PORT TOWNSEND — A barge-based crane dominated the waterfront skyline Thursday, heralding construction of the Northwest Maritime Center dock.
The barge drove pilings around the former Thomas Oil Co. dock at the end of Water Street.
The focus wasn’t to begin demolition of the 1930s pier, but to see how deep bedrock is below the surface.
Data gathered will let engineers know how long pilings need to be when the dock is replaced starting in October, Maritime Center spokeswoman Shelly Randall said.
Steel piles will be driven in place of the creosote-coated wooden ones used for the old dock.
Workers cut a hole in one end of the dock, then used a vibrating hammer attached to the crane to drive an 18-inch-wide pole 120 feet long through the gap.
The process was repeated 60 feet from the end of the old Thomas Oil dock. There, the piling went through 35 feet of mud before hitting solid ground, said project manager Bob Little of Little & Little Construction.
Randall said the work drew many spectators during the day.
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