BILL BAILEY
CAPTAIN: 200 TON MASTERS, ENGINEER, CHIEF SANDER, PRESIDENT, WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER

Beginning in 1964, at the impressionable age of 12, Bill spent afternoons with a master craftsman who was in the midst of a 5-year boat building project. His time in that shop ruined him! He was infected with saw dust, turpentine and metal polish. The only relief he has ever found is to own and operate traditional wooden boats.

At 19 he bought a 32' engineless mahogany sloop and sailed her in the San Diego area for several years. He was in the process of re-building her into an off-shore voyager when love intervened and he married his first (and only!) wife, Shannon. The arrival of their first child 10 months later resulted in the conversion of the boat into a washing machine, a dryer, and a car with seat belts.

In the 1980's Bill and Shannon moved to the Northwest and began a fishing business. For 4-years Bill was on the water at least 200 days per year, fishing for crab, salmon and dog fish. Their boat was a 1936 Bristol Bay sailboat that had been (crudely) converted to power. 2 months after they committed everything they had to this new venture, the boat sank at the dock during a severe storm. Bill raised her himself, got her running, and within a week was back fishing. The next spring he hauled her home and completed a three-month re-build (much to the neighbors' consternation and amazement!).

Bill also worked as a deck hand in Alaska on different commercial fishing boats. He was struck with the wild beauty of Alaska and vowed to someday return with his family.

The Bailey family moved to San Juan Island in 1989, where Bill hoped to return to commercial fishing. Economics and judicial actions spelled the end of fishing as a way of life, and Bill turned to construction as a vocation. During this time the Bailey's owned two classic cruising boats, the first, a 1946, 33' Monk design. The second was a 1947, 42' Bill Garden designed commercial troller. These boats were used to take family and friends on many wonderful voyages.

15 years and 50 homes, barns and offices later it is time to return to the sea to make our living.

Finally.

ERIC “NEWT” RASMUSSEN
ENGINEER, WINTER MAINTENANCE

Eric lives on a tugboat, the NEWT on Lake Union with his wife, daughter and son. He takes off from his "real job" working at a ship yard to vacation with us a few weeks on the CATALYST. He also works on her in the winter making sure all the pipes and wires look neat after a major job rebuilding and remodeling, and cleaning up the engine and brightening the brass, after the Washington diesel has an overhaul. He’s full of bright ideas and has the gift of implementing them as well.

ALEA PARKER
ENGINEER, DECKHAND, OFFICE ASSISTANT, COLLECTOR OF STRAY ANIMALS

Alea Parker grew up in La Mesa, California, quickly achieving status as "The
Golden Child."  She grew up fishing and hunting with her family and learned
about engines, electricity and plumbing at her stepfather's side. A long
time family friend, Alea has tackled many jobs with Pacific Catalyst, both
on the boat and in the office. She attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where
she majored in Animal Science and had planned on Veterinarian School. After
coming alongside to help with Pacific Catalyst she was drawn to the engine.
A strong interest in mechanics, math, science and music have followed Alea
through her life in tandem with her interest in animal husbandry. When the
opportunity to learn the oiling and workings of the Washington Estep became
available, she jumped aboard and took on the challenge. Most recently she
lived in Phoenix, Arizona awaiting response to vet school applications.
There she worked as a vet tech and collected stray animals (which she left
with her parents before leaving for the Catalyst).  Prior jobs have included
managing both horse camps and a shooting range, butchering at a
meat-processing plant, shepherding sheep, office management, deckhand, and
building sandwiches at a local Subway where she learned Spanish.

RANDY GOOD
ENGINER, LAUNDERER, OVERHEAD CLEARANCE SPECIALIST

Randy was born in Washington D.C., and some of his best childhood memories are spending time with his dad on their boat on the Chesapeake Bay.  It has taken decades but, in 2007, the dream of owning his own boat finally came true.  He and his wife Carie  gleefully acquired the Ruby G., a classic wooden Grand Banks trawler, currently in the midst of deep restoration on Lake Champlain. Randy first began fiddling around with engines at the age of 8, redesigning a detailed model of an airplane engine.  He moved on to motorcycles, British sports car drive trains, and circuit racing engines before graduating to marine systems and diesels.  On the rare occasions when you cant find Randy shoveling snow at his home in Vermont, youll find him in his woodshop, designing and building custom furniture, working on cabinets for the galley or rebuilding one of his fleet of Harley Davidson motorcycles.  Celtic tunes, Blues or Mendelssohn on his iPod, of course.  The Catalysthas been on his personal radar for over ten years, and the opportunity to work aboard her amidst the wonders of S.E. Alaska and the Washington-Estep diesel is a dream come true.

SHANNON BAILEY
ADMINISTRATOR/TRIP CO-ORDINATOR/VICE PRESIDENT / KAYAK GUIDE, NATURALIST, DECKHAND AND CHEF, WILDERNESS FIRST RESPONDER

Shannon tends the home fires and the office on San Juan Island, “decorates” the CATALYST,  and rejoices in taking trips aboard the CATALYST as kayak guide, naturalist, deckhand and/or chef through the spring, summer and fall.. She is a certified Alaska Naturalist through the University of Alaska, SE and is a member of the Salish Sea Association of Marine Naturalists. She received her BA in Communication Studies and Political Science from UC Santa Barbara and delights in using all of this “knowledge” in creating community aboard the CATALYST. She listed her occupation as sheep farmer until she and Bill purchased the CATALYST, and she took on the marketing and administrative duties of the business.  Eventually she added naturalist/kayak guide and chef to her repertoire. Though there are still sheep on their farm and a horse as well, Shannon is pursuing her studies in photography, natural history and science rather than delivering lambs. Her sister also claims her as the best cook, this after practicing on her family of six for thirty four years. And remember to smile when she’s aboard, because she’s often taking your picture!

SARAH DRUMMOND
NATURALIST, KAYAK GUIDE, DECKHAND, ARTIST IN RESIDENCE

Sarah Drummond's passion for the natural world began at an early age, and she has kept illustrated field journals since she was twelve. Sarah graduated from Maine's College of the Atlantic, where her studies emphasized general ecology, island ecosystems, and art. In 2005 Sarah was awarded a Thomas J. Watson Foundation Fellowship and completed a year of travel in Argentina, French Polynesia, New Zealand , Australia, and Greenland, focusing on the important role of artists on exploratory expeditions. Re-visiting many of the places described by these intrepid naturalist artists, she produced an extraordinary collection of watercolor paintings and field journals, recording her own "voyage of discovery" in a changing world. Sarah spent a summer season working as a guide and naturalist in Glacier Bay and part of last summer aboard the CATALYST in the same position. She is currently pursuing a Masters Degree in Environmental Studies at Prescott College . We welcome her back for another stint aboard sharing her vast experience and joyous spirit.

JENNIFER HAHN
NATURALIST, KAYAK GUIDE, DECKHAND, WRITER

When asked to work on the Catalyst again this fall, Jennifer’s response was: I'd LOOOOOOVE to work on my favorite vessel of all time--the beautiful Catalyst—“.
One book critic dubbed Jennifer Hahn a "Renaissance Sea Kayaker" another “Emily Dickenson on steroids.” Wilderness guide, solo kayak adventurer, naturalist, writer, illustrator, welder, wild harvester and teacher -- Jennifer calls the land her second home. With 26 years of wilderness travel under hull--including her solo kayak from Ketchikan, Alaska to Bellingham, Washington over two springs and summers--Jennifer relies on wild harvesting and fishing to keep her kayak light.    

Jennifer’s book “SPIRITED WATERS: SOLOING SOUTH THROUGH THE INSIDE PASSAGE” won the "Barbara Savage MILES FROM NOWHERE Memorial Award" for an adventure narrative. She studied under Pulitzer-prize-author Annie Dillard. In 1989, she founded Elakah! Kayak Expeditions. She has led natural history and kayak trips in Washington, Canada, Alaska, Baja and the Galapagos Islands. Jennifer's NEW BOOK:  THE WILD TABLE: Adventures in Pacific Foraging and Cuisine-- will debut in Fall 2010. 
Jennifer is currently balancing an extroverted life guiding in Alaska and Washington and a isolated life hammering away at two books--a wild harvesting book with ethnobotanist Mac Smith, and a memoir about how her single father welded the family back together after her mom died in an auto accident on a family vacation when Jennifer was 10 months old. She lives in Bellingham with her potter/sculptor husband and their dog-child, Gracie.

JAY ZARR
NATURALIST, KAYAK GUIDE, DECKHAND, EDUCATOR

 Jay Zarr for 30+ years has travels through the wildness of the world as an experiential educator and everyday is excited about the new beginnings. His ventures include being a camp counselor, wrangler, Outward Bound Instructor; backpacking and climbing instructor, wilderness ranger, college professor, a senior instructor for the Wilderness Education Association and guiding sea kayaking trips in the San Juans and in SE Alaska.
His passion for the environment began early in Colorado; growing up along with his 6 brothers as they camped and fished. That passion continues to burn bright as he is constantly helping others to see through their own eyes all the wonders of the natural world. Jay has a unique knack of making one feel comfortable in the outdoor setting as he and his groups discover lessons and the simple beauty of the Mother Nature.

He is the founder of three outdoor education programs and was the author and director of the environmental education program for teachers called "Environment Now: A Stepping Stone". He has been named 3 times as the Outstanding Educator of Higher Education in the last few years. During his stint with the forest service he was involved in designing the 10th Mountain Aspen to Vail Ski and Mountain Bike trail and currently serves on the local Sierra Club and Nature Center boards.

Jay's zeal for sea kayaking began with a trip to the San Juan Islands in the early 80's and you can now find him and his wife Cleo every summer spending time in the northwest paddling and learning of the environment which they now considers their second home. Jay and his wife's travels have taken them on the kayak trips down the Colorado and Green Rivers, exploring Peru and Ecuador to most of the fourteen thousand foot peak in Colorado, Mt Rainer and a exploration of the of Gulf Islands to name a few. .

When Jay's not exploring the natural world he is a consultant for High Impact Training specializing in leadership development and creating community. He has a Master degree in Experiential Education and Graduate work in Ecology. His enthusiasm for life is contagious and he is looking forward to again exploring and discovering Southeast Alaska with the Pacific Catalyst family.

TRACIE TRIOLO    
CHEF

Tracie grew up in Boulder Colorado where she developed a passion for food, music and the outdoors.  She began working at an early age in her family's restaurant and spent most of her spare time, playing music, skiing, backpacking, and refining her back country cooking skills.  Many summer vacations were in a remote cabin on a lake in northern Wisconsin, where swimming, canoeing, fishing and harvesting wild edibles consumed most of the long days.  She now lives in Mendocino County California during the school year and teaches woodwinds at the Ukiah School of Music. She plays piccolo and flute with local symphony orchestras and Baritone Saxophone in jazz bands.  Tracie uses cooking on charter boats as an excuse to return to southeast Alaska every summer and the money earned to support her decadent musician lifestyle the rest of the year.

ERICA FICKEISEN
CHEF

Erica is back.  She use to spend her southern hemisphere summers cooking in Antarctica and her northern hemisphere summers vacationing in Southeast Alaska cooking for CATALYST guests and crew. Then she met her one true love and married him in Antarctica and decided that home with him in Washington was best. After a brief stint in the world of haute couture pastry (using those skills from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris) Erica now spends her days baking all manner of treats for the students and staff at PLU in Tacoma. She and her husband are currently in the process of ripping their house apart and putting it back together again piece by piece. We promised her some quiet moments of knitting and reading before Dawes Glacier if she would spend some time with us this summer.

ELIJAH BAILEY
NATURALIST, KAYAK GUIDE, DECKHAND, ENGINEER, AND MAINTENANCE CREW
Eli is building homes on San Juan Island and remodeling his own with his sweetie as well as traveling when time permits. He helps to get the CATALYST ready in the spring and occasionally crews locally.

FORMER CREW UPDATES:

CARL JOHNSON,
ENGINEER  
Carl enjoyed the summer off working on the Catalyst last year, but has now returned to his job in communications on San Juan Island. He’s said if you need me….

ERIK DURFEY
Engineer, Consultant
Erik continues to consult and do engine work for the Catalyst in the off season.

 

ADRIAN LIPP
Engineer, Consultant
Adrian is concentrating on his own business: Old Tacoma Marine and is working with a museum on engine exhibits. He still works on the Catalyst engine in the off season.

 

LIA STAMATIOU
Naturalist, Kayak Guide, Deckhand
Lia is working in Seattle in fisheries.

 

CHRISTINE SMITH
Chef
Christine is back to her small gardening business in Bellingham and running her own charter boat business with her husband, Jeffrey.

 

ENSAN BRODSKY
Chef
Ensan is concentrating on her studies in medicine and healing, working occasionally as a cook on various boats..

OTHER CREW MEMBERS MAY BE SEEN AGAIN………