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Deception Pass State Park

A monthly newsletter for the park’s friends and neighborsfrom the desk of the park manager

It only happens once every couple of years, bydefinition. Around here, it is even rarer that we get itwith warm and calm clear skies.

"Once in a blue moon" gets thrown around as aphrase that is supposed to mean something. Afterbeing on top of Goose Rock at midnight under a

brilliant blue moon, it means more for me now.I asked Current readers if anyone would be

interested in joining me for a moonlight midnighthike to the top of Goose Rock for the full moon. Whowould do something crazy like that, I wondered,besides me?

Over a dozen of us gathered at the South Bridgeparking lot just before midnight on July 30, aThursday evening. This was the night of a blue moon,the second full moon this month, scheduled to be atits fullest at 3 a.m.

(While waiting, some of the early arrivals in thegroup saw a car pull up, the occupants get out andthen flick a cigarette into the dry grass nearby. Thehot ember soon became a small fire spreading in thegrass. The smoker seemed oblivious. Fortunately ourearly arriving hikers took action and put out the fire

before it spread. Seriously? Are somepeople still that ignorant andcareless?)

We hiked under the bridge andthen up the dark forest trails, tryingto walk without flashlights but lettingcommon sense and safety senseremind us to click them onoccasionally to make sure we didn'ttrip over roots or rocks.

At the top, we were suddenlybathed in a brilliant moonglow thathelped us find our way to thenorthwest summit, crossing therocky balds with ease. Below us,Cranberry Lake and Cornet Bayglistened in silver. Looking beyond,we could see the Olympics, distantgiants under the night sky, and theglow of various towns such as PortAngeles and Victoria.

Above us, various stars twinkledbrightly, stars such as Mizar (look that one up, andthen better yet, see if you can see it -- an eye test foryou all).

And dominating the southern sky sat a full moon,crystal clear and etched into the sky and ourmemories. We sat down on the rock seating of thehillside, warm gentle breezes rising from the woods

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below. We absorbed the moments and the beauty,lingering even though we knew that the present weehours meant that morning and the reality of ourdaily lives were not far away.

Eventually we hiked back down, hearing thewaters of Deception Pass rushing out like a river in acanyon in the stillness of the night. We shook handsand parted, having shared a moment of lunacy andawe.

"Blue moonNow I'm no longer aloneWithout a dream in my heartWithout a love of my own"

-- Frank Sinatra

(And now I can’t get that tune out of my head…)

[Legal Disclaimer: “Entering or remaining in a park after dusk is not allowedwithout the prior approval of a ranger.”]

It’s a wrap! The summer Arts in the Parksconcert series has come to an end, but what a monthof concerts we had!

We started with the Brass Patriots Band, part ofthe 133rd Army Band of the Washington ArmyNational Guard, so appropriate for a July 4Independence Day celebration. Nearly every seatwas full and many feet were tapping in time to thestirring renditions.

A cappella music by Dave and the Dalmatiansbrought Croatian music to the shores of Puget Sound.This is a style seldom heard around here, so havingthis diverse presentation was enlightening.

Palm trees were swaying in the gentle breezes ofthe Hawaiian guitar music of Kohala. This group isfamous for background music for many Hollywoodand Hawaiian movie and TV productions, as well asfor their easy listening CD's.

The final show brought standing-room-onlycrowds for three people just now beginning theirsenior year in high school. The Onlies werewhimsical and fun in their folk music performanceon a variety of instruments and with a variety ofvocals. I'm not sure who enjoyed being here more:the crowd watching them or the performersthemselves, obviously having a good time and glad tobe here.

These free presentations are made possible bygrants from the National Endowment for the Artsand the Washington State Park Foundation. TheDeception Pass Foundation provides logisticalsupport for the sound system and performer needs.And they provided the popcorn for munchies!

The Deception Pass Park Foundation is also thesole financial support allowing us to have anAmeriCorps interpreter at Deception Pass. CarlyRhodes did an outstanding job of organizing thevenues and logistics, and being an emcee for eachevent.

Thank you to all of you who shared theseexperiences as well, creating a supportive andsuccessful concert year once again.

What's next?Our summer Saturdays are not over!

The next page has the lineup for the rest of Augustand early September for events at our amphitheater.

Moon walkers relax at the top of Goose Rock, enjoyingthe moon beams of the blue moon. A couple arehighlighted as they look at a cell phone; the photo usesexisting moon light to capture the others.

Evening Programs: More toCome

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By Carly RhodesAmeriCorps Interpretive Intern

August has come much too fastand my time at Deception Pass isabout to come to a close. I havelearned a lot in my time here andexperienced a lot of firsts, which ifyou have been keeping up with myCurrent articles you know all about.I am sure going to miss this placeand I am even more sure I will beback again some day.

Before I head out for myjourney back to the mid west I haveone final Current article for thismonth of August. I have beendebating with myself on what towrite, but as I was looking up intothe blue moon we had the othernight it hit me: Salal. You areprobably wondering how abeautiful, bright, “blue” moonbrought me to the conclusion ofsalal, so let me break it down foryou.

The blue moon, which youprobably already know, does notget its name from its colors. Rather,it is because it is an additional fullmoon that appears as either thethird of fourth full moon in aseason, or as a second full moon ina month. For this July it was thesecond full moon we had.

As I stared up at the moon Ithought about a project that I havebeen working on, an interpretiveplan for Kukutali Preserve. Onceagain, let me draw you theconnection. Kukutali is a place thatis co-owned by the Swinomish tribeand Washington State Parks.Throughout the process of creatingthis plan I have been workingclosely with the caretaker and

naturalist of the preserve who livesand works at Kukutali.

While brainstorming ideas shetells me about the 13 moons, eachmonth and moon having differentplants that correspond. August isthe moon of the salal berry orpedTaqa (pud-TA-kah) and this ismy Current article for the month ofAugust.

Now I hope you understandhow the moon and salal are related,at least in my mind.

A book about the thirteenmoons describes the moon of thesalal berry as follows:

“During this moon, manyplants are ready to harvest. Salalberries are picked, mashed,dried, and made into cakes.Currants and trailing blackberryare also ripe at this time.Meanwhile camas leaves shrivel,making it a particularly goodtime to harvest the bulbs.

“Chinook runs are reachingtheir peak with the summer runcontinuing and the fall run

starting up the river. FallChinook run through the nexttwo moons. Salmon in riversare caught using weirs, dip netsand spears. Salmon are eatenfresh and a large amount isdried for winter use. This moonsignals a good time to wind drythe fish, before the insectsincrease.”The different moons were

indications of what the land andthe animals were doing. Thiscalendar related what the moonwas doing to what the peopleshould be doing for harvesting and

hunting.For me personally I thought

that salal would be a perfect plantto represent my last month here.When I first arrived in October Imade a point to explore all thetrails and familiarize myself withas many plants and trees as I could.Salal was the first plant I learned.At the time it was not blooming,but that leafy green plant sure waseverywhere. I had never seen salal

pedTaqa

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before, but I figured I should learn what it was sincethere seemed to be an abundance of it. I learned thename and mispronounced it many times before Iheard someone else say it out loud.

I also learned that it is a Pacific Northwestnative ground cover. It grows very thick and is a greatsoil binder. They like to hang out under Douglas firs.They have that leathery texture and dark glossy greenleaves. The flowers bloom in March through June andthey turn into berries in the summer and fall. Theyare indeed edible and the native people used them formany different purposes; the cakes they talked aboutabove, making them into jams, or using them assweeteners.

You can find salal all over Deception Pass, whichalways came in handy while I was leading a hike orwith a group, because if nothing else, I could tell themall about salal. I made an effort to learn many moreplants around the park as well, but I think out of themall salal will always stick with me in my mind.

My time here at Deception Pass has been awonderful learning experience and writing theseCurrent articles always makes me step back and get achance to remember and highlight the amazing thingsI get to see and do. I will miss this beautiful place andthe incredible people that I have met.

And I will never forget how lucky I was to havesuch a great opportunity through Deception PassState Park, the Deception Pass Park Foundation, andAmeriCorps. I hope this program last for many yearsto come.

Thank you,

Carly

Note: Carly leaves us officially next week, asher AmeriCorps internship has come to an end. Wewill miss her calm demeanor, cool work ethic, andcollected accomplishments. Best wishes Carly!

The Thirteen Moons

Moon of the Windy Time(January/February)

Moon When the Frog Talks(Late February/March)

Moon of the Whistling Robins (April)

Moon of the Digging Time (May)

Moon of the Salmonberry (June)

Moon of the Blackberry (July)

Moon of the Salal Berry (August)

Moon of the Silver Salmon(September)

Moon of the Elk Mating Cry(Late September/Early October)

Moon of the Falling Leaves (October)

Moon of the Dog Salmon (November)

Moon to Put Your Paddles Away(Late November/Late December)

Moon of the Sacred Time(Late December/January)

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Good things are happening at Bowman Bay!Staff and citizen scientists of Northwest Straits

Foundation and the Skagit Marine Resource Center(MRC) conduct monitoring of shoreline habitat andspecies in anticipation of the upcoming BowmanBay Near-shore Restoration Project. Bowman Bayprovides important foraging and migration habitatfor juvenile salmon, forage fish, bull trout, and othermarine organisms.

To celebrate these studies, and draw attentionto their value, the Northwest Straits Foundationand the Skagit Marine Resources Committee held aBowman Bay Marine Habitat Monitoring Day onFriday, July 24 at Bowman Bay.

Part of the hands on activities included collect-ing beach sediment samples in search of forage fish(surf smelt or sand lance) eggs, and capturing andreleasing fish using a beach seine net to monitornear-shore fish use. All animals caught during theday were returned safely to Bowman Bay waters.

Northwest Straits Foundation staff and I wereon hand to share details of the upcoming near-shore restoration project of Bowman Bay, slated tobegin NEXT MONTH! We hope to see the projectstart toward the end of September.

The project will remove 1,600 tons of riprapstretching 540 feet along the shoreline, improvingnear-shore habitat as well as public access to the

beach. When the project is done, there will be a

real beach here, just like the ones on either side ofthe riprap at Bowman Bay, with grass, trees, andsand. And forage fish may someday be using Bow-man Bay for spawning as they do elsewhere aroundthe Salish Sea.

Project partners include the Skagit MRC, Wash-ington State Parks, Skagit Fisheries EnhancementGroup, and Salish Sea Stewards.

About Northwest Straits Foundation:The Northwest Straits Foundation is the non-

profit partner of the Northwest Straits Initiative, acollaborative model for marine conservation with avision of diverse communities working together torestore a thriving marine ecosystem in the North-west Straits of the Salish Sea.

The Northwest Straits Foundation is workingin partnership with our Marine Resources Commit-tees and other public and private partners to re-store shoreline habitats throughout the NorthwestStraits to benefit wildlife and people long term.

By preventing and removing hard shorelinestructures such as bulkheads, seawalls and riprap,re-grading beaches and planning native vegetation,these projects improve near-shore habitat for en-dangered salmon and bull trout, as well as foragefish they depend on. They also improve public ac-cess and increase the beach’s resilience to climatechange. Learn more about their current projects atwww.nwstraitsfoundation.org

Bowman Bay isAlive!

Salish Sea Stewards of Skagit County talk aboutstudying forage fish eggs on local beaches.

Local NW Straits staff, citizen scientists andvolunteers use a beach seine to sample the fishfound in the near-shore beach at Bowman Bay.

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Are you a member of the Deception Pass ParkFoundation? Do you know what they do for thepark? How can you be involved?

VOLUNTEER FOR:Classes/EducationJoin us with our mission of "Resource Protectionthrough Education". Share your knowledge,passion, and expertise about the park with thepublic.Refer others to the Foundation who have apassion for teaching.

Beach Naturalist ProgramAssist Rosario tide pool visitors withinterpretation and help them care for the uniqueand fragile ecosystem of the tide pools.

Foundation ActivitiesBoard members and/or professional consultants(attorney, accountant, fundraiser, grant writer),committee members, special projects, andcommunity outreach.

HELP FUND:MembershipDonate yearly to the Foundation's general fundwhich supports various activities and projects.

AmeriCorpsEnsure education and interpretive programs,such as Junior Rangers, continue.

Beach Naturalist ProgramFund-raise and/or donate to our program. Payfor this program in lieu of giving volunteer hoursat the tide pools.

Amphitheater StageUpdate the stage to better accommodate parkprograms like Arts in the Parks, interpretive talks,and community group events.

DREAM AND FUND:

Deception Pass InstituteClasses without walls, inquiry-based learningopportunities with classes taught by recognizedexperts for all ages.

Visitor Interpretive CenterPurchase a building, plan the renovation, planand implement exhibits and displays.

Contact us at:dppf.members@gmail.comor 360.675-3767 extension 31

Deception Pass Park Foundation

Deception Pass Park Foundation Board

President: Liz MerrimanVice President: Barb ShawSecretary: Steve YoungTreasurer:Board Member: Jill JohnsonBoard Member: Matt KlopeBoard Member: Brian ShelleyBoard Member: Rick ColomboBoard Member: Terica Taylor

www.deceptionpassfoundation.org

Like, follow, and staycurrent with the Deception

Pass Park Foundation onFacebook at

“Deception Pass Park Foundation”

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Park Briefs:Building Repairs:

Civilian Conservation Corps buildings continueto be worked on to keep them useful for the nextfew decades. Currently we are re-roofing the CCC-built garage of the CCC residence near the old parkentrance.

The CCC residence itself is next on the list.Funding for these projects came from a grant fromthe state legislature for historic preservation andcatching up with "deferred" maintenance.

Sewer repairs:Park and region staff also temporarily repaired

the sewer system on Ben Ure Island. Furtherupgrades to the system will wait for a vote of thelocal Homeowner’s Association.

Porta-potties on site:The North Beach restroom pump is unable to

keep up with the effluent it receives to pump it upthe hill to our main sewer system near CranberryLake. We have now added sanicans for visitor useduring the busy weekends.

Pink Season Underway:You will find fisherfolks lining North Beach and

West Beach through this month and probably intoSeptember as they pursue the abundant pink salmon.

These salmon return every odd-numbered year,and are easily caught from the banks of thesebeaches andothers.

Crabbing continues in the area, primarily atCornet Bay and Bowman Bay.

Bridge Turns 80:The Deception Pass bridge had a birthday last

week. July 31 it turned 80. Our Department ofTransportation gave the bridge a gift of newpavement and striping. The bridge continues alongin fair condition.

Striping delays continue along Highway 20during the evening hours.

Happy Birthday John Tursi!

Speaking of birthdays, look who turned 98.As in "years old".Nearly a century of service to our community,

first as a Civilian Conservation Corps member atCornet Bay, then in the United States Army inEurope during World War 2, then even grandersupport for local community needs, protectingAnacortes Forest lands and supporting manyworthwhile progressive causes.

On July 24, John Tursi had many friends gatheraround at his residence to share cake and stories onhis birthday.

In honoring him with "John Tursi Day",Anacortes Mayor Laurie Gere noted that John Tursihas donated over a million dollars to variousprojects around Fidalgo Island and Skagit County,and that his quiet but consistent support of ourcommunity has helped make our community a muchbetter place.

Happy Birthday, John, and we wish you manymore to come.

Anacortes Mayor Laurie Gere reads the officialproclamation of July 24 as “John Tursi Day, inhonor of his 98th birthday.

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Coming Park Events

Ongoing Education Presented by theDeception Pass Park Foundation:

Park Mammals Up CloseCome and enjoy the next educational course of-

fered by the Deception Pass Park Foundation. Thisone day class will present and explore the mammalsfound within the park and surrounding waters.

Come and enjoy the skins and skulls prepared byour own Matthew Klope. This will be your chance tostudy up close the mammals that elude us most of thetime.

Date: September 26, 2015Time: 9:00 - 3:00Cost: $20 (Members) $30 (Non-members)Location to be announced.Bring your own lunch

Call Jack at 360-675-3767 (extension 26) to register,or email him at jack.hartt@parks.wa.gov

Other Coming Park Events:

December 6: Deception Pass Dash Kayak Race,Bowman Bay

December 12, 13: Rainshadow Running 25k and 50kraces at the park.

March, 2025: Deception Pass State Park’s 100thbirthday.

2015 State Parks Free Days:August 25 – (Tuesday) National Park Service’s  99��birthdaySeptember 26 – (Saturday) National Public Lands DayNovember 11 – (Wednesday) Veterans Day

Or, volunteer 24 hours in a calendar year andreceive a free Discover Pass.

Or, buy a Discover Pass from us and all the parksin the state are free to you every day of the year! Andthat way, you are supporting your state parks directly.

Fix-it DaySaturday, August 29, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. At theFarmer’s Market, 611 “R” Avenue, Anacortes

Reduce, Re-use, Repair and re-use again!

Got a broken appliance that you’re hoping torepair? Or a lamp that needs attention? Howabout those two watches that need batteries?Broken or chipped items that need mending?

Bring it to Fix-It Day and we will see if we canwork a little magic on your broken item. Runninglate? We will take, fix and return the next Fix-ItDay.

Get your small household items repaired inreturn for a donation benefiting Deception PassState Park.

Fire Ban Status:

Currently, ALL fires are prohibited, includingcampfires and charcoal barbecues. Only propaneor gas stoves are allowed. No charcoal! It’s dryout here!

Lake Status:Cranberry Lake remains open this month.

Testing of the water has revealed no healthconcerns, with fecal bacteria at very safe levels andno evidence of toxic cyano-bacteria at the presenttime.

Our waters and swim beaches are testedfrequently to ensure the health of our visitors.

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Plant Identification Walk/HikeF r i d a y , A u g u s t 7 , 2 : 0 0 - 5 : 0 0 p . m . ,A C F L t r a i l s

Come on a walking hike and learn to identify theplants in our region and what they can be used for(cordage, wild crafts), if they are edible and/ormedicinal. Gabe Garms is a wonderful instructor thatwill be leading this walk. He has certifications inpermaculture design, wildlife tracking andwilderness ecology.

As a core instructor at a wilderness ecology andsurvival school in Monroe, he taught short termsurvival skills, ethnobotany and bird language inaddition to permaculture. He is passionate aboutnatural medicine and teaching people how to growtheir own medicinals within a permaculture system.To register, or if you have any questions,email gabegarms@gmail.com. Cost: $20/person.

Saturday Discovery Stations: Docents atDiscovery Points along the trailDesignated Saturdays: Aug 15Time: 11:00 am – 1:00 PM

Walkers, bikers and other visitors along theTommy Thompson Trail will have an opportunity todiscover some of the Anacortes Shoreline wonderswith assistance from Trail Tales docents at one of the

“Discovery Points” along the trail. If you like to hearstories instead of reading the signs, or if you enjoyhands-on learning, take to the trail and look fordocents on the Saturdays listed and discoversomething new!

Guided Walk: Sharing Samish CultureAlong the Shores of Fidalgo BayDate: Thursday, August 20thTime: 10:30 am to 12 pmLocation: Fidalgo Bay Resort, 4701 Fidalgo BayRoad, Anacortes

Samish Tribal Communities have lived on theshores of the Salish Sea since time immemorial.  Ourcommunities have deep connections to the bounty ofour local coastlines and upland landscapes.  Samishcommunity members will share past, present andfuture traditions, practices and visions for cominggenerations.

Trail Tales interpretive walks are free, publicwalks along a paved handicapped accessible trail.For complete program details, visitwww.skagitbeaches.org

National Estuaries Day & Fidalgo Bay DayDate: Saturday August 29thTime: 11 am to 3 pmLocation: Fidalgo Bay Resort, 4701 Fidalgo BayRoad, Anacortes

Celebrate our back yard estuary, Fidalgo Bay, atthis day of fun-filled activities and learning for allages! Taste complimentary samples of local shellfishand chowder, touch living sea creatures, try beachseining, make kid-friendly crafts and view neweducational displays.

Trail Tales celebrates at discovery points alongthe Tommy Thompson Trail.  Pick up your

“Discovery Passport” and map at our informationtable then visit the stations from 10 a.m - 2 p.m forhands-on learning, fun facts, and trivia about naturaland cultural connections to Fidalgo Bay.  Fill yourpassport with stamps and win a PRIZE! Find moreinformation at the Trail Tales link atwww.skagitbeaches.org.

These partners sponsor or support both events:the Skagit Marine Resources Committee, NorthwestStraits Initiative, Friends of Skagit Beaches, SamishIndian Nation, Taylor Shellfish Farms and WWUShannon Point Marine Center

Jet Noise Presentation“Growler Jet Noise Overhead: Will it Get Worse?” isthe topic for the Fidalgo Democrats meeting 7 p.m.Tuesday, Aug. 11 at the Anacortes Public Library,1220 10th St.Cate Andrews and Marian Allen from Citizens ofEbey Reserve will give a presentation on the healtheffects of the Growler jet noise on humans and wild-life and effects of future expansion. A moderated pe-riod of questions and comments will follow thespeakers.The meeting is open to the public. Help yourself tocoffee and organic cookies. Please bring a nonperish-able food item for the food bank donation box nearthe door. Questions? Call Corinne Salcedo, chair, at293-7114.

Community Guided Walks andSpecial Events

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This monthly update is sent to folkswho have expressed an interest inkeeping in touch with what ishappening or in the planning stages atDeception Pass State Park.

We are grateful to have youwelcome us into your inbox.

If you are not interested in receivingthese monthly updates, please reply tothis message and let me know. We haveno intention of sending emails that youdo not wish to receive.

If you wish to communicate atanytime with me or other park staff,please email, call, or visit us. This park isyour park.

Park ManagerDeception Pass State Park41020 State Route 20Oak Harbor, WA 98277360-675-3767 ext. 26jack.hartt@parks.wa.gov ©

Deception Pass State ParkStaff:

Rick Blank, Asst. ManagerJim Aggergaard, RangerDarlene Clark, Sr. Park AideRick Colombo, Park AideDoug DeYoung, Park AideTodd Harris, Sr. Park AideJack Hartt, Park ManagerJeri Lancaster, Office Asst.Mark Lunz, MaintenanceCarly Rhodes, Interp.InternBill Ruh, Sr. Park AideBen Shook, RangerJason Stapert, RangerJohn Whittet, RangerMarv Wold, Maintenance

“We live in a world in which everything is connected toeverything else. So whatever we do – from the food we eat tothe products we buy, use and throw away – has repercussions.And so the way we live carries huge responsibilities.

Freedom carries with it responsibility and we are notisolated from everything else. We are exquisitely connected.”

– David Suzuki

Do you know of any other place like this home that we all share? This isour time, this is our place, and this is our responsibility. There is no other.

We have no greater responsibility than to care for our home and itsinhabitants and future inhabitants, our future generations.

Our priorities today, our actions today, our decisions today, our votestoday, will determine the lives of our children, their children, and theirchildren.

That’s no small mandate. It’s the only home we have to give them.We are “exquisitely connected.”

Viewpoint

NASA just releasedthe first picture of thewhole earth taken in 43years!

Remember that“Blue Marble” picture in1972 that galvanizedour perspective ofEarth?

There hasn’t been aphoto of the wholeearth since then – untilnow, until this photo,taken by a satelliteinspired by Al Gore,now parked far enoughaway to give us wholepictures of home.