Pacific smelt, a small silvery fish also known as eulachon or candlefish, has been listed by NOAA as a threatened species due to declining populations. Pacific smelt was a staple of the Northwest American Indian tribes when the Lewis and Clark expedition arrived on the west coast in 1806. Lewis was impressed enough with smelt as a food source while spending the winter on the Oregon coast that he drew a picture of the fish in his journal. Historically, their numbers were so abundant one could literally ‘rake’ them out of the rivers. Times have changed. “The tribe just had…
Hard Working Forests in the NW
One reason people enjoy kayaking the San Juan Islands and visiting the Northwest is due in part to the beauty of the lush, verdant forests in our region. Not only do these forests provide valuable habitat and recreational opportunities, but they also play a major role in combating climate change by storing carbon. In a recent analysis released by the Wilderness Society, the top 10 national forests for storing green house gases in the United States are in the Pacific Northwest and Southeast Alaska. The Olympic National Forest tied with Umpqua National Forest in Oregon as the second-best carbon bank…
New Orca calves
New Births for the Resident San Juan Islands’ Orca Whales! In a little over a year, things have gone from bleak to “more promising” for the Northwest’s endangered killer whales. The Center For Whale Research says that in 2008, eight Orcas in the three pods, J, K, and L, that make up the southern resident population in Washington and southwest British Columbia went missing and were presumed dead. This included two females of reproductive age and the 98-year-old- matriarch of K Pod. Among the three pods there was only one surviving birth that year. This dropped the total of the…
Hiking and Exploring in the San Juan Islands
The southern arm of San Juan Island where American Camp, a national historical park, is located, offers a number of great hikes and walking trails with amazing views. Of course, it is always interesting to check out the history while exploring the grounds of American Camp, but just a short distance from the Visitor Center are a number of San Juan Island’s gems to explore. Mt. Finlayson is the highest point in American camp, offering great views of Mt. Baker to the east, Mt. Rainier in the southeast, the Olympic Mountains to the south and British Columbia to the west.…
Outside Magazine says Outdoor Odysseys is one of their “ten favorite liquid adventures in the United States”
Jetsetter’s Online Magazine
Paddling the Whale Trail – The San Juan Islands Their story begins… Despite living in Seattle for the last 12 years, I’m basically a landlubber. The smallest boat I’ve been on in years was a small county ferry that holds 20 cars. So I was both nervous and excited to learn that I was going to get to write this review for a sea kayaking company that operates out of Friday Harbor, Washington on San Juan Island. The outfitters are called Outdoor Odysseys, and the name doesn’t lie. Before I tell you about the hours spent paddling, the aching muscles,…