The Explorers Club Flag 134 Report Salish Sea Expedition

Transcription

1 The Explorers Club Flag 134 Report Salish Sea Expedition August and 3-8 September George Faulkner photo Robert W Butler, PhD Fellow International 08

2 In conjunction with: Left to right: George Faulkner, Mike McKinaly, Rob Butler (FI), Ruth Foster & Rod MacVicar

3 Project Overview The Salish Sea includes the three marine waters of Puget Sound in Washington State, the Strait of Georgia in British Columbia and Juan de Fuca Strait shared by Canada and the USA. These three waters abound with wild nature. Out of this paradise arose a rich culture belonging to its first people. Today millions of people from around the world have chosen to settle there and a Salish Sea culture rooted in the natural wealth has begun to emerge. The roots of the culture are not well defined. Our aim is to begin a dialogue to define this place that will ultimately lead to its conservation. Project Explanation Conservation science has documented many aspects of the ecology of the Salish Sea. I believe that conservation will be most effective where it personally engages people who live around the Salish Sea. The aim of the Salish Sea expedition is to inspire a discussion of how the science of conservation can instruct a cultural connection to the natural world. Flag of the Pacific WildLife Foundation

4 Project Objectives There is a long tradition of going to sea to explore the unknown. Expeditions have been launched to seek new lands, trade routes and wealth, or in secret, often for scientific discovery, and sometimes they came back with unexpected ideas. Expeditions at sea have been the source of some of the great books of our times. Darwin s The Origin of Species and John Steinbecks The Log of the Sea of Cortez are two examples of exploratory ocean voyages. Following in this tradition, we embarked on a sea expedition around the Salish Sea. Our major objectives were to seek insight and stimulate a dialogue of how the diversity and abundant natural world of the Salish Sea could come to define the lifestyle and culture of the people who reside around its shores. Project Methods Our project was divided into the expedition, and outreach via film, a book, and public lectures. The Salish Sea expedition took us north into Canadian waters from 20 to 27 August and south into American waters from 3 to 8 September We traveled by sailboat through the Canadian portion of the Salish Sea. The Ark Angel is a 43 foot Dufour sailboat equipped three double berths and two single berths, a galley, two heads and a salon. In the USA, we traveled on a 55 foot converted Goldrup trawler equipped with three double berths, a salon, galley, two heads, wheelhouse and filming platform. The expedition formed the basis for an upcoming book on the journey, a video production for television, and public lectures.

5 Sailing vessel Ark Angel, our platform for the northern journey. Note The Explorers Club flag flown briefly for this photograph. The film crew included a host (RWB) camera-person (Mike McKinaly) and a sound person (George Faulkner). We shot the major portion of the trip on a Panasonic high definition camera with special sequences shot on a GoPro 3, and two Canon 5D cameras. A behind-the-scenes video was also shot using the Canon 5Ds and an Olympus Micro camera. Sound was captured using a boom microphone, lapel microphones and a hand held two-way recorder. George Faulkner, RWB, and Tom Middleton shot stills and additional footage. Our skipper was Rod MacVicar for the entire journey. Deck hand and cook was Ruth Foster on the Canadian portion. Tom Middleton joined us for the southern portion of the expedition. In addition to filming, RWB completed watercolor sketches to be used for larger studio pieces. Project Results Itinerary Nineteen interviews were made with artists, designers, boat builders, scientists, and conservationists. Our itinerary took us to Hornby, Mitlenatch, Savary and Thormanby islands, and Pender Harbour in

6 Canada. In the US we filmed at Bellingham, Yellow Island, Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, Fisherman Bay on Lopez Island, Port Townsend Wooden Boat Festival, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Orcas Island. Strait of Georgia, Canada August 20, 2013 Day 1. Sunny, NW winds Nanaimo to Hornby via Strait of Georgia on board Ark Angel. At Flores Rock an elephant seal is seen - a rare sighting for these inside waters. We anchor in Tribune Bay, Hornby Island. August 21, 2013 sunny, NW wind We visited the Hornby Island Farmers Market and later the Poznanski Cabin designed and built by Michael McNamara and Blue Sky Design team. Cabin designed by Michael Mcnamara and Blue Sky Designs on Hornby island, British Columbia, Canada. August 22, 2013 Sunny NW wind Hornby to Mitlenatch.

7 Depart for Mitlenatch via Texada Island shore. Gulls, crows, cormorants, seals, sea lions, oystercatchers, and guillemots are numerous on Mitlenatch. We met Kate Rubin and Paddy Crawford and flew the flag. We overnighted at anchor in Northwest Bay. Rob Butler with Explorers Club Flag 134 on Mitlenatch Island, British Columbia Canada. August 23, Day 3. Mitlenatch to Savary Climbed East Hill on Mitlenatch Island with Mike and George to film nesting gulls, conducted an interview, and completed a watercolour painting of Camp Bay. We filmed the cabin on Mitlenatch where I lived for three summers during graduate research on crows and invited Kate Rubin and Paddy Crawford, wardens of Mitlenatch for lunch on board. We departed for Savary via Baker Pass with winds gusting to 25 knots on an exhilarating sail. We dropped anchor on the north side of Savary Island in the evening. August 24, 2013 Savary

8 We went ashore at 7 am to meet Gordon and Doug Christopher who have had a summer residence on the island for decades. They ferried us to other side on golf cart. Doug showed us a rare dune formation and forest protected by The Nature Trust of BC. Wind from SE was steady and warm. We walked through the enchanted forest of gnarled old firs and found a hillside overlooking the sea where we interviewed Doug. He invited us to his summer home while Rod and Ruth left for fresh supplies in the seaside town of Lund on the mainland. We assembled on board for dinner after which Mike, George and I hiked to south side of Savary Island. I planned to spend the night alone in a driftwood shelter as part of a story of locally sourced wood for houses. Mike and George depart for the boat and I was alone on the beach with the stars, wind, and sandpipers. Doug Christopher, former Chair of the Board of The Nature Trust of British Columbia

9 with Rob Butler and Explorers Club Flag 134 on Savary Island, British Columbia, Canada. August 25, Day 5. Savary Island I awoke about 530 am with the wind blowing but no rain fell. I filmed the sunrise with a GoPro, packed my bag and trekked back to the boat. We departed for Pender Harbour after breakfast. About 5 miles from Savary Mike, Ruth and I went for a swim. It was a strange sensation to be miles from any land in very deep water. The surface water was surprisingly warm. Back on board we passed the town of Powell River, the entrance to Jervis Inlet, Harwood and Nelson islands and entered Pender Harbour on the Sunshine Coast. The town of Pender Harbour has become a popular retirement village, including Mike s parent s Linda and Ray McKinlay. We met members of a local dragon boat team and interviewed three of them in the setting sun. Rod and Ruth prepared a feast on board. August 26, 2013 Depart Pender Harbour for Nanaimo. The weather forecast was for gale and storm force winds in the Strait when we planned to make the crossing. After breakfast we set off into high waves. The boat made one knot in the storm. Waves crashed over the bow. We aimed for the shelter of Thormanby Island anchorage to wait out the wind. Mike and I got into our wet suits and filmed marine life. After lunch we decided to put our noses out there to see if the crossing was possible. We passed Merry Island light and saw that the waves were down but still white capping. We decided to cross. We raised the jib and I took the helm on a heading for Nanaimo. The sun set in distant clouds was spectacular. The sea continued to calm. The lights of Nanaimo came into view and in darkness we motored to home port. There was a good sense of accomplishment. We had filmed all the places, people and events we had planned. The weather cooperated for much of the time and we were safely home. It was time to celebrate. A nice bottle of port was found on board but no corkscrew could be located. Rod reverted to the tried and true method of banging the end of the upside down bottle with a shoe. The cork popped free spilling over Rod s pants but enough was saved for a toast. August 27, 2013 Today we cleaned the boat, packed our gear and headed for home. Puget Sound and Juan de Fuca Strait, USA

10 September 3, 2013 San Juan Islands, Washington Rod, Tom and I drove to Bellingham where we met Greg Pellar onboard Springtime. Over breakfast we went over the week s itinerary. Mike and George arrived around noon. We called Steve Mayo, martime artist residing in Bellingham and soon he arrived at the boat. We visited his Bellingham house overlooking the harbor. His heritage home is the perfect place to watch the harbor and its boats. Steve s paintings have been used on book covers and sold privately to people interested in the early European explorers of the west coast. We bade him farewell and departed on the Springtime as the sun emerged from the clouds. Our course took us past the south end of Lummi and Orcas islands via Harney Channel. Our destination was Yellow Island, a tiny rocky island owned by the Nature Conservancy. In the dying light we reached Yellow Island and decided to overnight at nearby Jones Island. A delightful sunset greeted us. We anchored in North Bay on Jones Island where I slept on deck. September 4, Yellow Island, Friday Harbor, Lopez Island Awake at 630, I was joined by Mike, George, Greg for a morning stroll ashore. We then set off for Yellow Island where we met the island warden, Phil Green. We interviewed Phil about living the solitary life on the island and the beach house he inhabited. The house was of particular interest because it fit nicely into the theme of locally sourced and inspired design. Mike filmed in and out of the house and later Phil joined us for lunch on board. We bade him farewell and set off for Friday Harbor. We anchored offshore and motored to the dock to film the town and then returned to the Springtime. Our destination was nearby Lopez Island for the night. As we approached Fisherman Bay on Lopez we noticed Lummi native people tower fishing. The technique involved stringing two nets parallel to the shore to channel schools of migrating fish to ward a net suspended between two boats equipped with towers. One fisherman is positioned on a tower on the bow of the boat at the end of the nets. His job is to signal to the fishermen in the boats when a school enters the nets so that they can haul them aboard. This technique is unique to the Lummi people.

11 Phil Green of The Nature Conservancy and Rob Butler with Explorers Club Flag 134 on Yellow Island, San Juan Islands, Washington. September 5, Fisherman Bay, Lopez Island to Port Townsend Lightning and showers entertained us overnight. Greg, Rod, George, Mike and I went ashore in the drizzle. Tower fishing relicts were scattered along the beach. Greg departed for a prior engagement and we headed south on Springtime through San Juan Channel. Porpoises, orcas, puffin, auklets, Heermans gulls, and a jaeger put in a show as we crossed the eastern end of Juan de Fuca Strait. At 1740 we rounded Point Wilson Light at the entrance to Port Townsend. We had come for the annual Wooden Boat Festival. Ashore the low evening light was spectacular. Rainbows and lightning lit up the sky. There were over 100 wooden boats from around the Northwest. Some were small row boats while others were large schooners and tugs. We shot footage of the boats and around the heritage buildings in town before a downpour chased us back on board for the night. September 6, Port Townsend It was raining first thing in the morning as we went ashore but by the time we got to town the drizzle had ended. We joined the Wooden Boat Festival with hundreds of people. We interviewed the owners of an HMS Discovery replica pinnace, the heritage tug Sandman, the

12 Josephine Columbia River boat, and a dreamboat. It was an intense filming and interviewing session by early afternoon when we departed for Orcas Island. A Minke whale, many seals and cormorants enlivened the crossing of Juan de Fuca Strait. The air was decidedly maritime. The open Pacific rolls into Juan de Fuca Strait to the west and it brought fog and cool water. By 6 pm we entered West Sound on Orcas Island. We went ashore for a walk and returned for dinner under an unforgettable sunset. September 7, 2013 West Sound, Orcas Island We went ashore to Orcas Island to meet Dr. Joe Gaydos from the SeaDoc Society, leaders in scientific research of Puget Sound. Joe arrived about We toured the Seadoc office and then went to Skull Island in Massacre Bay for an interview. Joe told us about the thrill of discovery in science and how he got involved. After lunch we said goodbyes to Joe and departed for East Sound. We anchored near town, and went ashore to visit a skateboard park. Back on board we motored to an anchorage off Rosario Hotel and Resort. The hotel was the mansion of Robert Moran, mayor of Seattle who built the arts and crafts style house as a place to retire. The hotel retains much of its grandeur with an intact music hall, mahogany paneling and railings, and sophistication of a former era. Old photos lined the wall providing a glimpse of its history. We return to the boat in darkness. September 8, Return to Bellingham About 6 am Rod discovered that the power on board had drained the batteries for unknown reasons. He fired up the generator and then got the engine started. He let the boat idle while we ate breakfast. The weather and water were flat calm, and fog began to lift. We motored through the islands returned to Bellingham at 1115 and the end of our expedition.

13 Left to right: George Faulkner, Tom Middleton, Mike McKinlay, Rob Butler (FI), & Rod MacVicar alongside Springtime at the end of the expedition in Bellingham, Washington. Over the ensuing months we have footage to review and format, sound checks to be made, a trailer and web site need to be built and we will need to firm up broadcasts. I have a book to write and talks to give. Two talks scheduled within a month of the return of the trip were held at Capilano University, North Vancouver on September 24 to launch Earth Works series, and October 5 at the Artists for Conservation Annual Show in North Vancouver. The film tentatively titled Three Waters is aimed for the Knowledge Network in British Columbia. Preliminary discussions have been well received. A trailer for the film will be shown on a web site later this fall.

14 Project Implications Our objective was to seek insight and stimulate a dialogue of how the diversity and abundant natural world of the Salish Sea could come to define the lifestyle and culture of the people who reside around its shores. The response by all the people we met and interviewed was very positive. The flag was flown and its purpose was explained to people on seven occasions. The response we have gotten in the few weeks since we returned has been gratifying. The presentation at Capilano University with 225 people in attendance stimulated discussions in classes and resulted in a future meeting with the University about becoming a centre for this concept. Invitations to present at the Vancouver Aquarium and with a local First Nations village have been received. We plan to take the film and book on tour in 2014 to film festivals and other venues. Logo of the Salish Sea Expedition

15 Poster and the first presentation of the Salish Sea Expedition.