Welcome to Maritime Voices
Interviews with people from Port Townsend, WA and the Olympic Peninsula who have unique and interesting maritime related stories. We interview shipwrights, voyagers, sailmakers, fishers, designers, and more. If you are not familiar with the Pacific Northwest of the United States, the Olympic Peninsula is at the very northwest corner of the lower 48 states. Port Townsend has been a sailing hub since the 1850’s and is currently the home to a vibrant community of marine trades people and sailors.
All interviews and transcripts will be shared with the Jefferson County Historical Society for them to keep forever.
Latest interviews
Including transcripts
Margie Abraham
Margie moved to Port Townsend when she was 3 years old. There’ve been a lot of changes since then. She met her life-long best friend Donna, in first grade, at the same time as her future husband Glenn who was in second grade. In 1962, the Abrahams, the Daubenbergers and the Scheyers ordered 3 Thunderbird sailboats which became the foundation of the nascent sailing and racing culture that
Jim Tolpin
Jim Tolpin is a renowned woodworker and author. He grew up in Western Massachusetts, and after getting a degree in geology, found that he preferred working with wood rather than rocks. Early on, he got to know the famous boat builder and designer Budd Macintosh, who became a mentor for both woodworking and writing. Later, he worked at the Penobscot Boat Company in Rockport Maine. He also got
Dick McCurdy
Dick McCurdy always just wanted to be on the water. He grew up in Port Townsend, WA, sailing and racing with friends. At the University of Washington he was captain of the sailing team. After finishing graduate school he bought the bare hull of a Cape George 36 sailboat, finished the boat himself with help from friends and sailed it around the world. He then had a ten-year stint
