Just down the block, at the end of Taylor St., you can visit the complete 42′ skeleton of a gray whale named Gunther, on permanent display at Union Wharf in downtown Port Townsend! You’ll find interpretative signage to help you learn more about gray whales, and how this particular gray whale came to be part of downtown Port Townsend.
While you’re in downtown Port Townsend, make sure to visit our Visitor Center, Store and Gallery, all located a block away at the Flagship Landing building, 1001 Water St. And at Fort Worden State Park, in Port Townsend, you’ll find our Aquarium, Museum and gift shop!
When this male gray whale died and washed ashore near Port Ludlow in May 2019, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA’s) Marine Mammal Stranding Network was notified. Nearby residents Dr. Stefanie Worwag and Mario Rivera, volunteers with the Stranding Network, responded to the whale and subsequently offered to let it decompose on their beachfront property, where scientists and volunteers from Cascadia Research, SR3, and the Port Townsend Marine Science Center (PTMSC) conducted a necropsy.
Worwag and Rivera, who named the whale “Gunther”, then gained permission from NOAA to prepare the bones and display the skeleton, beginning a multi-year process rebuilding this remarkable creature. They were joined by industrial designer Les Schnick and shipwright Ric Brenden, who volunteered to create a mount for the massive skeleton. From the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 to 2023, hundreds of volunteer hours were put in cleaning, painting, drafting, drilling, welding, and more. Eventually Gunther was moved to Dr. John Barrett’s property for final assembly.
The couple approached PTMSC for public display location ideas, leading to a collaboration with the City of Port Townsend and the Port of Port Townsend. PTMSC secured donations and permits needed to complete the installation so that this wondrous creature and his story in the Salish Sea could be shared with you.
Visit the project webpage that goes into detail, from the whale’s stranding to the community effort that brought it to Union Wharf.
Location
The Whale on the Wharf is on Union Wharf, at the end of Taylor St.
A block away, at 1001 Water St., you can visit the PTMSC Visitor Center, Store and Gallery. While you’re in Port Townsend, come to Fort Worden State Park to visit our Aquarium and Museum and gift shop. You can find hours and more information at the links.
Hours
The whale is available for viewing 24 hours a day. Enjoy the view at night, as the whale is lit up and spectacular!