By STEPHEN SWANN
Port of Poulsbo commissioner
CRUISE SHIP M/V AMERICAN SPIRIT. The next round of 0830 port calls by American Cruise Lines commences Sept. 6, and will continue these Friday dates: Sept. 13, 20, and 27; Oct. 4, 11, and 18.
Use of the long 400-foot dock at Liberty Bay Marina was investigated; this would simplify passenger arrival in Poulsbo by eliminating the need for tender transport to Oyster Plant Park. However, it appears that, as of this writing, the American Spirit will continue to anchor out about 100 yards southwest of the Liberty Bay Marina docks. The Port is actively investigating dock construction and expansion for accommodation of small passenger ships. Because this is years away from fruition, a plan B idea would entail installation of large mooring buoys capable of providing moorage closer to the Port’s breakwater and marina.Team Cruise — our Poulsbo-Port Cruise Committee — invites you to come downtown to meet and greet our visitors on Friday mornings.
PORT ANNEXATION-EXPANSION PLANS. The Port was advised last week that its plan to expand the Port District to coincide with Poulsbo city limits would not appear on the November ballot.
This news was exceedingly disappointing.
The Kitsap County Auditor (Elections Division) had explained months ago that to be on the November general election ballot certain information, including the Port’s resolution, had to be filed by Aug. 6. The Port complied with this mandate well before the deadline. Unknown to the Port, however, was an additional, unpublished requirement by the county that an approved resolution by the County Commission was also required to be filed before Aug. 6.
Fortunately, all is not lost. There is an opportunity for this annexation measure to be placed on a special election ballot in February. Port commissioners will be discussing the February special election during Port meetings in September.
Currently, the Port District only represents about one-half of the voters in Poulsbo, yet serves the entire community on Liberty Bay and beyond. The ballot initiative, when passed, will adopt the Poulsbo city limits as the new boundaries of the Port District.
ROCKTOBERFEST. Each Saturday at the Port, in October, will provide special celebrations for waterfront visitors. This month-long event will include a beer garden, great food (ribs, brats and pulled pork), music, and a scavenger hunt ending at Valholl Brewery near City Hall.
These entertainers will be at Rocktoberfest:
Oct. 5: Jack Parker.
Oct. 12: Joey Dean.
Oct. 19: Dave Jarvis.
Oct. 26: Knucklehead.
A special congratulations to our Port guest services coordinator, Jannese Petersen, is well deserved. We at the Port encourage your ideas for waterfront events that can be hosted by the Port, the City, and others. Give Jannese a call at 360-779-9905. Even better, come on down for a visit.
MARINA FACILITIES. In recent months, questions have arisen regarding the status of boathouses at the Port’s marina. These large, shed-like structures are not Port property and are individually owned by tenants with rented slips in the marina. Like other personal property, when the moorage tenancy ends, the vessel and the boathouse must be removed to make the slip available to the new boater leasing the slip from the Port.
Written leases for moorage clearly advise tenants that slips, with or without boathouses, may not be transferred to others by a tenant. The leasing of slips at the marina is simply a legal matter between the Port and the individual boater. For all legal agreements, the applicant for a slip lease should carefully review the Port’s contract before signing.
Additionally, check out the new signage at the Port’s commercial parking lot on Jensen Way just down from the post office. This large, paved parking lot is especially well-suited for RVs, vehicles with trailers, electric cars in need of charging, and other large cars and trucks.
PORT EMAIL LIST. The Port’s email list permits the port manager and staff to efficiently contact tenants, visitors and Port District residents. If you would like to be on our contact list, please send your name, contact information, and email address to manager@portofpoulsbo.com.
PORT QUIZ. There were no guesses last month on the nautical term “holystone.” In case you have wondered, the holystone was a piece of sandstone used to scrub down teak and other wooden decks. Its name comes from the requirement of bringing a sailor down to his knees to clean the deck. For the few of us who have done this, it was truly a knee-bending effort.
Here’s a new one: keelhauling was a dreaded event aboard ships. Let The Scuttlebutt know what you think this term means. Send your best guess to commissioner.swann@portofpoulsbo.com. The first responder with the correct answer will be acknowledged in The Scuttlebutt October issue.
PORT INVITATION. The commissioners, employees, tenants and guests of the Port of Poulsbo (www.portofpoulsbo.com), one of 75 Washington state ports, wish you a safe visit to Poulsbo’s spectacular Waterfront Park, and a safe transit on Liberty Bay. Bring your friends and families down to the Port’s marina and greet our staff and visiting boaters on E and F docks. (Watch us by webcam at www.siteground315.com/~longship/.)
— Stephen Swann is a Port of Poulsbo commissioner. Contact him at commissioner.swann@portofpoulsbo.com.
