LAST MONDAY NIGHT, my wife, Mardi, and I attended the maiden voyage party aboard the cargo ship Alaska, moored to the Port of Port Angeles’ Terminal 3, where she was taking on a load of logs for export to China.
The 616-foot ship is a new vessel that was recently launched in Japan, and Port Angeles was her first port of call in the United States.
Such august moments are worthy of celebration.
Hence the party, which was sponsored by Alcan Forest Products LP and Trans Pacific Group and catered by Jeb Kimsey.
The soiree was well-attended by all manner of personnel involved in the shipping of logs to the Far East in addition to elected representatives at all levels of local government.
Mike Nimmo, the marine terminal manager, presented the captain of the ship, Morado Saguid, with a picture of Port Angeles to memorialize the vessel’s first port of entry in the United States.
Robert Luxa of SSA Marine, the company that provided stevedoring services to the ship, presented the captain with a vase that was adorned with the likeness of an orca, which in Native American culture is representative of strength and power.
As I understand the tradition, these gifts presented to Capt. Saguid stay with the vessel as long as she remains afloat.
Expect to see more of the cargo ship Alaska because she and her sister ship, Whistler, are owned by a joint venture between Transpac Group and NYK.
Alcan Forest Products LP is a component of Trans Pac.
Alcan brings logs to Port Angeles from Alaska and Canada and purchases them locally from Grant Munro and his longtime cohort Bob Cartano.
During the festivities, Roger Redifer of Alcan Forest Products LP was quick to highlight the joint venture between Trans Pac Group and NYK as the commitment Trans Pac Group is making to the long-term future of the log export business, of which the Port of Port Angeles and the citizenry of Port Angeles will be the beneficiaries.
Alaska left Port Angeles for Lanshan, China, on Wednesday evening with approximately 6.4 million board feet of debarked logs.
Waterfront Day
Remember today is Waterfront Day in Port Angeles from noon to 5 p.m., and it is an excellent opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at our working waterfront.
Platypus Marine and Westport Yachts will have guided tours of their facilities.
Tours of Terminals 1 and 3 will also be available.
The kids’ scavenger hunt sounds like a hoot, and to wrap up the day, everyone is invited to the burger and brew event at the Port Angeles Yacht Club at 5 p.m.
The cost is $5 for a burger and a beer or a glass of wine or a soda.
Summer day camp
It may be tough to envision now, but summer is just around the proverbial corner, and the Northwest Maritime Center in Port Townsend has summer day camp programs for kids.
According to its website, it has nine weeks of summer day camps for kids — all of them on boats.
Kids can experience maritime life in many ways, from dinghy sailboats to marine life to boatbuilding.
Summer camps are divided into two programs: “Messing About in Boats,” for 5- to 10-year-olds, and “Learn to Sail,” for 8- to 16-year-olds.
For more information, visit their website, www.NWMaritime.org.
Harbor happenings
On Wednesday, Tesoro petroleum in Port Angeles provided bunkers to Energy Challenger, a 748-foot petroleum products carrier that is flagged in the United Kingdom.
On Saturday, Tesoro refueled Unique Fidelity, a 175-foot petroleum products carrier that is flagged in Hong Kong.
On Sunday, Tesoro is scheduled to bunker Ionic Unicorn, a 652-foot bulk cargo ship that is flagged in the Marshall Islands.
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David G. Sellars is a Port Angeles resident and former Navy boatswain’s mate who enjoys boats and strolling the area’s waterfronts and boat yards.
Items and questions involving boating, marina and industrial activities and the North Olympic Peninsula waterfronts are always welcome. News announcements about boating groups, including yacht clubs and squadrons, are welcome as well.
Email dgsellars@hotmail.com or phone him at 360-808-3202.
