Category: On The Job

The Marine Supply Business

2/28/2019

At the Marine Supply and Hardware store in Anacortes, the early 1900’s blends nicely with 2019. Both the business and the building are over a hundred years old, the store continues to thrive as one of the oldest marine hardware stores in the country. This historic hardware business keeps abreast of the times, offering the latest marine hardware items along with those special antique treasures.

Started in 1910 by Greek immigrant Efthemios (Mike) Demopoulous as the Anacortes Junk Co. the business lasted through three generations before it sold to Lea Mayberry, owner of Alley Cat Antiques. One of the keys to success for this long-standing marine business is how quickly they adapt. They have managed to change with the times, while maintaining their true character.

What started out as a supplier for the commercial fishing industry and the local mills, now caters mostly to tourists who come from all over the globe just to see this iconic place. One of the main attractions of Marine Hardware Supply is its unique collection of hardware. They will often put the oddest items out front to stimulate people’s imaginations.

“The reason why we sell so many odd things, is because we have so many odd things,” said Store Manager Rick Sohn.

Rick Sohn has been with the Marine Hardware & Supply store for thirty-one years. His years of knowledge in the marine and hardware industry provide an invaluable service for store customers. With the combined experience and “know-how” from store clerks, Larry Norman and Jack Curl, the team can answer just about any question a boater or non-boater throws at them. Do-it-yourselfers appreciate the local knowledge and friendly service.

What do boaters love about this business?

We have a large selection of fittings and odd fittings. A boater can find just about any size they may need.
Boaters will most likely find an answer to their question or be referred to a network of local resources.
The unique collection of hardware draws boaters and tourists from all over, who appreciate the small-town atmosphere and friendly service.

When asked what item is most popular in their store, the answer was a surprise — gloves, hats, and t-shirts, followed by knives and books.

In today’s world, it’s rare to find a small business that remains successful through changing times, while retaining its character and meeting its customers’ needs.

Happy treasure hunting the next time you find yourself in the Marine Hardware & Supply store in Anacortes.

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Six plus two days working the Seattle Boat Show

2/10/2018

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The announcer, “The Seattle Boat Show is now open.” It’s day one of the Seattle Boat Show.
The doors opened to a crowd filled with anticipation and excitement. It reminded me of the races when they yell, “and they are off.”
The boats gleamed under the bright lights, inviting visitors in for a closer look. Exhibitors stood tall, greeting the visitors with a welcome smile. It’s opening day and all were ready to explore what is new and exciting in the boating world.
This was my first year ‘working’ the Seattle Boat Show. It’s a different view as an exhibitor in a booth versus just attending the Seattle Boat Show. I work for the Waggoner Cruising Guide and Fine Edge Publishing and each year we provide a staff person to work in Captain’s Nautical Supply’s booth, answering questions about our wide selection of cruising books and maps and helping customers with their selections. I wasn’t sure what to expect and day one was a crash course in exhibiting at the Seattle Boat Show.

It’s Day two, Saturday, the busiest day. The doors opened and the crowd swelled throughout the day. Vendors hustled to greet the crowds. Families, small children, young boaters, experienced boaters, all of which enjoyed a day of exploration in boats. Working the Captain's Nautical Supply booth I observed inspired boaters who were ready to visit new destinations or revisit previous haunts.
Day Three, Sunday normally a day of rest. But not for boat show goers, they were on a different mission. Not quite as busy as Saturday, but still packed with enthusiastic boat show visitors.
Day Four, Monday, the first day of the workweek. Also known as women’s day at the Seattle Boat Show. Classes on everything from cruising to an all day class on Dock, Diesel, Navigate, Crew Overboard and more with Captains, Margaret Pommert and Linda Lewis. After a full day of education from these two amazing women, the Captain's Nautical Supply booth filled with women on a mission, looking for specific books, which would help continue what they learned.
Tuesday, Day Five. The crowd waned down a bit. It was quieter and the tone of the show was more serious. Exhibitors were able to slow down a bit and attendees experienced more one-on-one and had time for lengthy conversations and Q&A periods.
Wednesday, Day Six. For me, it was my last day working at the booth. Quiet, like Tuesday, the atmosphere was less hectic with a steady flow of visitors.
Six days flew by. I met so many boaters and soon-to-be-boaters. Heard great stories. Learned more about the Waggoner Cruising Guide’s customers. Sold a lot of books. And my poor feet recovered faster than expected.
The plus two days were set-up and tear down. If everything is well organized, these two events can happen quickly and this year that is exactly what happened.
Sales were high at the Seattle Boat Show this year. Fine Edge Publishing sold lots of cruising books through Captain's Nautical Supply, and close to a thousand Waggoner Cruising Guides will help boaters find their way during the cruising months. Six, plus two days working the Seattle Boat Show was worth every moment.

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On the Job with Brian Bingham

8/26/2017

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On Fidalgo Island there is a hidden gem. Banked on the Guemes Channel, secluded by a neighborhood and camouflaged by a forest of large trees is Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center, an instructional and research center for programs in marine sciences.

The marine lab, located in Anacortes, is a resource for teaching and research, their Mission Statement: Educating leaders in science, education, policy, and stewardship through experiential learning integrated with innovative marine and environmental scientific research.

It is here where we met with Brian Bingham, Professor of Environmental Sciences at Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA.

“The real advantage of a marine lab is you can get people on site and get their hands wet, you can get them out in the field,” Brian said.

Brian’s job description encompasses a variety of tasks mentoring, sitting on committees, pushing paperwork, writing grants, doing research, and teaching. And he enjoys every part of it.

“I just love what I do,” Brian said.

Brian is in the ideal teaching situation, he teaches in the classroom, the lab, and in the field. They say variety is the spice of life and Brian’s job has plenty of variety.

“I can’t think of anything that would be better than what I am doing here. I’m where I want to be. I can’t conceive of anything that would be more fun,” Brian said.

Brian teaches an invertebrate class, taking students out to various habitats in the area where they can study the animals in their environment, how they act in their habitats, where they live, how they behave.

The format of Brian’s classes is a little different. His invertebrate class is 8-5 on Friday, but is not always in the “classroom.” They may go to Friday Harbor one day and study the animals in their habitat. Wintertime the low tides are often in the middle of the night, so he may have students out late at night. In the summer his students can be found snorkeling in the frigid waters along local beaches during low tides. They often bring the animals into the flow-through laboratory, put them under a microscope, watch them and identify them. They may take instruments out on the boats to deploy and collect data. It is truly a hands-on marine lab.

“You have to see the animals, see where they are. You have to touch them,” Brian said.

Another class that Brian teaches is a stat class – statistics. Typically a stat class is done on a computer, pushing numbers around. Not something that sounds too exciting. But in Brian’s stat class, students go out in the field and collect real data, or they are in the lab with shrimp, crabs, snails.

“It makes it a lot more fun, more hands on, less theoretical,” Brian said.

The average class size is twenty to twenty-five students. There is a lot of interaction between students and the instructors. They get to know them pretty well. Brian works with a remarkable group of people who are invested in the students and want to help them succeed.

It was around third grade when Brian’s family went out to the Oregon coast. The trip coincided with the lowest tide of the decade and Brian was enthralled. He was from the deserts of Idaho and seeing the amazing life exposed by the low tide, he just knew this was something he wanted to do.

As a kid, his ‘original’ plan was to be a dentist. He went off to college to major in chemistry. At the time chemistry majors had the best chance of being accepted into dental school. In his senior year things changed. Brigham Young University had a small marine science program and Brian had an opportunity to go to Friday Harbor where he took classes and did research through the University of Washington’s marine lab.

“I just started to see how stunningly beautiful invertebrates are,” Brian said

When he really thought about what he wanted to do with his life he realized…“I love the animals, I love the ocean.” He came to his senses and changed his major to zoology. He went for his Masters, and then went for his PhD at Florida State University.

Brian was hired straight out of college at Western Washington University. Originally, he was hired to start a diversity outreach program. The National Science Foundation was concerned with the low diversity among students pursuing careers in the sciences. They addressed this by funding a program at Western Washington University to expose students from minority backgrounds to marine science. and Brian was hired to develop and administer the program

This was Brian’s dream job. “I was thrilled, I couldn’t think of any place I would rather be.”

Brian has brought in new students every year from all over the country. The program has received national attention and an award from the White House for the success of the students who have gone through it.

Twenty-seven years later…

Today, Brian and his students are studying ocean acidification and symbiosis, the shared existence or shared life of two different organisms, part animal and part plant, such as, corals.

“There is so much life out there that continues to startle you as you learn more about it. It’s just fun,” Brian said.

Brian’s love of the small animals started many years ago. While an undergraduate at Friday Harbor, he met Eugene Kozloff, a marine biologist, botanist and naturalist. Eugene introduced Brian to a Tardigrade, one of the most resistant life forms on the planet, and microscopic.

“There are so many different groups of animals. As things get smaller, theway they are put together and the way they function change. Small animals provide a perfect opportunity to teach about adaption, different body structures, and different life strategies. There is a whole world of different animals even amongst the sand grains.

“My goal in teaching is to get students really excited about the topic. They don’t forget that. When you get them excited, you know you’ve succeeded.”

The students receive lots of information, but the reality is, over time, they will forget that information. But if they get excited, they will remember better, do more, understand more, and continue to learn on their own.

“I have fun and I love being with students and seeing them catch that vision and get excited."

One of Brian’s most exciting memories was a beautiful night at Point George on Shaw Island while he was working at Friday Harbor. He was studying sea cucumbers, comparing their behaviors during the day and night. It was late and and he and his dive partner had dived down to about 60 ft to count sea cucumbers T water was inky black and dark. As they were working, Brian started to hear squeaks, pops, and chirps. It suddenly dawned on him that they were surrounded by a pod of killer whales (orcas). His sense of wonder was quickly replaced by a realization that, in the darkness, dressed in black with fins on their feed, they probably looked a lot like seals. They immediately surfaced and scrambled back into the boat. They later realized that the visitors were a pod of the local whales, which don’t eat seals, that resides in the San Juan Islands. They were just curious. The experience was surreal.

“This is fun, I really enjoy it. As long as they will let me, I will keep doing it.”

That day on the beach as a kid… “One of the things I remember most from that trip was the great big green sea anemones. My dad offered me a quarter if I would stick my finger in one.” I refused. I was terrified. Now that is exactly what I am studying. I guess you could say I came full circle and my dad owes me some money,” Brian laughed.

The small things…