Social Distance Outdoors
I’m not sure what to make of this health crisis we find ourselves in. I watch the daily news and I’m shocked by the actions of those that seem to find some justification to ignore the advice of our health experts. How hard is it to social distance or wear a mask? How is it our constitutional right to kill others? You have to shake your head at the stupidity, but that’s for another time and place to address.
Luckily we still have the outdoors and can enjoy it responsibly. Most of the trails, beaches, and areas we enjoy exploring are off the beaten path with us rarely crossing paths with others. Now we just carry a mask to slip on if we do hear someone coming down the trail.
The real challenge seems to be keeping repetition from dulling the experience and with that in mind, we pulled our long-neglected sea kayaks down from their storage, cleaned them up, and tried to remember how to secure them on our vehicle for the drive out to our local put-in on the South Puget Sound.
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.
Ketron Island
For this inaugural paddled we wanted to keep things short and close to home. For that, we decided to head to one of our old haunts Ketron Island.
This small wedge-shaped 220-acre island has always had an interesting history for the south sound, but if the name sounds familiar it’s more than likely due to its recent history as the crash site of the stolen Bombardier Q440 passenger plane from SeaTac airport.
In the latest census, there were 17 residents listed on the island which only sees a couple of ferry runs a day. Over the years there have been many schemes and plans for the islands, but like the rusting ferry slowly dissolving into the beach none have ever been realized.
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Follow the team’s latest news and social feeds here. You’ll also find links to articles on the latest developments regarding citizen-science and the conservation of our oceans.
We also use this feed for updates from the field as we pursue our own science and the occasional short video clip.
And please, feel free to join in the conversation. We’d love to hear what you’re up to as well.
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Just published our latest adventure, or maybe misadventure. You can find the link in my bio up top. - "Fort Flagler Bears Winter Colors With Grace"
Heading west for our #COASST bird survey. This time we’ll make base camp on the Strait of Juan de Fuca at Crescent Bay. Forecast is looking good. 🤞🏼 ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #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
Theresa enjoying the sun setting over Deception Pass. This was the perfect ending to a wonderful day of first; we had taken a class in canopy climbing where we climbed to the top of a giant Douglas Fir. ⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ .⠀ #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
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
Most of the island is privately owned but there is a small section of Washington DNR beach that sits on the SW corner of the island. That’s where we headed for our lunch break. It was a cloudless day with ample sunshine. The kind of day which goes a long way in making up for the short gray cold days we endure during the winter.
We were both pleasantly surprised by how comfortable we felt in our boats. Much like seeing an old friend where you take up right where you left off despite the time in-between visits.
We ended up spending all day on the water and Ketron. The upside was that we never had to share any of this with others. With no effort, we were the models of social distancing. We were in our own little bubble completely isolated and protected from the world of pandemics. Turns out the shorelines and waterways of Puget Sound make the perfect social distancing environment.
