Wendy Larimer

The marina industry today is filled with properties that sell themselves as resorts, offering a full array of amenities for boaters looking to spend quality family time on or near their boats and the water. But that snapshot of a marina leaves out the working side, the boatyard, that is the glue that holds the industry together. Boatyards keep boaters in their boats.

Determining when bad weather turns into a weather emergency is a challenge, and it’s one that the workers at the City and Borough of Juneau Docks & Harbors had to face last December. For four days, the area was hit with sub-zero temperatures, high winds and more than 40 inches of snow. The snowstorm was unprecedented, leaving the crew of eight harbor officers and supervisors to face conditions and challenges they’d never imagined.

The Port of Toledo in Oregon was established in 1910 to support the movement of wood products from the state’s booming lumber industry. Through the years, the port transitioned from lumber but retained its economic importance with tenants that manufacture products for sale nationally and internationally, a large seafood processing operation and various marine services. Spanning the cities of Toledo and Siletz, the port now encompasses 443 square miles.