February 2009

New and Improved Web Site

I’ve finally updated our web pages (with a lot of help from Vincent, our tech support guy) and I have to say they look beautiful. All of the articles the class of 2008 wrote are linked, so you can explore those if you wish. Take a look:

http://whatcom.wsu.edu/environ/water/beachwatchers.html


I’m also gearing up for this year’s training and, as always, want to recruit as many new Beach Watchers as I can and you can help! Please forward the website to anyone you know who might be interested in participating in the program. Everything they need to know is on the site including dates, times, contact info, and the application.

Is this day and age of information overload, personal recommendations are increasingly important. They really do make a difference.


Stories from the Sea

I've been working with Bob Hendricks, Friends of Blaine Library, and Sonia Hurt to put together what I think will be a great evening for the Blaine community and something that should be of interest to Beach Watchers as well. On February 25, we'll be hosting Val Veirs, Professor with the Beam Reach Marine Science School and President of the Whale Museum, and Todd Schuster, Captain of the Gato Verde. Val and Todd will share their research experience and what has been discovered about orca communication, otherwise known as bioaccoustics.

Sonia Hurt, fellow Beach Watcher, will also share the film The Synthetic Sea - a documentary that explores plastic debris’ harmful effects on our marine life.

I hope you'll join us: February 25, Wednesday 6-8 pm at the Blaine Public Library


Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve

In 2007 the Whatcom Land Trust aquired 54 acres of forest, bluff and beach, and tranferred the land to Whatcom County Parks & Recreation. The newly created park features a 3/4 mile accessible trail to spectacular viewpoints of the Strait of Georgia and San Juan Islands. A switchback path descends from the bluff to access a windswept cobble beach.


That Whatcom Land Trust is celebrating the opening of the Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve this spring and the want to make a splash. They're planning to have tours of both the beach and the upland and they’ve asked if any of our volunteers would be willing to help provide tours of the area (I guess word is getting out that you are a great group to work with!). I already have a tentative yes from Heather Mackay for the wetlands portion. They would love to have Beach Naturalist type tours and perhaps a native plant tour guide as well.

The date is May 25, Memorial Day, and the tours would take place between 11:30 – 1:30.