Fasten your seatbelts, as this adventure south takes many pathways and as I write this, I’m still only half way to Tucson. I leave on the Columbia Ferry and again, put up with dogs and their selfish owners who fail to understand the importance of bona-fide service animals:
I courteously ask these folks to please put their dogs in their cars on the car-deck which is what 90% do–and usually get a rude response. One guy in the dining room–a fellow without a neck and white stand-on-end hair–started in on me about wounded veterans (there are many service people that take ferries/belongings when they receive new duty stations) and how they needed emotional sustenance. “Horse-feathes” I replied. I made the first amphibious landing in the Vietnam War with the Fourth Marines at Chu Lai (I was a Seabee, attached) and didn’t come home a wuss. To all service-men and women–thanks for serving but I’m referring to these folks pictured here–do these look like wounded veterans…..? Hrummph! On to Seattle…..
My first order of business to get Katahdin running on her own steam…or diesel in this case. I’ve been at this boatyard for 31 years and have written about $1M in checks to keep Katahdin in museum shape (before and after 15 years in Alaska) and plan to donate it to an expanded Klondike NPS unit (the Arthur Foss being the centerpiece). Katahdin is now the oldest running tug in the United States.
This new yard (ownership)–whom I’ll call M & W Boat Repair for now, sent me a bill for six hours consultation fees for about $1000. When I asked what the charges were specifically, I was thoroughly cussed up and down and berated in many other ways. This was their first mistake…..
Well, those who know me know that I won’t stand for such nonsense so I sat this young whippersnapper down and gave some senior advice on how to treat your best customers. He told me if I didn’t pay he’d find other ways to gouge me. Well, that’s the end of doing business in this yard and I ordered all repairs to cease. They then raised the moorage from $800 to $1100 to $1620 and finally to $3750 which only applied to me. They cut the power, ran off four contractors, called the police on me and towed my truck–their second mistake.* They also posted the boat and tried to arrest it–it’s a documented vessel so only Admiralty Law applies. I moved the tug two days before they could arrest it, upon my return from Washington DC. I’ll leave this for now but after I file my report with the Seattle Police and Coast Guard, I’ll post the entire experience–in minute detail–in my Keel Hauling section.
Besides a hole found in my water tank (my gas tank was also drilled on my Toyota a few months earlier), my compressor went kaput so had to muscle this out of the hold and replace with a new Quincy–still built in Quincy Illinois.
The police responded to my boat issues (when my car was towed) with 15 minutes, however, this bum spent two days motionless before the police responded. He propped himself up here against my warehouse so he could drink. When the Police arrived he could remember his name and address (Arlington WA–work at Steven’s Pass in snow removal) so they let him drink for another two days. Finally after 25 bottles piled up, and he became motionless again, ten police, two squad cars, two fire engines and an aid car showed up and he agreed to be hospitalized.
Day three.
Meanwhile, with all the problems at the shipyard, I cannot attend the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival (I was to be the oldest attending boat) so I drove up and visited old college buddy Marty McCallum. Marty (and his wife Rosemary) hosted me for two days where I was treated like a king and which included this home-made berry pie. I left with a case of apples which I am now peeling here in Jackson Hole for more pies!
I drove the entire coastline of Hood Canal and ran across this road on Mats Mats Bay and investigated–my middle name is Verner. Good moorages exist here.
Back in Seattle, I install a brand new Quincy compressor and boy does it run efficiently–out compressing the older but larger Quincy (I’ve two of everything on the tug for Alaska–like airplane redundancy).
OK–let’s hit the road. I’ve got to meet my Istanbul host, Bruno, in Toronto in five days so first night is Bozeman MT–Bozeman has been Californicated–by any definition of the word, but the old town and old timers are still just as friendly. My “adopted” daughter Olive drives part way as I’ve since thrown my back out wrassling that compressor in place.
Here’s Lula, our waitress. They all call me honey and the steaks hang over the side of the dinner plate. This is probably my 150th or more commute through Montana and I know every restaurant.
So, Olive loves to drive and this modern Toyota just seems to fly over the seamless Montana highways….until I hear uh-oh while I’m flat on my back in the back seat resting my painful back. Within 5 minutes, Olive, fluttering her eyelashes like Lula, has explained that her ‘dad’ in the back seat is an invalid, a veteran and has sold him one of my books. She gets off lightly. And I use the old “Deputy Sheriff” card trick again. Actually–very professional fellow and having served in this capacity for 7 years (as a park ranger), I really appreciate the courtesy and professionalism of the state patrols–and this extends throughout the country. Like veterans, thank you for your service.
After picking up Bruno in Toronto, we visit one of New York’s largest antique boat museums–the Clayton Museum–on the St. Lawrence Seaway. This is their shipwright shop–wish Seattle had such a museum.
Eye candy.
Thirty minutes to the NE is the Boldt Castle and Boldt Yacht House:
George C. Boldt was a Prussian hotelier in America who brokered the merger of the Waldorf-Astoria hotels and in the process became a wealthy man. A visit to this boat house and his castle is worthy of the long drive from Seattle.
Bruno, whom I met on the BC Coast later hosted me in Istanbul for the winter of 2020 just before the Covid pandemic. He is the right hand man for Rahmi Koç who owns the largest maritime museum in the world located on the Golden Horn, Istanbul. Bruno, now a PhD, knighted and prolific author will write perhaps a dozen articles on this visit. I’m hoping Bruno can cover the new expanded Klondike NPS Maritime Museum opening in Seattle in 2028.
After the Boldt Museum, I attend the opening of the Dorothy Waugh exhibit at the Poster House Museum in Lower Manhattan, NYC–the big apple!! Mark Resnick just completed a book on Waugh–an NPS artist and landscaper–who produced 17 lithographic prints in 1934 and 35, and is here also. We’ve collaborated a bit since I wrote my book “Ranger of the Lost Art-Rediscovering the WPA Poster Art of our National Parks.” Waugh was not a WPA artist but contributed mightily to this unique part of our national park artwork.
Mark here delivers a tour-de force presentation of Dorothy Waugh. I buy the book and you should also.
DW was a modernist and her 17th and final poster was of Bighorn Sheep but since it was a collaboration with the Fish & Wildlife Service, they didn’t like the imagery and ordered all 5000 prints destroyed–actually cut up into scratch pads–can’t waste government money after all….. No Bighorn prints have survived. Stamps were also made of these prints–shown here at the left.
Meanwhile, my antagonist back in Seattle sends me this text:
Now, I’m in no position to do much here in NYC except to call 911 and they patch me through to Seattle and within an hour, the Seattle Police, Harbor Patrol, two pump trucks and the Coast Guard are responding–a monumental wast of your tax dollars. This was the boatyards third mistake; and likely their last as far as I’m concerned.
It’s on to the Department of the Interior in Washington DC.
The Thomas Moran murals are now permanently displayed at the Department of the Interior Museum–here the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone…..
And of course, Grand Canyon.
At the Interior entrance, I notice this desk as you pass through security at Interior…..a lobbying by the coal industry “big, beautiful clean energy.” I’m shocked!
I have time to lobby too few Senators–as they are all tied up with the shutting down of our government–and yes folks–this is a Republican prank and no fault of the Democrats (I’m a registered independent, btw). I do lay the ground with Senators Murkowski (AK), Murray (WA) and Collins (ME) for my park project.
With parks closed, I have only hours left to visit the NPS Archives at the Harpers Ferry Center and visit with Nancy Russell who promptly convinces me that my donations to that collection are still there. There have been recent rumbling about liquidating the public art collections.
Recently, this end-sheet of a government publication turned up–about three months ago–note the brighter colors. The intact Zion print here was stolen from the artist’s son and held for 19 years by a fellow named Mike in West Lynn OR. It took my constant pestering and the FBI to get this returned here where it belongs. You own this. An Old Faithful print also was stolen and returned–the whole fascinating story is covered in my book!
BTW–in January, American Antiques Roadshow will feature another recent find–a Bandelier WPA print that turned up in Santa Fe and sold for only $22.50. They’re still out there. I’ll post when I hear exactly when this will run.
With the government closed (most of it) I drive on to Rock Island IL and visit the Fryxell Geology Museum. After Fritiof Fryxell’s name continued to emerge in my book on the NPS Museum project, placenames in Antarctica, Moon-Rock NASA teams, and more, I think someone should write a biography on him–and I’m working on it.
Upon returning to Seattle, I tow the Katahdin to the Foss Shipyards where I’m hoping for a long term lease and completion of the restoration. I’m lining up contractors and have assigned a permanent boat-watch. As I was standing here–Tom Bulson on Fremont Tugs chugs by and gives me a hearty whistle salute–thanks Tom! I’m back among friends–Katahdin was the Catherine Foss (both used the “Cat” or “Kat” nickname) between 1935-65. I’m now the longest owner of 31 years and Katahdin is the oldest running tug in the United States. Hopefully my prompting of our efficient government will declare the Arthur Foss (built in 1889 and participated in the Klondike Gold Rush of 1898) a National Monument and be included in the future expanded Klondike NPS unit based in part, here:
Hopefully, this dock facility and marine ways–the old FVO marine lift–will be part of this.
Fisherman’s Terminal today–half empty and half fancy yachts. Much of our historic fleet, sadly, has sunk.
I’m now in Jackson Wyoming and while I can’t recognize the town, the mountains are still the same. I’ve just caught the last of the fall colors.
*Oh–the towed truck. I had parked on another adjacent property owned by Coastal Transportation and had received permission the day before from the owner–who used to own Katahdin. M (of M & W Boat Repair), had called Big D’s towing and represented himself as an employee of Coastal, not M & W Boat Repair, and had me illegally towed. Within four hours, I had my truck back, a full refund and an apology. Now, what does that tell you? ….stay tuned ’cause it’s going to get interesting!