PORT ANGELES — About a half-dozen delighted children petted newly-found sea creatures as divers pulled them from Port Angeles Harbor on Saturday.
The divers, part of a demonstration by the Olympic Coast Discovery Center, scooped up sea stars, crabs and other critters off of City Pier for children to see before returning the ocean creatures to their homes.
The demonstration originally was to include a live broadcast from under the sea on a large-screen TV, but electrical power problems prevented that section of the presentation, said Janet Lamont, ccordinator of the Olympic Coast Discovery Center, an educational display of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.
The event was arranged to celebrate the life and work of Jacques Cousteau.
Cousteau advanced the technology of scuba, produced more than 120 documentaries of the under world and promoted environmental awareness and activism.
“He was a pioneer of underwater exploration and really advanced scuba gear,” Lamont said.
“He also was a big proponent of protecting the oceans and coasts.”
Sandy Jansen brought her children, 5-year-old Theo Bliemeister and 1-year-old Ansel Bliemeister, to Saturday’s diving demonstration.
“[Theo] is really interested in the creatures and the kind of sciencey thing,” Jansen said.
As divers popped their heads up to deliver three tiny Dungeness crabs, Theo exclaimed that the red critters were his favorite and bounded over to see them.
Children also were able to pet a large red sea star and other sea life and to touch some algae from the bottom of the harbor.
Discovery Center Staff on City Pier were wearing denim shirts and red watch caps — the signature look of Cousteu.
“Anytime you’d see him, that is what he would be wearing,” Lamont said.
“Cousteau Days” will continue this week at the Olympic Coast Discovery Center, located on the second floor of The Landing Mall at 115 E. Railroad Ave., with displays of scuba gear, Cousteau’s books and videos and still photos of underwater sea life, Lamont said.
The center is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
For more information, visit www.olympiccoast.noaa.gov/AboutUs/ocdc.html. or phone Mike Kesl at 360-457-3190 or Jacquline Laverdure at 360-457-6622, ext. 21.
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladaily news.com.
