follows
    A glimpse into the powerful project-based learning students will experience at south King Countyโ€™s new Maritime High School starting this fall. Stephanie Burns is an educator with 25 years of experience...

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  • Say hello to our new COO
    Hello Friends! I want to introduce you to our newest member of the leadership team: Katie Oman who has just accepted the position of Chief Operations Officer here at the Maritime...

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  • Studying the Salish Sea
    Bravo Team has been meeting weekly online since September. While we'd all prefer to be on the water, we are enjoying this time to learn more about where we live-...

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  • View from Sit Spot at Point Hudson
    Bravo Team Adapts to the Times
    Greetings! It's been a while since our last post back in mid-March. Bravo Team started up again in October with a virtual format. We meet every Thursday on Zoom for...

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  • Kelley Watson and the Port Townsend Maritime Academy Graduation
    Kelley Watson reflects on the Port Townsend Maritime Academy school year and graduation. I had forgotten until last night that our first week of school, we didnโ€™t even have classroom space....

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  • Rowing, Sailing and Singing
    Light north wind, sunshine, flood current and tide rips made for a good longboat adventure today. After settling on a date for our Beach Clean up and picking our sweatshirt...

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  • GBP: Framing our Skunk Island Skiff
    Our March 5th meeting of Girls Boat Project brought teamwork towards progress on our Skunk Island Skiff. Last week we attached the bottom, this week our focus was to install...

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  • Planning Day
    It was a windy day in Port Townsend Bay and Bravo Team was held ashore. Our COI (Certificate of Inspection) states that we aren't able to head out in over...

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  • Sunshine, Shanties, and Skiff Building
    The last meeting for the month of February brought sunny skies for us to enjoy and planning for us to look forward too. As we all assembled, we discussed our...

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  • What Are Your Echos?
    Sunny winter weather continued this week, so Bravo team was out on the water again. We are working towards a 5 day journey this spring and each week we build...

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  • Beach Time, Boat Time
    February sunshine in the northwest is a magnet like nothing else, drawing sun starved northwesterners outside like moths to a flame. This week it was so nice out that we...

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  • Good Day Sunshine
    It was sunny, the wind was light, and we had just launched our freshly painted and oiled boat Townshend- what could be better than heading out for an afternoon on...

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  • Onward Winter Maintenance
    For the past two weeks, the girls have focused on maintenance of our boat, Onward. We spent time last week sanding and varnishing oars. This week, we painted the hull...

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  • Environmental Project Planning Day
    Bravo Team took advantage of a shore day due to a small craft advisory to dive into planning our environmental project. We also took some time to go out to...

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  • Splash and Haul
    Bravo Team has been waiting for this day for over a month.  After spending four weeks working on Townshend in the NWMC boatshop, today we were able to splash her back...

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  • GBP: Post Snowfall Meeting
    The fifth Wednesday of January brought us together and once again in the shop, moving forward with our Skunk Island Skiff and each of the girls' respective bench projects. Our...

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  • Fun in the Boatshop
    This was our third week working in the boatshop on Townshend maintenance. We worked hard even with a smaller crew this week. One of the students had a broken wrist...

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  • Longboat Love
    Longboat love means taking care of the longboat so she will take care of us! When we relaunch her in February, we will be able to take pride in our...

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  • Maintenance Season
    Our trusty longboat Townshend came out of the water this week for her annual maintenance. We had mixed feelings about it- we all missed being on the water, but were...

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  • Angles and pilot holes
    After two weeks off for winter break, it was great to be back in the shop again this week. We started our day with snacks and sharing about our winter...

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  • Three Sheets Northwest Donated to Northwest Maritime Center, Merges with 48ยฐ North
    When the ball dropped on New Years Eve, amidst the (hopefully mild) public displays of affection, something else thrilling happened. As of January 1, 2020, Three Sheets Northwest, the highly-respected...

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  • Happy Holidays!
    This week the Girls Boat Project had a holiday party! The girls brought homemade treats and we had an enjoyable time sharing our goodies. We also watched The Peking Battles...

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  • Tis' the Season
    It's the season for small craft advisories with strong wind and rain! We started our day ashore with team building activities that helped us to incorporate 2 new team members....

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  • The Making of a Crew
    Week 11 of the Girls Boat Project brought big winds and continued excitement to be working together in the shop and picking up where we left off with the Skunk...

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  • Squall Drill Day
    Bravo Team has been very lucky this fall with many opportunities to get on the water.  Today we had a clear 18 knot sustained wind out of the South, with...

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  • Power Strokes
    Today was a calm and warm-ish day for December in Port Townsend. We took the opportunity to plan a mini-adventure and rowed Townshend down to Indian Point, which is just past...

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  • A Boat Shape Emerges
    This week we headed back into the shop after the Thanksgiving break. We were all happy to be back together and shared stories of our favorite Thanksgiving foods and things...

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  • Port Townsend Maritime Academy Skills Center Overboard Training
    Port Townsend Maritime Academy
    If you've been on campus recently, you've undoubtedly seen some pretty cool things our students are doingโ€”cold-water emergency drill training, extinguishing controlled fires with the East Jefferson Fire Rescue, and...

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  • Sunny Sailing in November!
    Bravo team is getting the best of luck with the weather on Thursdays this year! We took advantage of the beautiful sunny day and got out on the water as...

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  • Sunshine and Shop Time
    It was sunny this week and we were excited to continue our shop projects. We got creative and set up our hand tool projects outside on the picnic tables. It...

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  • Testing our Hypotheses
    Bravo Team has been focusing on scientific sampling this fall. Students have been practicing with scientific equipment and we have been measuring temperature, salinity, pH, and secchi depth each time...

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  • GBP: First Phases of Skiff Building
    The first week of November brought us back in to the Northwest Maritime Center boat shop, with much excitement to get our hands on more tools and continue with our...

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  • Back Aboard Townshend
    We got out on the longboat Townshend for the first time this year. We had a light wind day and more students, so we thought we'd get back to our...

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  • Halloween Sail
    Some of us showed up in costume today, although it was hard to tell under all our warm layers! It was a rare day to have sunshine and light wind...

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  • Girl Power, Sail Power!
    The end of October has brought breezy afternoons and soft light to our bay-side town, and on week four of the Girls' Boat Project, we took to the water with...

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  • Science on the Water
    It was a still day on the water and a great chance to do some science sampling. After getting to know the science gear last week, students were ready to...

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  • Studying Science
    Science was the focus of today's Bravo team class. With windy weather and a small craft advisory posted, we were not able to go boating. Instead, we focused on learning...

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  • Rowing Onward!
    We were lucky to have sunshine and calm conditions for our first time out rowing with this crew. Onward was our vessel of choice today for the number of students...

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  • Skill-building in the NWMC Boat Shop
    For week two of the Girls Boat Project program at the Northwest Maritime Center, we spent time in the boat shop. As our group arrived, winds picked up gradually -...

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  • Back on the Water with the Girls' Boat Project
    This week commenced the first Wednesday afternoon of the Fall session of the Girls Boat Project at the Northwest Maritime Center. Some who joined in on the fun - students...

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  • Bravo Team: More than Just Boating
    Today was the first day of Bravo Team for the school year. We started off our day playing some fun games to get acquainted with each other and reminding ourselves...

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  • Seafaring in the San Juans
    โ€œIf you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people.โ€ โ€” Chinese proverb Last...

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  • Viking Faering Boatbuilding at the Northwest Maritime Center
    Viking Faering in Progress in the Boatshop!
    There are vikings in the Boatshop and they've been busy! Students have been working with local materials and traditional tools which were selected to mimic the characteristics of what the...

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  • Longboat Explorers science camp
    This week was the first ever Longboat Explorers camp! This 4 day camp was a combined program with Port Townsend Marine Science Center.  Students spent the first day at the...

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  • Salish Sea Science Summer Longboat Voyage 2019
    Salish Sea Sciences, based in Friday Harbor, WA, (https://salishseasciences.org/) and the Northwest Maritime Center, collaborated in a double longboat convoy the last week of June.  The focus of the voyage...

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  • Japanese Boat Building theme at 2019 Wooden Boat Festival
    You may have heard about our new boatshop courseโ€”Japanese Boat Building with Douglas Brooks, August 24-28โ€”but you may not have heard about what an incredible opportunity this is. In Japan, design...

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  • Meet Lead Adult Program Instructor Samuel Swenson-Daly
    Samuel hails from the great inland sea of Lake Michigan where the seagulls are much smaller, but the water's just as cold. He grew up with stories of his Kiwi...

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  • Chimacum Maritime Discovery Program - 12th Year!
    We are in our third day of hosting all of the Seventh Grade Chimacum School District 7th graders for their end-of-the year Maritime Discovery Program.  With collaboration from Centrum, we...

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  • We Made This!
    Last Wednesday was the final regular day of the Girls' Boat Project for this year. We started off with a sail on Onward and enjoyed the sunny day on the...

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  • Bravo Team End of Year Thoughts
    The end of year came sneaking up on all of us this spring. Bravo Team had a final class last week which included a guest, Sara Poindexter, from Patagonia.  We are...

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  • Northwest Maritime Center summer sailing camp
    NWMC camper talks about her sailing camp experience
    NWMC camper Winnie Colvin told us about her sailing camp experience and what she did with her new-found confidence. Sailing camp was one of the best camps I did last...

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  • Northwest Maritime Center volunteer Robert Hodge
    Volunteer Highlight: Robert Hodge
    Tell us a little bit about yourself. Well, Iโ€™m from a small farm town 45 miles outside Chicago and have lived in Seattle about ten years. I taught myself to...

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  • A Magical Overnight Journey
    On May 6th and 7th the Bravo Team set out on our journey. The students had been training all year to learn the skills they needed to row, sail, navigate...

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  • Shop Projects Are Almost Done
    This week was our last day in the shop for this year. Everyone to got their projects to a completed stage so they are ready to take home next week. The...

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  • Soundings and Singing
    Today was our last day of class before our one-night Bravo Team Journey next week.  Honing in on the last pieces of logistics before Journey was the goal of today's class. After...

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  • Optimism Turns to Realism
    The pessimist complains about the wind; The optimist expects it to change; The realist adjusts the sails. -William Arthur Ward Last Saturday, the Girls Boat Project had planned to take a full day journey...

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  • Journey is 10 days Away!
    Bravo Team has been working diligently to prepare for the upcoming overnight journey on May 6-7. We started the day by reviewing the tenet "Boat, Crew, Self" as a way...

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  • Speed = Distance / Time...
    ...or another way to put it, plan to row unless you have wind.  Then go sailing, unless it's on your nose.  Always look at the current guides to literally, go...

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  • Bravo Team Service Project in Action!
    Each year, Bravo Team chooses an environmental topic that we are concerned about. We study it and then we choose a service project that we can do to have a...

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  • Journey Planning Begins
    Spring is here and that means we are getting ready for more time on the water. The Girls' Boat takes a one day journey every spring. The girls are involved...

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  • Volunteer Highlight: KrisAnne Meyer
    Whether itโ€™s climbing volcanoes in Mexico City or building a school for orphans with AIDS in Tanzania, there are two core themes that are important to NWMC volunteer KrisAnne Meyer:...

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  • Teams Madam Mollusk and Gorgonian Girl paddle SEVENTY48 2018
    First SEVENTY48, now R2AK Proving Ground: Meet teams Madam Mollusk and Gorgonian Girl
    SEVENTY48 was a game-changer for me. I heard about it shortly after the initial announcement went live in 2017. Half-jokingly, I informed my coworker and close friend, Lauren Brandkamp, that...

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The mission of Northwest Maritime is to engage and educate people of all generations in traditional and contemporary maritime life, in a spirit of adventure and discovery.

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