— from Camryn, Gabe, Zoe, Lindsey and Maya, with Trillium Swanson —
This week the OIYCC built real trail! On Tuesday we worked at the San Juan County Land Bank’s Crescent Beach Preserve, with Land Steward Ruthie Dougherty. After Ruthie talked about the reasons for preserving land we got started on our project. We used a variety of digging tools to clear a trail that will eventually provide people with a path from the upper Preserve parking lot to a road crossing to Crescent Beach. We used a tool called a McLeod, which has a rake on one side and a hoe blade on the other, to clear the plants from the ground. Then we used our hands and clippers to clear roots out of the trail. It was hot and tiring work, but at the end of the day it felt good to accomplish our goal.
On Wednesday we walked along the trail through the Preserve and removed invasive plants using clippers. We cleared holly, hawthorne, blackberry, ivy, and bull thistle.
On Thursday we woke up really early to head to Bayhead Marina. There we boarded a sailboat, and Mike Jonas captained our trip to Stuart Island. After we docked at Prevost Harbor we carried our gear up the dock, and then Nick Teague, of the Bureau of Land Management, explained the tools we would be using, and laid out our schedule for the day. We walked up the gravel county road, and soon we arrived at “the Mall”, which is a big wooden chest filled with goodies and necessities (like t-shirts, postcards, and toothpaste) which people can buy on the honor system. There was also an awesome coloring book stand.
To reach the trail we would work on, we left the road and practiced walking as silently as possible through the dry forest. We climbed down to a small beach that was once the location of a boathouse which served the nearby lighthouse. After scrambling back up the trail we began work on a historic trail which was used by the lighthouse keepers to get to their boats. We were the first crew to work on the trail since that time.
We paid a visit to the Turn Point Lighthouse, and saw the refurbished Lighthouse Keeper’s quarters and the Turn Point Museum. We learned that our boat Captain, Mike, and his wife Margaret, are the founders of the Turn Point Lighthouse Preservation Society. These explorations left us just enough time to walk back to the boat for our long voyage home. The tide was against us both ways, so we had plenty of time to take in the scenery, learn new knots, sing songs, chat, and snack!
Wonderful work you are doing! Thank you!!!
Thank you for caring for our Mother Earth and helping to steward the landscape . We sometime take for granted how much effort goes into volunteer hours, clearing trails, and keeping our special places clear of wind damage and overgrowth. You folks are caring for our future. Nick Teague, of the BLM is an absolute treasure for inspiring caring and sharing of our heritage sites and monument lands here in the islands. Special thanks to the Jonas’s for keeping the light on ! Thanks to all of you volunteers, again.
We each can make a difference.
We applaud you and feel GREAT gratitude for all the wonderful work you do! We particularly love the Crescent Beach to Mt. Baker Road trail and walk it often!