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On a narrow strip of land between the Bremerton Ferry Terminal and the naval shipyard, WET created a water feature designed to link the city’s civilian and Navy populations. Five pod-shaped pools steer locals and tourists from the steps of the Harborside Heritage Naval Museum to the Puget Sound waterfront. But like sailors ensnared by the siren call, visitors may never make it to the water’s edge—instead they traverse the park in wonder, forgetting just where it was they were headed. Bronze sculptures rise from ankle-deep waters, recalling submarine sails—as if we were witnessing a landlocked fleet headed out to sea. The tops of these 'subs' periodically erupt with water that then cascades down its ship-lapped siding. At the moment of eruption, the submarine image is dispelled and we’re reminded of something more primal––a gray whale surfacing for air, or a miniature (and harmless) Mount St. Helens. The shallow pools are an open invitation to children who, in the summertime, wait at the foot of these copper mountains for the equivalent of a bucket of water to be tossed on their heads. Impulsive parents are welcome to join them.

Harborside Fountain Park

Bremerton, Washington, USA

May, 2007

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Harborside Fountain Park
Bremerton, May 2007