1980-1989

Anacortes American Home

Our Century
A look back at Anacortes’ last 100 years from the pages of the Anacortes American

1980-1989: Seas of Suffering

Loss of 14 fishermen stuns Anacortes

by NANCY WALBECK
American staff writer

The mysterious and tragic sinking of two Anacortes-built and Anacortes--manned fishing boats on Valentine's Day in 1983, and the loss of 14 lives in the Bering Sea, struck the town like a shock wave.

In fact, many said then since, it is the single most tragic event the city has suffered. Nearly 3,000 people gathered in downtown Anacortes in a prayer vigil for the seven-member Altair crew, while a memorial service was planned for the Americus, already discovered with its hull overturned and no apparent survivors. In the week that followed, family and friends clung to the hope that the sister ship, Altair, built at Dakota Creek, would contact others by radio. But hope faded when vessels and aircraft surveyed more than 20,000 square miles in a vain attempt to find the missing vessel. It was never seen again.

Chamber of Commerce President Maaria Petrish hands large candle to Jeff Hendricks

The men who died, on the Americus: George Nations, 43; his son, Jeff Nations, 19; Brent Boles, 24; Larry Littlefield, 29; Paul Northcutt, 24; Victor Bass, 19; and Rich Awes, 20; on the Altair: Ron Beirnes, 47; Lark Breckinridge, 24; Troy Gudbranson, 21; Jeff Martin, 23; Tony Vienhage, 27; Brad Melvin, 26; and Roy Harvey, 23.

Later, questions would be raised about both boats' stability and whether modifications to the original designs doomed the craft. But in early 1983, overwhelmed and grief-stricken families and their community tried their best to cope with an unthinkable event -- one that took away fathers and brothers and many young men of a single generation.

Anacortes is a town that has it benefited from the sea but also suffered greatly because of it. When the crowd at the downtown vigil moved on that tragic week, it was toward the Seafarers' Memorial at Cap Sante Boat Haven. There a candle was lit, in hopeful prayer, at the base of a memorial that already bore 96 names, losses inscribed since 1913.

The Americus and Altair crews now have their own memorial, alongside the W.T. Preston snagboat and in a garden with flowers and benches and a picnic table. The monument is beautifully plain but sturdy, with the names listed clearly for anyone who might happen by and wonder about these Anacortes fathers and sons.

Later that decade, Anacortes would suffer an injury of a different sort, a monumental oil spill from an oil barge that overturned and sank off Shannon Point, Jan. 31, 1988. Estimates put the amount at 67,000 to 90,000 gallons, but the barge went down with 368,000 gallons on board and no guarantee it could be safely salvaged. The community marshaled all its forces -- the American Red Cross, Emergency Management, the U.S. Coast Guard, various police and state agencies, volunteers and staff working at the Shannon Point Marine Center.

The federal government later charged Olympic barge and its owner and barge operator $1.2 million for the Coast Guard costs, and the state Department of Ecology sent a bill for $43,000. But Shannon Point Marine Center staff didn't leave it there, testing and probing to see just how much damage occurred -- plenty, they said, and all the way to the Padilla Bay estuary.

More folly followed, with spills by Shell (3,400 gallons of unrefined bunker oil); the Port of Anacortes (300 gallons of oil at the loading dock that covered the Guemes shoreline with black residue); and the state ferry system (40 gallons dumped at Ship Harbor because an alarm failed.)

If that wasn't enough that year, Northwest Petrochemical was fined $104,000 by the Department of Ecology because it failed to keep track of its many toxic substances, some so corrosive and environmentally hazardous they would be banned altogether. The parent company, Stimson Timber, had a response; it shut NW Petro down.

Some good news did happen. Sugiyo, a maker of imitation crab, came to town and Dakota Creek began its $7 million upgrade.

Friends of the Forest urged no clearcutting and the public agreed. Later, the city would annex the Anacortes Community Forest Lands into the city, then give it to the parks department. Although some were concerned it might be a drain financially on the city coffers, the very popular 2,500-acre forest has developed its own foundation and conservation-easement plans and a tree hasn't been cut down for timber-harvesting for nearly a decade.

Still, the city had another sensational murder on its hands, although Robin Lee Cameron, 24, was acquitted of stabbing Arleen Hanson, also 24. Defended by Seattle defense attorney John Henry Browne of Seattle, Cameron was found not guilty. Browne charged prosecutors with bringing a "weak case" against his client.

Crime also hit a bumper crop when an Anacortes couple was found with a $120,000 stash of marijuana, which the police promptly set on fire. A local teacher was busted for selling cocaine, several sex crimes were committed against very young males by, for one, a scout master and swimming pool instructor and local police complained that Anacortes' proximity to the water aided the drug trade.

Oddly, though, this resilient town would bounce back and soon notice more and better shops downtown. Commercial Avenue got its fix-up, the pricey sewer plant went up and was a model of its kind and the city administration became more sophisticated about evaluating water, garbage and sewer rates so things stayed shipshape while ratepayers didn't have to dig too deep.

But, longtime Anacortes residents still complained about urban renewal, and all the family homes that were removed to create jobs that never really came. Arguments continue about the Urban Renewal Area, and now are joined by disagreements, proposal and counter-proposals on development of the entire Fidalgo Bay waterfront.

Chronology

1980

Publishers Forest Products lays off 23 plywood workers, then another 56, officials say they are "not optimistic."

Both refineries are hit with an 11-week strike.

The Depot may be reopened as an arts center.

Cypress Island's owner proposes a big resort.

The city annexes Weaverling Spit.

A $750,000 settlement is awarded to one of the victim's of the 1979 Shell fire.

1981

Police find a couple's $120,000 stash of marijuana, then burn it, while the city has two unsolved murders and one vehicular homicide.

Even a local teacher is busted selling cocaine and several fishermen are targeted because "of the ease of transport" of drugs in Anacortes.

The Opera House is demolished in an accidental fire.

The city manager form of government is nixed.

Fisherman Bill Dolman, who served time protesting the Boldt decision, is lost off the California coast.

Publishers mill lasts until October, then closes, putting 159 out of work.

1982

Robin Lee Cameron, 24, is acquitted of the stabbing-death murder of Arleen Hanson, 24. Hanson was found on lower Cap Sante Park. Cameron was defended by Seattle attorney John Henry Browne, who criticized the police's "weak case."

The Cap Sante Boat Haven expansion begins.

Jim Rice is elected Mayor under the strong mayor form of government.

A plan to extend 32nd street west (through the forest lands), then north to Anacopper Road, meets with opposition.

1983

"The greatest tragedy ever experienced by a city" happens when two fishing boats from Anacortes, with 14 aboard, go down in the Bering Sea on Valentine's Day. The sinking of the Americus and the Altair stuns city residents, who gather 3,000-strong in a downtown prayer vigil. Later, thousands attend the two memorial services held at Anacortes High School. Several hearings and studies later rule the boats were rendered unstable by modifications.

Peter Kiewet and Sons takes over Snelson Anvil property; Chief Tony Lippe is fired by Mayor Jim Rice, then reinstated.

Publishers re-vamps into a co-operative venture.

1984

Anacortes Plywood Inc., formerly Publishers, now has $1 million in sales and 175 employees. The new firms starts as a co-operative, with help from state, federal and local governments.

An initiative is launched in Skagit County to overturn the Boldt decision.

Texaco sees the upcoming petroleum coke contract as "lucrative."

The federal government nixes the city's sewer plant waiver. The plant's estimated cost is now at $22.2 million.

The Port gives the go-ahead to full development at Cap Sante.

The state says "no" on extra Sidney ferry run. Ferries are down to two because "there are not enough boats."

1985

Controversial anti-drug guru and former cop, David "Baretta" Toma, comes to town; some students walk out, others applaud. City residents and school officials are worried about drug use, but survey shows more alcohol use than drugs.

J. C. Penny's announces it will close at year's end.

The proposed Stockwell Marina on Weaverling Spit is not approved by shoreline hearings board.

Evergreen Islands settles with Ship Harbor developers on environmental issues, temporarily.

The library's children's wing opens. Swinomish Tribal Bingo opens.

1986

The State ferry Hyak hits and jams on a reef at Shannon Point; 275 people shuttled ashore by Coast Guard. No injuries, but the chief mate later has license suspended.

Salmon net pen farms are opposed, and county official backs that view.

Sugiyo plans to build a surimi, or fake crab plant, on urban-renewal land with $6.5 million in re-development bonds.

Dakota Creek plans $7 million in improvements.

The city accepts $9.6 million sewer grant from state in lieu of being sued by state ecology department.

A movie, "Indian Summer," starring Hoyt Axton and Karen Black, is shot in town, but producers leave $300,000 in unpaid bills from here to Whidbey Island.

Best Friends Bunnies, later Bunnies By The Bay, is launched.

1987

Anacortes Plywood Mill co-op is falling behind on payments.

Bobo, his remains stuffed and on loan from Seattle's Museum of History and Industry arrives at the Anacortes Museum.

Gov. Booth Gardner attends the grand opening of Sugiyo.

The Cypress Island resort project is approved but trimmed.

Five local structures are put on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Semar Building and Curtis Wharf.

1988

A major oil spill occurs Jan. 31 when Olympic Tug's barge leaving Texaco sinks off Shannon Point, dumping 46,200 gallons of crude oil and going down with 368,000 gallons still on board. Later estimates put spill at 90,000 gallons, but this is just the first of several oil spills and environmental damage concerns this year, including 3,400 gallons of unrefined bunker oil at Shell; 300 gallons of oil spilled at the Port loading dock, which coats Guemes shoreline with thick, black residue, and 40 gallons dumped from the state ferry.

Shannon Point Marine Center does comprehensive study later, finds oil globules from barge accident on sea floor and as far as Sunset Beach and Padilla and Burrows bays.

1989

Friends of the Forest argues against timber harvest in the city forest lands, and the city takes over funding and puts ACFL in city parks. But the forest board decides to cut timber to raise money, although city surveys show city residents don't want any more timber harvesting.

Meanwhile, state pays Cypress Island developer $5.4 million to purchase land.

Burl Ives moves to town.

The oil spill will cost the barge's owner $1.2 million (Coast Guard costs) and $43,000 (DOE).

The "most elegant hotel north of San Francisco," the Anacortes Hotel on Eighth Street, comes down.

Mayor Jim Rice lectures a packed public hearing in City Hall, accusing some of "racism" for trying to change a bed-and-breakfast ordinance so a black couple, Creamola and Carelton Manning, would be shut out of the business. "This has to be said. This whole issue is on account of race. This is the only reason this came up," Rice said, speaking directly to the crowd. "I hope it (racism) never comes up again." The proposed change didn't pass, and the Mannings successfully continued as inn owners.

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