Northwest Summer

Low tides have released their manic grip on my time, so although there is still some field work going on, it is local and much lower key. Here I am doing some ground survey work during an early morning low tide in Roberts Bay, near Sidney Harbor.






Hexagonal desiccation cracks in mud

More ground work during low tide at Moses Point, near where I live in Sidney. Den and Julie visited this spot with me for a sunset during their visit last spring.


Pocket filled with barnacle shell hash


Squid egg sac


Heron enjoying the mud buffet


Barnacles and tidepool

When I'm not working low tides or in the office or hanging out of a helicopter, I am having fun running, salsa dancing, and traveling. Ken's family has a house on Westcott Bay on San Juan Island, so I walked on the ferry from Sidney one Friday afternoon, and two hours later was in Friday Harbor on San Juan.


Ken's family's home on Westcott Bay, San Juan Island

We spent a couple of days there, riding around the island on the motorcycle, checking out the beaches and old camps from the Pig War. We visited the English Camp by water, using the family's 12' aluminum skiff. The formal garden is intact and beautiful. Many of the plants there are medicinal herbs that were used to treat wounds during the war, like cowslip, feverfew, foxglove, and bergamot. There were also beautiful roses and huge gerbera daises, which made me think of mom.

We walked the coastal trail near Limekiln Point, hoping to see orcas. It was a beautiful, sunny day on the cliffs and south beaches.


The cliffs at Limekiln Point


On South Beach


12' skiff and launch at tide line

One afternoon we bought a whole raw chicken in Friday Harbor and carried it home on the motorcycle. I used it to bait the crab pot, and we launched the skiff from the back yard at high tide. We set out the crab pot at Ken's secret spot, cruised Roche Harbor and English camp, and after an hour had a dozen Dungeness crabs! I don't have pictures of the crabs all hanging out of the pot, so you'll just have to trust me that it was exciting! It was funny getting them out of the pot with no gloves or tongs. We kept 4 legal-sized males that I cooked up that night... I was missing the Old Bay seasoning we grew up on. I was reminded again of mom and how she would let the Maryland blue crabs run around on the floor while Den and I stood on chairs in the kitchen, shrieking and laughing. I tried to get Ken to do that, but he wouldn't go for it. :)

Roche Harbor is close to Westcott Bay and a really cute place. They have Shakespeare and outdoor concerts in the summer. This reminded me of John, who I know would love it. This photo is from the web cam.


Roche Harbor web cam