Salish Sea Sciences returns to Friday Harbor.

By: Lars, Eden, and Hitomi

Starting early in the morning we packed up our kayaks and left Stuart Island and voyaged back to Friday Harbor! We had a pretty smooth trek with 4 knots of wind behind us.

Tyler and Zoe were super helpful! They made us amazing pulled pork sandwiches for lunch! They cleverly included apples in the coleslaw – super yummy!

While waiting for our sandwiches to be prepared by our guides, we explored the whole island. “Posey Island, at 1.1 acres, was never transferred out of the federal public domain into private ownership.” (Washington State Parks, n.d) If your interested in reading more on the history of this island, look into this great source! https://parks.wa.gov/about/news-center/field-guide-blog/posey-island-marine-state-park-history

Post arrival to the dorms, we swiftly gathered our belongings and fought for shower and laundry spots. Caroline called everyone down to regroup, to catch up on chores, reflect on our kitchen habits, and catch up on blog posts! We are looking forward to a restful evening full of yummy dinner, ice cream, and hangouts. See y’all tomorrow for an exciting visit from an impressive guest!!

The Salish Sea Sciences’ hike to Turn Point Light House on Stuart Island, Sunday, July 6th, 2025. By: Asher, and Miles

On our second day on Stuart Island, we woke bright and early, (mostly) ready to go on a three mile hike to Turn Point Lighthouse! After breakfast, we prepared for the hike, and headed out.

We stopped, shortly after setting out, to look around the old Stuart Island Schoolhouse and the historical museum there. We learned all about the former residents of Stuart Island and facts about the current living conditions on the islands. After that, we continued on the trail where we found a great view of Mount Baker, an impressive sight.

Once at Turn Point, we had a delicious lunch of pita sandwiches and looked at the view for a while—some of us were lucky enough to see a harbor seal playing in the bull kelp. After lunch, we took a small guided tour of the lighthouse keeper’s quarters. We hung around for a while longer, looking at tide pools, birds, plants, kelp, and the like. 

We then hiked back to the campsite and got several hours to relax before one of our science directors, Maya, gave an interesting talk about kelp. The talk, though, was interrupted by a river otter swimming by, which we took delight in watching. We then got some more time to rest and socialize, before a delicious dinner (pasta, both pesto and red sauce).

After dinner, many of us stayed up late to stargaze, despite having to get up at 7 am the next morning. The stars were beautiful and a lovely way to close out a trip.