Semiahmoo museum needs a new volunteer coordinator

By Meg Olson

It’s time for the Semiahmoo museum to open for the season, but Drayton Harbor Maritime (DHM) is without a museum coordinator to get the job done. “We had hoped to have it open by memorial day but our volunteer coordinator had to leave unexpectedly and the museum can’t open.”

Whatcom county owns the museum on Semiahmoo spit which reopened last year staffed by DHM volunteers.

The group is looking for someone to coordinate a schedule for the 30 volunteers. “Hopefully someone will come forward and give us a couple of hours a week,” Sturgill said. The museum is usually open four hours a day on weekends from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Sturgill put out the call for a new volunteer coordinator at the DHM annual meeting at the Blaine boating center June 4. In addition to discussing association business, the group was treated to war stories and pictures to match from local resident and wartime filmmaker Norm Jensen.

In 1942 Jensen went from helping his uncle buy and pack fish aboard the Cutty Sark to active duty as a navy submariner. In 39 months of active duty he patrolled the South Pacific on the Queen Fish and the Cod, hunting down boats bringing war supplies to Japan.

“We did get shot at and we did shoot back,” he told his audience. “They didn’t last long.” Crews of sampans that held cargo that could help the Japanese war effort were put adrift in their skiffs and the boats destroyed. “We were doing everything we could to starve the Japanese out,” Jensen said.

Jensen had an unusual role on board, documenting the war effort on film. His voluminous footage has been used in several war documentaries. “I’ve seen his films on the Discovery Channel,” said Sturgill. “Combat footage by Norm Jensen..
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