COVID-19's Impact on our COASST Fieldwork
In a way, it’s hard to believe that we’re still having to deal with COVID-19. I remember the day when our governor (Washington State) announced a list of business closures. It just so happens we got the news while driving home after one of our COASST bird surveys. Our monthly fieldwork we do for the COASST program is something we look forward to.
At the time if felt as if this would be something we had to endure for a couple of weeks. Little did I realize that months would go by with our National Parks closed. And even though the park in which we conduct our survey is open the campground where we set up base camp is not.
However, with a bit of creative problem solving we’ve gotten back out in the field to conduct our surveys. I really wasn’t sure what to expect when we headed out on the trail which eventually deposits us on our beach. Nature is blissfully unaware of our human plight, but we have seen big changes in our section of the beach due to storms and such.
Things were pretty much as we had left them. The vista was as awe-inspiring as ever and we found our landmarks without issue. One of the things we monitor ever survey is the presence of people. How many we see, etc. There certainly was an uptick in the number we crossed during our survey, but while maintaining social distancing, it was actually nice to engage in a bit of conversation with others!
coaast surveys resume
We're back in the field collecting data for COASST. After being absent for 3 months we weren't sure what to expect at our beach and I was a bit intimated with the thought of hiking over Scott's Bluff once again.
I invite you to follow our updates from the field on twitter.
Maybe Not
As I sit here and think about that last sentence I realize it’s probably incorrect. I think Nature is very much aware of our plight. It seems seas are less noise and marine life is doing noticeably better in many areas. Air quality is much better in many urban areas. The list goes on.
For the naysayers who doubt the impact of humans on our planet perhaps they’ll rethink their position. But maybe not.
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A beautiful sunrise over Washington's Fort Worden State Park. This makes up for all the rain we have to endure during our winters here in the Pacific Northwest. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics #wastateparks
North Mountain Lookout Tower. We lucked out the day we headed up the mountain to check out the view.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Last spring we spend a long week exploring the North Cascades. Looking at today's rain-filled skies, I'm missing the warm sunshine of that trip. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Just published our latest adventure, or maybe misadventure. You can find the link in my bio up top. - "Toleak Survey Short Film"
Enjoying one of those rare sunny winter's day on the Washington coast. This was from a few weeks back when we were conducting our monthly #COASST bird survey. Might be a while before we see another day like this. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympic
We have some of the wettest winters I've ever experienced. The upside is our lush green forest and when the sun does shine it transforms our wilderness into a fairyland. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
Just published our latest adventure, or maybe misadventure. You can find the link in my bio up top. - "Exploring Cathedral Falls"
Here's a shot of Chinitna Bay in Alaska with Iliamna in the background. If you look carefully on the right flank you can see her venting.⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #travelphotography #nature #naturephotography #mountains #wanderlust #outdoors #alaskalove #optoutside #wildlife #explore #alaskalife #photography #adventure #explorealaska #sharingalaska #photooftheday #alaska #landscape #beautiful #fishing #thealaskalife
Camp on chilling winters morning on Puget Sound with a crescent moon looking down. Later the chill gave way to a wind storm that played havoc on our campsite. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #moonrise #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #sunrise #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
A shot of Cathedral Falls in the Mt. St. Helen National Monument. It required a scramble down to its base to try and get the entire fall in frame, not easy at nearly 250' in height. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler
Mushrooms growing from the trunk of a fallen tree in the Goat Creek drainage with Cathedral Falls in the background. #pnwonderland .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24travele
Sunset over Riffe Lake. We had a beautiful day to hike in the Mt. St. Helen Monument and found one spectacular waterfall after another. More photos to come. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #vancouver #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #instagood #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
Heading into the Gifford Pinchot National Forest to do a bit of waterfall hunting with @bradleymiller618. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #photography #reflectiongram #washingtonstate #vancouver #travelgram #washington #travelphotography #pnwonderland #northwestisbest #seattle #pnwphotographer #likeforlikes #sony #travel #instagood #pnwadventures #upperleftusa #pnwisbeautiful #outdoors #nature #followforfollowback #pacificnorthwest #portland #oregon #naturephotography #canada #hiking #explore #sonyalpha #pnwlife
Thankful we still have wild places to lose ourselves. Taken recently on the Washington coast during our monthly #COASST survey. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #pnwonderland #pnw #thenwadventure #upperleftusa #pnwdiscovered #cascadiaexplored #pnwparadise #optoutside #wildernessculture #wanderwashington #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #nature #keepitwild #pnwphotographer #lifeofadventure #exploretocreate #beautifuldestinations #hikingadventures #wanderlust #thatpnwlife #explorewashington #roamtheplanet #thegreatpnw #photooftheday #washingtonexplored @washingtondiscovered @nextstop24 #nextstop24traveler #WildOlympics
Our recent camp on the Washington coast for conducting our #COASST beached bird survey. We lucked out with the weather. Doesn't happen that often during Pacific Northwest winters. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #sunriseporn #clouds #sky #upperleftusa #oregoncoast #pacificnorthwest #pnwlife #photooftheday #sunset #skyscape #beautiful #love #sunup #sunrise #pnwadventures #instasunrise #pnw #nature #photography #cloudporn #sunsetlover #pnwisbest #oregonexplored #skylovers #orangesky #oregonlife #centraloregon #sunrise_and_sunsets #travel
Here's my latest news article regarding the world of citizen-science "A New Twist to Our Toleak Survey" https://buff.ly/3q20bMH
Finding a new location for our fieldwork base
Perhaps the biggest impact on our conducting surveys, besides the park suspending our collection permits, was that closure of the Quileute Oceanside Resort where we made our basecamp. Not only was it a great place to camp but it was also very close to the trailhead leading out to Toleak Beach. As I write this they’re still closed. Point-in-fact, the entire reservation is closed to the public.
Hipcamp to the rescue. If you’re not familiar with Hipcamp, it’s very much like Airbnb; people with land allowing members to camp on that land. It like our Washington State Parks, some are full of amenities, while others are just bare bones. It pays to do your research.
The issue we had been facing was that in the past there weren’t really any options out in the Forks, La Push area. However, that’s no longer the case and I’ve found a couple not far from Forks. We booked a stay at a local site and found it to be very conducive to our needs. (note: as of this article, I’m no longer seeing that site listed. If she comes back online I’ll amend the article with a link.)
Now we just need to see what fall and it’s effect on the COVID-19 virus has in store for us.
