Summer may be over, but PTMSC is not slowing down! Join us this autumn for more events
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A steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) lounging on a buoy in Port Townsend Bay. Photo by PTMSC Volunteer Wendy Feltham
Octopress Online - October 2023
Meet Kakantu!
We are excited to announce the name given to our resident giant Pacific octopus: Kakantu!
The name was chosen by the winning bidder at our annual auction fundraiser and approved by the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe. The name has two meanings, according to the Klallam Dictionary (see klallamlanguage.org). The first is the name of a girl in a story told by Amy Allen who is the grandmother of the current Tribal Council Chairman of the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Ron Allen. In the story, the girl, Kakantu, fell in love with a blackfish [orca] and went to live with him. The second meaning of the word is the area around the Point Wilson Lighthouse spit.
Currently about 18 months old, Kakantu the octopus was collected on July 4, 2022 and was probably 3-5 months old at the time of collection. Kakantu weighs 505 grams (or just over a pound) and is about the size of a grapefruit. At this time, we are not actively attempting to determine the sex of Kakantu as it does not affect our care of the octopus at this stage of development.
Come visit Kakantu in person!
Kakantu the octopus may be viewed at our aquarium at Fort Worden State Park during our current hours: Saturday and Sunday, 12 - 5 p.m.
JeffCo REPAIR EVENTS
Repair Events are free community gatherings in which people with repair skills share their time and talents to help fix their neighbors’ belongings. For this event, we will have volunteers donating their time to help repair small appliances and electronics, textiles/clothes, tool sharpening, and other household items. Limit of 2 items per person. If you know the specific part needed to repair your item, we ask that you bring it along.
UPCOMING IN-PERSON REPAIR EVENTS
Saturday, October 28 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Tri-Area Community Center, Chimacum
Saturday, November 4 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Quilcene Community Center, Quilcene
If you haven't been to downtown Port Townsend this summer, you may not know that PTMSC along with Stefanie Worwag, Mario Rivera, Les Schnick, and Ric Brenden installed a new exhibit on Union Wharf. At 42 feet long, this impressive installation is inspiring hundreds of people every week to learn more about gray whales and their home under the waves. The story behind this exhibit is an amazing example of community collaboration in service of the mission to inspire conservation of the Salish Sea. Read more about the Whale on the Wharf here.
photo by Betsy Carlson
"ORCA: Shared Waters, Shared Home" Exhibit
September 1 to October 29 Open Friday - Sunday, 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Gallery in Flagship Landing, downtown Port Townsend
ORCA: Shared Waters, Shared Home" is an interactive exhibit exploring the natural history of the orca species and the extreme challenges facing the Southern Resident orca families that frequent Puget Sound.
Based on the book of the same name co-published by The Seattle Times and nonprofit publisher Braided River, the exhibit features captivating photography by Steve Ringman and others, and stories by author and Seattle Times journalist Lynda V. Mapes about the power, majesty and plight of two endangered – and intertwined – species of the Salish Sea: Southern Resident killer whales and Chinook salmon.
There is no admission fee, though donations are always welcome.
LECTURES 2023-2024
Our Future Of Oceans lecture series continues!
Our new season of lectures is nearly underway! Check out a new selection of lectures that draw on the commitment of professional researchers and educators across all academic spectrums to help define and inspire the health of our oceans. Here's just our first offering of the series:
To keep this series accessible to all, regardless of the ability to pay, there is no set charge for these events; however, donations are always welcomed and appreciated.
photo by Dennis Wise/Univ. of Washington
Bringing up baby stars: Captive breeding of the endangered sunflower star for research and restoration
Presented by
Dr. Jason Hodin
Univ. of Washington Senior Research Scientist, Friday Harbor Labs
Fiduciary financial planner Stephanie Gale, CFP and estate planning attorney Steve Dowdell, JD will share key insights on the estate planning process and what to look for to preserve your legacy.
