Al Fresco Dining in Harper

Facebook, Website & Email

While our Friends of Harper Pier Facebook group has existed for 10 years, in 2021 a website was created to highlight the many aspects of the Harper Pier community, recreational activities, history, and to present and discuss our advocacy on the Kitsap Transit Moorage issue. The website is also beneficial as a place to hold history and albums of photos. It also allows Friends of Harper Pier to provide information to Friends who do not use Facebook.

To send emails and timely announcements out to Friends of Harper Pier, we now keep an email list.

Please make sure that FOHPier@gmail.org is in your contacts so the newsletters, like this, don’t end up in your spam folder, or another folder such as promotions. Email servers often filter email, but we hope you will want to see our newsletters in your Inbox.

Do you fish on the Pier?

One of our members, Robyn Dally, is conducting a survey for her thesis of people who fish on Harper Pier or other piers in the area. The survey deadline is the end of the month and she could really use more completed surveys. Read more about her research at https://www.kitsapfishingforfood.com/. Take the survey at https://arcg.is/0LuqTe0

Kitsap Transit’s Moorage Quest

Status of Kitsap Transit Moorage Issue

1. Kitsap Transit’s quest for moorage space is still ongoing. In October 2021, after completing a feasibility study and producing a fast-track rendering showing the use of Harper Pier for the moorage of two fast ferries, Kitsap Transit stated, that they would also complete a feasibility study for moorage at Southworth. Just this month, Kitsap Transit announced that staff, their consultant from KPFF, and WSF staff met to start the feasibility study. The original consulting engagement agreement suggested results will take about 10 weeks once the engagement is started before a report is provided to Kitsap Transit.  Maybe in May, we will hear something about the Southworth feasibility study.

2. During this time, we, Friends of Harper Pier, continue to virtually attend Kitsap Transit Board of Commissioners’ meetings to listen to what is happening and how it might relate to Harper Pier.  If you’d like to listen to a meeting, you will find information about the meetings on our website.  Click here.

3. We invite you to express your opinion about using Harper Pier for moorage directly to Kitsap Transit’s Board of Commissioners.  You can make a public comment via email, voice mail, or speaking during the public comment time of the Board meetings.  Information can be found here where to send letters.

4. We are also quietly expressing our feelings about the moorage of ferries at Harper with orange yard signs stating “Don’t Industrialize Harper Pier.”  We have a few more signs available for sale.  Click here to purchase.

Harper Estuary News

Harper Estuary Restoration

• Applications for the Brain Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Grant and the Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration grants have been submitted for the next phase of the Harper Estuary restoration. Project ranking will be announced in August of 2022. At that time, the ranking list is finalized and sent to the governor to be included in the 2023 legislative budget process.

• The 2022 Washington State legislature awarded $100,000 toward the Harper Estuary restoration project. 

• Stay tuned for news about the other grants.

Harper Crab Team

• The Harper Crab team is set to begin the green crab studies in April. This effort continues for 6 months right in our estuary. Curious? Want to learn more? Read about the program here. The captains of the Harper team are Eric & Joyce Schnepp; you can contact them via email - schneppej@msn.com.

Water spilling over and a car taking a spill!

Harper Park

Are you interested in volunteering at Harper Park? Register and the parks department will match you and/or your organization to a project. Kitsap Parks Dept

There continues to be moderate use of Harper Park and the garbage and trash continue to accumulate.

Thank you for picking up after your dogs and placing the waste in the trash can.

If we all do our part to keep the park clean, everyone will be able to use and enjoy the park safely.

Harper Pier T-shirts

Miscellaneous Topics of Interest

Below are a few other topics and links that might interest area residents.

• King Tides

• Overwater Structures Effect on Salmon

• Shrinking Kelp and Eel Grass Beds

Upcoming Events

Kitsap Transit Board of Commissioners Meeting
Tuesday, April 5, 8:30–10 AM, Zoom

Kitsap Transit Quarterly Community Meetings - 2nd Quarter
Saturday, May 14th, 3 sessions to choose from, Zoom

Photo Harper Pier pink sunrise and Harper Pier King tide by Molly Rainey
Photo of killdeer by Bob Greil
Photo of seagull, skate, otters, Kingfisher, Hooded Merganser by Noelle Morris

Photo of Harper Pier at night by Kelleen Thaxton
Photo of Harper Estuary by Marcia Birch
Photo of King tide over Olympiad and clay pit by Jim Heytvelt

Photo of car accident by Christine Pearson

Photo of Noelle Morris modeling her Harper Pier T-shirt by Keith Morris

Photo of crab by Ashley Arnold, Jade Scuba

Questions or comments? Email fohpier@gmail.com.