A WORTHY ANNUAL event, the Sekiu Summer Slam, provides service veterans from the northwest and around the country a therapeutic day of fishing on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The event is hosted by the NW Region of Salmon for Soliders, essentially the North Olympic Peninsula branch of the group that also puts on an even bigger veterans fishing event in Everett.
Boat captains are urgently sought to commit to taking folks out on the water on the day of the event, set Aug. 5.
Organizers are hoping to have around 30 to 40 boats. Buddy boating is encouraged and the Sekiu salmon fishery is no big secret, it’s all about making sure the vets enjoy a productive time.
A seminar to discuss where fish have been found and what gear has been working also will be held to help everybody out at the captain’s meeting set Aug. 4.
Port Angeles angler Guy Lipsky is your contact to sign up as a boat captain at 360-797-4214 or guylipsky@gmail.com.
The organization also hosts a fundraising auction in advance to raise funds for the big day on the water.
The auction itself will be held at the Sekiu Community Center, 42 Rice St., at 12:30 p.m. July 15.
Contact Chris White at 360-460-0873 to donate auction items.
Crab 101 workshop
Just ahead of the summer recreational crabbing season, a free Catch More Crab Crabbing 101 Workshop is planned Thursday in Port Hadlock.
The event is organized by the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee and will be held from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Jefferson County WSU Extension, 97 Oak Bay Road.
Attendees will hear from state, tribal and recreational crabbing experts who will cover state crabbing regulations, tribal crab fisheries and co-management, tips tricks and best practices to catch Dungeness and red rock crab along with demonstrations on how to properly rig a crab pot.
The Northwest Straits Foundation is working with the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee to promote the idea of “Catch More Crab”, to improve crabbing practices and clean up our local marine habitat so it continues to flourish with droves of Dungeness and red rock crabs for generations to come.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife, NW Straits Foundation, Puget Sound Partnership and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe also are partners in presenting the event.
To register, visit https://tinyurl.com/PDN-CrabWorkshop23.
Buoy maintenance
State Parks has planned inspections and maintenance of 180 state-owned public mooring buoys to ensure they are in top condition for boaters during the height of the summer season.
Boaters should be cautious of repair divers in the area and allow extra space around the buoys under repair.
The inspections begin Monday and will run through Friday at Fort Flagler, Fort Worden, Fort Townsend and Mystery Bay state parks, all in Jefferson County.
Mystery Bay pier closed
The pier at Mystery Bay State Park will be closed until further notice.
During a routine inspection, it was discovered that the pier may not be safe for public access. The buoys, boat launch, moorage docks and pumpout station remain open.
Fort Worden launch closed
The Fort Worden State Park boat launch has closed to the public due to maintenance and safety concerns, state Parks announced Friday.
The department is in the process of developing plans for a new boat launch for the park.
The Fort Worden boat launch was frequently unusable and potentially hazardous due to daily tidal sand and driftwood build up that put vehicles using the launch at risk of damage or in need of assistance to clear the launch area.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
Submitted photo The NW Region of Salmon For Soldiers is seeking boat captains to take veterans out on the water for the annual Sekiu Summer Slam salmon fishing outing on Aug. 5. These vets found success during the event in August of 2021.
