Maritime Heritage in the
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary

"Maritime Heritage" represents the human connection with the Ocean. Lives, languages, communities and even cultures are shaped constantly by the sea. Before there was written history, Makah, Quileute, Hoh and Quinault peoples lived at the water's edge, thriving on the richness of the ocean - fish, shellfish, seabirds and marine mammals. Waters of the sanctuary were highways that linked Native peoples all along the coast as they travelled by canoe, mastering current, weather and tide. Many place-names mark the coast, marked in their languages. Today, Native Tribes continue balancing the very modern needs of their communities with long traditions and a perspective acquired over the millenia. The Tribes manage natural resources like fisheries and forestry as co-equals as provided in their treaties with the United States government.

The rugged Olympic Coast can be treacherous, especially during winter storms when high winds and strong currents can push ships dangerously close to rocky shores. Over 180 ships have been wrecked or lost at sea in sanctuary waters in the years between 1808 to 1972. Visitors to the OCDC can see relics of sailing ships, and read about several shipwrecks off the Washington coast. Those who hike out to Cape Alava at very low tides will find the anchor of the sailing ship Austria which ran aground off the Ozette Indian village in 1887. Several lighthouses have beem established along the rocky coast to aid mariners in navigating this area. The first of these was the Tatoosh Island Lighthouse. Construction was begun in 1855, and the first-order Fresnel lens was first illuminated in the tower on December 28, 1857. Life as a lighthouse keeper on this remote island one-half mile off Cape Flattery was far from pleasant in the early years. The lighthouse roof leaked, moss grew on the interior walls, and stong winds blowing across the top of the chimney caused smoke to back up in the dwelling.

In spite of difficult, and often treacherous conditions, since earliest times the bounty of the sea has been harvested by commercial and sport fishers. Dungeness crab, Chinook and Coho salmon, halibut, and razor clams are only a few of the tasty delicacies harvested along the Washington coast. The Sanctuary is dedicated to maintaining healthy stocks of fish and shellfish to benefit local economics and coastal community traditions in addition to preserving biological diversity within the marine ecosystem.

The Maritime Heritage exhibit at the Olympic Coast Discovery Center reflects all of these connections between people and the sanctuary. Ask our staff or volunteers to tell you more....

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