Quartermaster Harbor facts for kids
Quartermaster Harbor is a small, calm body of water located in the southern part of Puget Sound. It is found near Vashon Island in Washington state. A harbor is a place where boats can safely anchor, protected from strong winds and waves.
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Exploring Quartermaster Harbor's Geography
Quartermaster Harbor is naturally formed by two islands. Vashon Island is on its western side, and Maury Island is on its eastern side. The entrance to the harbor is about 0.8 miles (1.3 km) east of the ferry landing at the southern tip of Vashon Island. This entrance is between Neill Point on Vashon Island and Piner Point on Maury Island.
The harbor stretches for almost five miles (8 km) and is about half a mile (0.8 km) wide. It extends north between the two islands for about 3.5 miles (5.6 km). Then, it turns east towards the bay at Dockton. The harbor then swings north around the Burton Peninsula, past Portage, and finally turns west. It ends in an "inner harbor" area near Burton.
The water in Quartermaster Harbor is generally shallow. Its deepest point is about ten meters (33 feet) at high tide. The bottom of the harbor is made of sand and mud, which is a great home for many shellfish. The shores are lined with tall evergreen trees. These trees climb the hills above the harbor, reaching heights of over 400 feet (122 m) on both islands. The harbor offers good spots for boats to anchor or moor, especially in its northern part.
Amazing Marine Life and Birds
Quartermaster Harbor is a very important place for marine animals and birds. It is home to the largest group of Pacific herring that come to lay their eggs in the southern Puget Sound. It is also a major area where surf smelt reproduce. A small strip of land between the two islands has a saltwater marsh. This marsh is part of the Washington State Department of Natural Resources Maury Island Environmental Aquatic Reserve, which helps protect the natural environment.
Because there are so many small fish (called forage fish) and shellfish, the harbor is a key winter home for 35 different kinds of birds. The most common bird here is the Western Grebe. About eight percent of all Western Grebes that spend winter in Washington can be found here. Hundreds of scoters and other diving sea ducks also visit to eat shellfish during the colder months.
Every year, about 3,000 individual birds spend their winter here. These include grebes, loons, mergansers, diving sea ducks, gulls, and dabbling ducks, among many other species.
Boating and Water Activities
Quartermaster Harbor is a popular spot for boating. It is home to the Quartermaster Yacht Club and Quartermaster Marina. These places house many private motor and sailing yachts and smaller boats. The harbor is also where the Vashon Island Junior Crew team practices their rowing skills.
A Look Back at Quartermaster Harbor's History
How Quartermaster Harbor Got Its Name
Quartermaster Harbor was named by Charles Wilkes. He was the leader of the United States Exploring Expedition from 1838 to 1842. Wilkes chose this name because he had already named many other places nearby after quartermasters and other important officers from his expedition. Some of these places named after quartermasters include Piner, Neill, Dalco, Sanford, Southworth, Williams, Henry, Pully, Robinson, and Henderson.
Shipbuilding and Drydocks
Long ago, Quartermaster Harbor had one of the biggest drydocks in Puget Sound. A drydock is a special dock that can be drained of water, allowing ships to be built or repaired on dry land. This large drydock was installed here in 1892. It was 325 feet (99 m) long and 102 feet (31 m) wide, big enough to lift several large ships at once. The drydock stayed in place until 1909.
Over the years, many ships were also built at the shipyard of John Martinolich in Dockton, on Maury Island. Some of these ships included the steamers Vashon (built in 1905), Verona (1910), Nisqually (later called Astorian), and Calista (both built in 1911). Other ships were the Florence J. (1914), F.G. Reeves (1916), Vashona (later named Sightseer) (1921), and the ferry Whidby (1923).
Sometimes, launching a new ship was tricky. For example, the Florence J. boat rolled over and sank during its very first launch attempt! The shipyard eventually stopped building ships in 1912.
Images for kids
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Nisqually, built at Martinolich Yard, Dockton, 1911
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