Celebrating the completion of a job well done!
See also previous articles about the articulated skeletons and a photo album of the work along the way.
Pictured from left to right …
Kris Wiltse – local watercolor artist, well known for her interpretive signs at parks/beaches around both Camano and Whidbey Islands and specified by Jan Holmes to do the eelgrass mural. Kris is responsible for the eelgrass mural on the column, and the wall artwork with seals, gray whale, salmon and more. http://www.kriswiltse.com/interpretive-signage.html
Jay Adams – Project historian and Sound Water Stewards Board Member who researched content, especially records of tribal presence in Penn Cove, and helped with design and descriptions.
Dan Pedersen – a master local writer specified by Jan Holmes to write text for the display, who was able to word-smith our 200 word ramblings down to short paragraphs. Dan wrote or edited all text – from catchy phrases that an animal might say to in-depth technical descriptions.
Susan Berta – Co-Founder of Orca Network, the Free Lolita campaign, coordinator of the Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network, former co-ordinator of Beach Watchers when Rosie the gray whale was rearticulated and displayed at the wharf. Rudy the Dall’s porpoise, and Samson the Steller sea lion were added by CPSMMSN. Input for descriptions for gray whale, Southern Resident orca population and Lolita/Tokitae capture event in Penn Cove in 1970. www.orcanet.org Susan helped as well with correctly crediting all the related organizations involved over time.
Jill Hein – Sound Water Steward and Orca Network board member. Helped condense themes from the original to the new display and provided photos and technical assistance especially with gray whale, orca population word content, and the plastics display and description.
Sarah Schmidt – collaborated with Kris Wiltse and others to design the eelgrass display following Jan Holmes’ vision. Sarah also researched, drafted and fact-checked scientific content for the entire display.
Sammye Kempbell – Sound Water Steward and wharf docent, helped with the plastics display and description.
Barbara Bennett – former WSU Beach Watcher Coordinator and lead for the entire Wharf remodel over a 2-year period was conceptual and design facilitator, liaison with the Port of Coupeville, fund raiser to meet the costs of a project that grew and grew, problem solver to overcome glitches (there were a few), tirelessly kept us all to a timeline and within budget, and stayed totally dedicated to completing the project.
Kerry & Scott Rosenkranz – owners of Rosenkranz Productions. Scott’s creativity and vision for this entire project didn’t waver, it just got better and better. What a team! Kerry and Scott together added creativity and fun all along the way, and went the extra mile to tend to every detail.
Not pictured:
Dave Thomson – helped with design and problem solving in the wall display, eelgrass column and plastics cabinetry.
Sandy Dubpernell – Orca Network board member, content for gray whale, orca population and skeleton information.
Daniel Horsell of Shaving Horse Studio, fine furniture maker – refined design, built and installed the eelgrass column and plastics cabinet
Joesphine Jefferson of the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community assisted with her own expertise on tribal history and referral of specialized questions to other tribal experts.
- Handsome Samson – the Steller Sea Lion
- Rudy the Dall’s Porpoise, installation pictures
- Rosie the Gray Whale
To view more pictures from the dedication, and the many months of work leading up to it at, please see our google photos page. Once there …
- Click on the first photo to enlarge it
- Then click the ‘i’ icon at upper right to make captions visible
- Then use the arrow icons to move between pictures