Seattle's new waterfront

Overlook Park is now open. Pier 58 is now open. The Seattle Aquarium's Ocean Pavilion and the new ferry terminal at Colman Dock opened within the past two years. The downtown waterfront is undeniably different — and many visitors may not even realize it. (But we know!)

The opening celebrations for this milestone continue: Friends of Waterfront Park Seattle is holding a Grand Opening across all 20-acres of Waterfront Park on Sept. 6.

The Seattle Times recently featured the waterfront's history and its new 'front porch' era.

Two local advocates selected for Floating Stories Lab residencies

The Floating Stories Lab is led by Angie Richard, producer of the documentary Women & the Wind, which gained a global following on Instagram. FSL has an interesting story of its own, but the France-based nonprofit is also supporting others' storytelling and citizen science.

Olive Theodore, founder of Walrus Boat Recycling, and e2, the artist-in-residence and a sailing ambassador at SEASTR, have been selected for the lab's Regenerative Tides Citizen Science Creative Residency.

They will head to France in October for "a week-long residency in coastal Brittany exploring the deep connections between people and the ocean."

Before that though, Richards will be in the Pacific Northwest to speak at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival. Women & the Wind will be screened at the festival on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 7 p.m.

WSDOT awards $500,000 grant for new maritime workforce program

Many of us are aware that in addition to an aging fleet, Washington State Ferries has long struggled with hiring enough workers. A new workforce development program will start in September, one of a number initiatives underway to boost WSF staffing.

The new "Seamanship Readiness Program,” run by Tacoma-based Youth Marine Foundation, is funded by a two-year $500,000 Workforce Advancement and Vocational Education (WAVE) grant. The intensive 4-week program is free to participants who are Washington residents, at least 18 years old (17 with parental consent), and from disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Seamanship Readiness Program combines hands-on vessel training, USCG-approved classroom training, and pre-employment preparation. It's aim is to help participants launch careers in the maritime industry, and specifically at WSF.

“This program opens doors for people who have historically faced significant barriers to entering high-demand fields like maritime,” said Kim Mercier, CEO
of the Youth Marine Foundation, in a press release. “It’s a game-changer for
participants and for Washington State Ferries, which urgently needs a new generation of skilled workers.”

Applications are open and the first class begins Sept. 29, with new classes beginning every other month.

Keeping tabs on sea stars

The widespread and fatal sea star wasting disease first struck in 2013. Ever since, scientists have tried to understand the cause. Earlier this month, researchers in the Pacific Northwest announced they'd "cracked the case."

Read the whole story from KUOW's John Ryan: Scientists crack the case of the melting sea stars. It only took a decade

Meanwhile, up in Bellingham, a scuba-diving student is recording the sea stars he observes, noting if they have symptoms of the disease, and photographs the view "from below."

Learn more about Jack Beeson's internship from Cascadia Daily News' Risa Schnebly: Scuba-diving WWU student tracks fatal sea star disease in Bellingham

Hello, historic Sightseer

There's a new lineup at Lake Union Park's Historic Ships Wharf. MV Sightseer, a 65-year-old passenger vessel thats been used for local waterway tours for decades, is currently docked behind MOHAI, at the east end of the wharf.

The previous occupant of that slip, MV Lotus, is in dry dock at Pacific Fishermen Shipyard as of July. MV Lotus is a houseboat built in 1909 for a wealthy Seattle businessman and attorney.

Formerly owned by Argosy Cruises, MV Sightseer was purchased by Waterways Cruises in 2022 and is open to the public for free walk-aboard tours on select Wednesdays - Fridays. It's also departing many evenings for 90-minute happy hour cruises.

Based on Lake Union, Waterways Cruises is a family owned and operated business that started in 1994. It's one of the few operators still offering cruises with a full dining experience. Boaters may recognize two of their other vessels Emerald Star and Olympic Star.