Home | Northwest Maritime

WHO WE ARE

We’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.

Wooden Boat Festival

Tickets on Sale Now

Learn More & get tickets

2025 Boatshop Workshops

Registration is open!

Learn more & Register

Youth Summer Camps

Registration is open!

Learn More & Register

Upcoming Events & Classes

See Full Calendar

Lilscup 24 1200x750

Featured

11 - 15

Aug

2025

Li’l Scuppers – Morning Half Day CampsRepeating Event

Jrmairiners 24 1200x750

Featured

11 - 15

Aug

2025

Junior Mariners – Full Day CampRepeating Event

Pirateshalf 24 1200x750

Featured

11 - 15

Aug

2025

Jr Pirates – Afternoon Half Day CampsRepeating Event

Dsc 0352

Featured

16 - 17

Aug

2025

Learn to Sail: Basic Keelboat Part 2Repeating Event

Northwest Maritime Center
431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368

Featured

18 - 22

Aug

2025

Youth Learn to Sail: Opti Level 1Repeating Event

Featured

18 - 22

Aug

2025

Youth Learn to Sail: Doublehanded Level 1 (Beginner)Repeating Event

Featured

18 - 22

Aug

2025

Learn to Sail: Women’s Basic Keelboat Full CourseRepeating Event

Northwest Maritime Center
431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368

Dsc 0237

Featured

23 - 24

Aug

2025

Learn to Sail: Basic Keelboat Part 1Repeating Event

Northwest Maritime Center
431 Water Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368

Featured

07 - 08

Oct

2025

Tides & Currents in the Salish Sea – Online ClassRepeating Event

Latest Stories

Maritime High School 2024–2025: End of Year Recap

As the sun sets on an incredible year at Maritime High School, we’re proud to share the waves we’ve made across all four grade levels. From hands-on environmental action to...

Read on..
Navigator Night Out 2025: Of Colossal Squid and Bluewater Dreams

By Len Maranan-Goldstein, NWM Senior Philanthropy Advisor Question 1: What does a baby colossal squid have to do with Northwest Maritime? Answer 1: Quite a lot, as it turns out. Schmidt Ocean Institute's Eric...

Read on..
First-Time Boat Owner's Foray Into Boat Repairs and Lessons Learned

By Rachel Bradley If you’ve ever spent time on the water or been around boats, you might know the feeling of looking at a vessel and falling in love. I had...

Read on..
Volunteer Bulletin - July 2025

By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer at the 48th Wooden Boat Festival! Wooden Boat Festival volunteers in the Ticketing area will work with Captain Natasha Maduska. Join us in celebrating the...

Read on..
Team Longboat: Dabob Bay Adventure

Three days on the water, two nights under the stars, and one unforgettable adventure. This year, Team Longboat journeyed from Quilcene to Dabob Bay—eleven students, three adults, and two charismatic parrot...

Read on..
The Long Way Starts Now (Tomorrow)

The first of the boats racing in WA360 have rolled into town. Now is the moment when things click into focus. The prep’s been done. The gear’s packed. The start...

Read on..
Team Longboat: The Purple Martin Bird Box Project

What you’re seeing are Purple Martin Bird Boxes, built and placed here by Team Longboat, a Northwest Maritime Program for OCEAN students, with help from Rainshadow Bird Alliance. For more information...

Read on..
Maritime High School Celebrates Inaugural Graduation Class

Maritime High School Recognizes the Class of 2025 as First Graduating Class Maritime High School (MHS), a regional choice public high school in Des Moines, WA, marked a historic milestone on...

Read on..
Visitor Services Provided By Northwest Maritime In Port Townsend

City of Port Townsend is partnering with Northwest Maritime for visitor services at the Welcome Center on Water Street. Northwest Maritime (NWM) has entered into an agreement with the City of...

Read on..
WA360: The Race That Accidentally Made Everything Make Sense

By Jesse Wiegel, Race Boss Race to Alaska and SEVENTY48 are doing just fine, thanks. They’ve got international hype, a cottage industry of waterproof documentary crews, and a crowd of dedicated...

Read on..
Volunteer Bulletin - June 2025

By Tracy Thompson, NWM Volunteer Coordinator VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Volunteer at the 48th Wooden Boat Festival! Join us in celebrating the 48th Wooden Boat Festival by volunteering during the first week of September! Shifts...

Read on..
SEVENTY48 2025: “Triple By-Pass” and the Row to Remember

By Oliver Laurence, Team Rhythm and Resilience Some races are just about distance.Others are about speed. The SEVENTY48 is about heart. About grit. About water, darkness, tides, and the quiet roar of...

Read on..
Thank You, SEVENTY48 Volunteers!

Thanks From Volunteer Coordinator Tracy Thompson SEVENTY48 wrapped up on Sunday, and what an incredible gift of support our volunteers provided to this effort of grit and courage. A dozen folks traveled...

Read on..
There Goes the Neighborhood: WA360 “Welcomes” R2AK Veterans For a Lap Around Washington

R2AK Tracker Nation! It’s been a decade since R2AK’s first hold-my-beer and cross-your-fingers hoo-rah, where the rapscallion fringe launched into Alaska, history, and glorified oblivion. It was epic, again, and again,...

Read on..
Charting the Course Together: How the Blue Schools Initiative is Redefining Community Collaboration

By Katelyn Kean, Associate Director of Development & Government Relations What if every young person had a clear pathway into a thriving maritime future—one that connected classroom learning through hands-on experience,...

Read on..
Countdown to SEVENTY48 2025

By Jesse Wiegel, Race Boss Northwest Maritime exists for one reason: to get you on the water and mildly obsessed. Whether you're here to learn, mess around, build a career, or...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Spring is in the Air—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...

Read on..
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 is… smiling? Telling jokes? It sounds like you’ve...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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.

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
PTMA: Stars, Charts and Digital Navigation

“I 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...

Read on..
2024—what a year!

Hello friends! I’m not sure about your family’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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Team Longboat: Rowing together, growing together

“…We 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...

Read on..
Port Townsend Maritime Academy’s Largest Class Ever Begins Their Maritime Journey

Port Townsend Maritime Academy’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...

Read on..
Adventure Awaits: Team Longboat’s Season is Underway!

“…And we’re bound away for Austraaaalia!” 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...

Read on..
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 you’re looking for...

Read on..
Sparking Curiosity in the Maritime Discovery Program

What’s the salty equivalent of a jack-of-all-trades? A Maritime Discovery Program student. Master-of-none, however, might only apply since they’re often 5th graders. Each spring and fall, school groups from near...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
WA360 Returns in 2025

The wait is over. We've been dropping hints, teasing the possibilities, and now it’s time to reveal the details of the next bucket list item that Northwest Maritime has cooked...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
August is Make-a-Will Month

Whether you’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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
MHS Mentors Connect Students to Maritime Careers

Maritime High School’s Mentorship Program is an important component of the school’s educational design. Paired with professionals from across the maritime field, students explore career paths while practicing networking skills...

Read on..
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 deck—it’s been an action-packed day of sailing and science, but...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Summer Fun at Northwest Maritime

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

Read on..
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....

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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,...

Read on..
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 isn’t just a race; it’s a rallying...

Read on..
Northwest Maritime’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 “Chandlery” store space has been transformed...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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.

Read on..
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.

Read on..
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.

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Port Townsend Maritime Academy Students Earn Drill Conductor Card

This year’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...

Read on..
Experiential Exploration: 9th Grade at Maritime High School

By Joe Cline, Managing Editor of 48° 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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Girls' Boat Project 2024

For girls age 11–14 (6th–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,...

Read on..
Winter Construction Will Bring Welcome Changes to Northwest Maritime Center

We’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!...

Read on..
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 organization’s expanded Real World Readiness program, and invites the community to match her...

Read on..
Historic Vessel from NWMC Takes Center Stage in New Museum Exhibit

A historic boat from Northwest Maritime Center’s collection will be getting its time in the limelight with a new exhibit at Seattle’s Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI). The Husky...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
SEA Marine Makes Gift to Maritime Discovery Program

Full service boatyard SEA Marine has made a $30,000 gift to the Northwest Maritime Center’s Maritime Discovery Program. The gift, given over three years, will help underwrite the cost of...

Read on..
Dorjun’s New Adventure

When Emilia met Dorjun, neither of them knew that seven years later, they’d be embarking together on a new adventure. Once a shy and soft-spoken 7th grader, Emilia Ramsey first came...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Maritime High School announces partnership with the Seattle Maritime Academy

Innovative and groundbreaking—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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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 season… but what an incredible season it was! From March to June...

Read on..
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....

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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 in—Bravo Team was ready for our full-day expedition! We were...

Read on..
Race to Alaska 2023. Get Ready.

By Jesse Weigel, Race Boss Somewhere between the harbour of Sydney, Australia (where one aspirant still hasn’t begun his solo ocean crossing to the start line), and a country lane just...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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,...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Learn-by-Doing: Maritime High School Students Dive into the Maritime Industry

It’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...

Read on..
Bravo Team: Haulout for the New Year

By Sean Bunting, Bravo Team Instructor Sometimes it’s best to start a new year fresh. Bravo Team took this idea and ran with it (rowed with it?) all the way to...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Bravo Team: Becoming a Team

By Sean Bunting, Bravo Team Instructor It’s that time of year again. Driving rains reinvigorate dry ground, bitter winds gust through the land, wood stoves across the state are reawakened—and two...

Read on..
Girls' Boat Project: Boatshop Basics & Bandsaw Practice!

By Taylor Austin, Girls' Boat Project Instructor Since our last update about the Girls’ Boat Project return, we have been getting underway familiarizing ourselves with the tools in the shop, the...

Read on..
Girls’ Boat Project Returns!

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

Read on..
Back to School, Maritime-Style

The smell of fall is in the air, which means students in Northwest Maritime Center’s (NWMC’s) partner programs are back in the classroom and in the field. In both Port...

Read on..
NWMC Hosts Teaching With Small Boats Alliance Conference this November

By Jake Beattie, Executive Director “The sea is the most powerful teacher we know” is something we say at the Northwest Maritime Center because we believe it to the core. The...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
The “Lesser Known” 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 beehive’s worth of activity: sailing and cruising camps, a solid finish...

Read on..
Canoe do it? Yes, we can!

By Tyson Trudel, Maritime Education Manager In January, Maritime High School’s (MHS) inaugural class began their third project of the year—exploring the topic of vessels and voyages, looking at different vessel...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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, “It was such a joy not to race this...

Read on..
Race to Alaska: Replacing Doomscrolling with High Fives

By Daniel Evans, Race Boss Artisanal cheese. Guns N’ Roses. Corn smut. Race to Alaska. At first glance, these are really bad ideas, but GNR won the World Music Award...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Vashon Nature Center

Vashon Nature Center’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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Artwork Inventory Crew ROCKED IT!

In the waning days of 2021, we put out an unusual volunteer request—an all-points bulletin for a small team to inventory the collection of artwork and nauticalia that has gathered...

Read on..
A Volunteer Update From Our Public Engagement Manager

“Volunteering 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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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,...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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! “I believe that no one should ever have to choose between a career we...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Brian Kirk of WA State Department of Ecology

My name is Brian Kirk. I’m fortunate to be the Spill Prevention Section Manager with the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Spill Prevention, Preparedness, and Response program. Washington has some...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Amanda Carr of Plauché & 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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Girls' Boat Project is Back!

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

Read on..
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 Hotel—a 13-room...

Read on..
Preserving the Old While Building the New: The Schooner Martha Main Mast Project

By Joel Arrington, NWMC Boatshop Manager, and Robert d'Arcy “Built in 1907 for San Francisco Yacht Club Commodore J. R. Hanify, and named after his wife, Martha Fitzmaurice Hanify, Martha is...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Maritime High School Collaborator Spotlight: Joe Youcha of Building to Teach

My name is Joe Youcha. I’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....

Read on..
The Port Townsend Maritime Academy is Back in Session

By Colleen O’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)? That’s where we...

Read on..
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 partners—Highline Public schools, Northwest Maritime Center, Duwamish River Clean-up Coalition (DRCC), and Port of Seattle—Maritime High...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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,...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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 won’t let us...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Marvelous Mistakes and the courage that follows

A glimpse into the powerful project-based learning students will experience at south King County’s new Maritime High School starting this fall. Stephanie Burns is an educator with 25 years of experience...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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-...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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 didn’t even have classroom space....

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Three Sheets Northwest Donated to Northwest Maritime Center, Merges with 48° 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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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....

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Port Townsend Maritime Academy

If you've been on campus recently, you've undoubtedly seen some pretty cool things our students are doing—cold-water emergency drill training, extinguishing controlled fires with the East Jefferson Fire Rescue, and...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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 -...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Seafaring in the San Juans

“If 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.” — Chinese proverb Last...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
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...

Read on..
Japanese Boat Building theme at 2019 Wooden Boat Festival

You may have heard about our new boatshop course—Japanese Boat Building with Douglas Brooks, August 24-28—but you may not have heard about what an incredible opportunity this is. In Japan, design...

Read on..

Stories from our Magazine 48° North

Beats on the Bay 2025: A Floating Concert Series on Bellingham Bay
by Editor on August 8, 2025 at 8:44 pm
Join fellow boaters and community members for a magical, music-filled summer on the water as the Community Boating Center (CBC)
#TBT: What Puget Sound Pilots Want You to Know
by Karen Sullivan on August 7, 2025 at 9:21 pm
Note: This post was originally published on RainshadowNorthwest.com and is republished unaltered here with their permission. It may sound counterintuitive,
Boat Bonding on the Bering Sea
by Jennifer Dalton on August 7, 2025 at 12:00 pm
The Anacortes-based crew of the custom Perry-designed 48-foot sailboat, One Ocean, is now several months into their expedition to circumnavigate

Projects of Northwest Maritime

Race To Alaska

Wooden Boat Festival

48° North

The Swan Hotel

SPONSORS

Subscribe to receive our newsletter