Cama Beach Opening Ceremonies - Video

If you missed the grand opening of Cama Beach State Park,
you can now watch it on this 67 minute video
from TVW - Washington State Public Affairs TV Network.

John Custer '02

North Cascades Institute - Sign Up Today

Copyright © Karen E Lewis

If being surrounded by snow capped mountains, hiking forest trails to waterfalls, and dining lakeside on fresh, local, organic foods appeals to you, then seriously consider going to the North Cascades Institute (NCI) for the Beach Watchers’ retreat September 3-5, 2008.

(Reservations due by July 1st)

The drive along the winding Skagit River sets the stage for being immersed in nature on the NCI campus; the facilities are modern and incorporate green building design and operations. There are miles of hiking trails available to explore and bird and plant life are diverse and plentiful. Glacier-fed Diablo Lake welcomes paddlers and on the last day I was there, a snow capped mountain was sharply reflected in its waters.

The campus offers a variety of welcoming places (indoor and out), for social gatherings, as well as for quiet relaxation. I particularly enjoyed the gatherings at the dining hall, as the meals prepared by Chef Charles Claassen were, on their own, well worth the drive to NCI. Chef Charles is committed to local, organic, sustainable cuisine and does a wonderful job preparing it.

If you did nothing else but read a book and feast at NCI, your time and money would be well spent. I’m looking forward to a return visit (my third) in September. I hope to see you there!

Finn Gatewood 2006

Letter from Kristen

Hello Beach Watcher Friends

Bet you are wondering what happened to me. Some of you may be asking why you haven't heard from me in a while. I mean it wasn't so long ago that I was bugging you with emails nearly every other day. Lately you may have received emails "from me" via my old wsu.edu email address but you have been tricked! It's actually Sarah, the newest leader of the fearless Island County WSU Beach Watcher Crew. I haven't actually met Sarah yet but rumor has it that she is a quote "mature Kristen". Not to say that I was immature but I have a feeling that Sarah complements her skills and passion with a more experienced and steady energy.

So, what have I been up to?! First and foremost I am a recovering coordinator.

Although there wasn't any down time between transitioning from Beach Watcher coordinator to Volunteer & Education Manager for the Puget Sound Partnership, starting a new job always demands some reflection and adjustment. Two things that have surprised me about this new role is one, that it's lonely in comparison to Beach Watchers and two, having a job meant for one person instead of three makes a big difference!

Mostly I really miss you all!! There is nothing in the world that compares to working with people so dedicated and passionate that they spend their time, energy and money working at something they believe in. Nothing, nothing, nothing, beats that sort of energy. It's the kind of energy that SERIOUSLY needs to be Puget Sound wide, heck, world wide! But I think I'll just work on Puget Sound wide for now ;)

So, really, what have I been doing?! One of my first priorities was to get to know what is happening in the South Sound. I felt pretty comfortable with my knowledge of the North Sound but no clue what was going on in the South. What I've found is fairly impressive. There are a lot of things happening but the one I’m paying most attention to is the amount of partnering that is happening. It seems that in every county or area there is a coalition of environmental education groups that gets together periodically to coordinate efforts, messages, and information. This appears to be really effective and creates a more unified and coordinated effort.

The second thing that occupies my time the most is the creation of an education & outreach plan for the entire Puget Sound that is three things: (1) a well coordinated and orchestrated effort happening Sound wide, (2) done in a truly sustainable way with consistent funding and consistent focus and (3) an effort that is accountable to the public, the Partnership and the individual program.

I will have lots of specific details but that will have to be saved for a face to face. I’ve been trying to find excuses to catch up with Beach Watchers but commuting to Seattle three days a week takes time (but the train ride is really nice). I've made it to one south end breakfast with Beach Watchers, been talking to some of the Sound Waters crew, was VERY bummed I had to miss the Cama Beach opening, and thinking a lot about all the new projects and busy summer activities. Boy I wish retirement was a little closer for me!

The Partnership will be getting a video camera very soon and trying to capture people explaining their relationship with Puget Sound and what matters to them. I've certainly got a number of Beach Watcher shots in my mind so don't be surprised if I come knocking!

Bottom line, I am even more convinced than ever Beach Watchers is the most effective and sustainable program in Puget Sound. You guys are awesome! Please contact me anytime .. kristen.cooley@psp.wa.gov.

I can’t wait to see you all at the picnic in July!

Kristen Cooley

Congratulations Kylee!

our recent graduate

Kylee has been -very- busy recently, stepping up to the plate to cover for the Volunteer Coordinator’s position vacated recently by Kristen Cooley. Along the way, she graduated from Columbia College, with a degree in Finance, and is justifiably proud to be the first in her family to graduate from college.

Part of her motivation: "I want to be a good role model for my kids." (She is the proud mother of three kids, aged 2, 5 and 6.)

Way to go Kylee! Kylee will soon start classes toward a Master’s degree in Human Services. Not to worry, she’s not leaving... She says: "I have found the job I have been looking for and have no intentions of leaving anytime soon."

Kylee was born and raised in California. But before you say .. not another one from California .. she recently went back to California for a visit and found herself missing the mountains, Puget Sound, and the great people of Washington. Moving to Washington in 1999 with her love of hiking and camping, she is a true Washingtonian now.

Kylee served in the Navy for 6 years, leaving as a flight engineer in 2002. She says: "I loved the job but it did not transfer into civilian work."

While raising her kids and going to college, Kylee has also been very involved in the Boys and Girls Club and Head Start, at both the state and national level. She is passionate about being a part of the community in which she lives. We sincerely hope that she will remain with Beach Watchers for many years to come.

Sue Newsham

Introducing - Sarah EW Martin

Sarah EW Martin

Thank you for the warm welcome you have extended me in taking the Beach Watchers Program Coordinator position. I am honored to work with such a fine, thoughtful and hard-working group of people. I am excited to get to know everyone, and to learn the the needs of the many Beach Watchers who work hard to educate and develop stewardship among the communities on Camano and Whidbey Islands.

I grew up in Cleveland, Ohio in a family of idealistic, talented artists. My father was a professor of life drawing and printmaking at the Cleveland Institute of Art before he retired, and both parents are artists. Their advice to me was to work hard and make a difference (but not through art).

I went to the United States Military Academy at West Point to do that. I graduated with a BS in English and engineering and served as a topographic and port construction engineer officer in the Army in various locations, such as Virginia, Haiti, Hawaii and Kwajalein. Having worked around water, I developed a strong connection to the sea and the coasts. I earned an MPA at the University of Oklahoma while still in the Army and left the Army after my service in 1997. While living in Missouri, I worked as a writer/editor of environmental publications for Advancia Corporation and taught for several colleges. And while living in Alaska, I taught high school English, economics and art at Pacific Northern Academy in Anchorage. I also developed latent creative skills in drawing, painting (acrylic and watercolor) and stained glass.

Also while living in Alaska, I was inspired by the magnificence of the outdoors and the environment. I witnessed such shocking changes in the environment that guarding our world took on a new meaning for me. Moving to Whidbey Island in 2006, I found a smorgasbord of ways to become involved. Because I have two young children, Samantha (9) and Luke (7), I first participated in their activities and education. I also served as Island County Deputy Coroner. I got to know Island County well through that job, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. However, when the Beach Watchers Program Coordinator position became available, I felt my talents and skills could serve Beach Watchers well in the long-term.

My immediate goal is to get to know the organization and its participants well. I can feel the Beach Watchers’ passion, see their competence in their various fields of expertise, and sense their dedication to people and the environment. Again, I am honored to be here to serve you and to support our common goal:

. . . to educate Island communities about the fragility of ecosystems and water resources, while developing a stewardship ethic among the people who live, work, and play in the area.

Sarah EW Martin

Maxwelton Smolt Count a Success!

Juvenile salmonid

The Whidbey Watershed Stewards' annual Smolt Count was conducted this year from May 8th to June 8th under a Scientific Collection Permit from The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Each year we install a trap in a culvert near French Road to catch, count and release juvenile salmonids that live in the Maxwelton creek. This year we had over a dozen volunteers, half of whom were BeachWatchers.

The count ended yesterday and we're preparing a report that will be used by the state, the county and Wild Fish Conservancy to assess trends in salmon habitat and populations. Preliminary results show we found: (1) Coho fry that hatched in the creek this spring, (2) Coho smolt that have spent the last year in the creek and are ready to migrate to the ocean and (3) cutthroat trout fry and smolt that are either resident to the stream or may migrate to the nearby Sound. Over 450 salmonid fry and nearly 70 smolt were recorded.

Bob Getz and Enid Braun at the fish trap.

Boots required !

Thanks to all our volunteers for making this year's count a great success: Bob Gentz* and all the Beach Watchers* who came with him to learn and observe, Dave Anderson*, Gillian Beattie, Debbie Bitts*, Enid Braun*, Jeanne Brennan*, Kevin Brutsche*, Bob Buck*, Richard Draves, Kathy Fritts*, Bob Howie, John Purcell*, Terri Purcell*, Mary Brennan Quade, Nat Scholz, David Sellers*, Neal Sims, Ken Urstad*, Chris Williams, and John Brown (who came all the way from the mainland to do it!).

Gregg Ridder '05

Nudibranchs @ National Geographic

The June-2008 issue of National Geographic Magazine has a wonderful article about nudibranchs. Make sure you check out the video as well (and turn your speakers on).

Mary Jo Adams '99