Rocky shore and forested trails; the Barred Owls traverse Larrabee to Clayton, 5/13/17

Imagine, if you will, being awakened in your houseboat (play along…don’t let the fact that you don’t have a houseboat deter you from losing yourself in this entrancing story!) by this sound. As you no doubt figured out if you clicked through to hear the sound, it comes from the fish known as the midshipman (from markings on its body that resemble buttons on a naval uniform). The fish lives along the Pacific coast of North America, ranging from Alaska to Mexico, and regularly awakens houseboat residents during mating season. 

Our day started cool and showery...great weather for
exploring along a rocky shoreline.

According to Wikipedia, “The fish produces the sound using the muscles of its modified swim bladder.^[10] It receives the sound in its saccule, a sensory organ in the inner ear. During the breeding season, hormones induce the microscopic anatomy of the female's saccules to change in such a way that she can better sense the harmonics of the male's calls.” Think about this example of the wonders of the natural world. The female experiences hormonal changes that tune it to the male’s call. Amazing.

Note the treeline at the water...and the handsome Explorer!

I was telling the Barred Owls about this fish (some midshipmen, but not the Salish Sea populations, are also bioluminescent, by the by) as we started down the beach from the Larrabee boat launch on Saturday. I had just learned about the midshipmen, which fertilize eggs along rocky shores and protect the eggs by laying between rocks. So, I was pleasantly surprised when several Explorers called to me to point out a midshipman laying between a few rocks. A great example of the power of attention; the boys were tuned in to the possibility of seeing this fish and ….. there it was!

Here's the male midshipman guarding the eggs - cool!

This was just one example of the wonders of our rocky shores as experienced by the Barred Owls last Saturday. There were crabs, of course, and gulls, and kelp and on and on. The Explorers were totally immersed; not in the bay, but in exploring along the beach. 

Amazing life in this rough, rocky habitat.

Up close and personal.

Halfway through our hike, we switched from rocky shore to forested trails (stop to think about that for a second…we are so fortunate to live in such a diverse, spectacular, stimulating environment). Progress was quicker without the distractions of the intertidal zone, and we were soon in more familiar territory near Clayton Beach. We took advantage of our remaining time and this place we love so much to explore, relax and play. 

It was an outstanding wrap-up for the Barred Owls year. The power of the places we traversed brought out the explorer in each of us as we reveled in the company of friends in the outdoors. 

If you haven’t already, check out Wild Whatcom’s summer offerings. We just opened an additional Anderson Watson Lakes backpack trip for grades 5-9! August 14-16.

In the meantime, check out the rest of the photos from Saturday’s outing. And enjoy your summer. We’re looking forward to seeing you in the fall.

The Barred Owls "ambush" Lookout Mountain

Remember playing hide and seek with your friends? Did you have a place where you liked to lay in wait to surprise a sibling, friend or parent? Or a seemingly secluded place to create and enjoy a fantasy world? 

You’re connecting to your inner child when you think, wistfully, back to those carefree days. When I was a kid, I would visit my Aunt Marge and Uncle Frank in upstate New York during the summer with a few siblings. We’d explore the “swimming hole” down at  the local stream for hours on end.

Another great example of child passion - we held our opening
meeting in and around a tree!

Now, as Coyote mentors, we realize that what was happening was the expression of our child passions; of imagining, spying, climbing, joking, and many more. We watch for, and try to tap into, opportunities to capture those moments. Well, Sunday presented mentor Jedidiah and I with just such an opportunity. 

As we gathered at Lookout Mountain, we saw that another Boys Explorers Club (BEC) group was also exploring the Reserve that day. We talked with mentors Tim and Joey about possibly collaborating on a game or project, but they had a full plan for their day, so we headed off in search of a place to explore and carve (our skill for the spring). 

We would usually head up to the big waterfall and then down the hill to the creek bed, but the parks people have fenced off the hillside to restore it (a good idea!), so we chose to explore a different trail. We were quickly rewarded when we came upon a lovely place further downstream. 

This spot has it all - waterfall (see it on the right side of the picture), an open, flat space that was perfect for carving (see photo below), logs across the creek for crossing or lounging, and enough room to spread out for a Sit Spot.

We explored a while, then settled in for carving practice. The boys are choosing projects and getting a sense of what it’ll take to convert a block of wood to a useful tool. 

Ideas for carving projects ranged from chop sticks to......

Atl-Atls

It was soon time for a sit spot and some lunch. We then gathered the boys and asked if they were interested in trying to find the other group and “ambushing” them. That triggered a child passion as their faces lit up at the prospect of sneaking up on their peers. 

Boy in nature....need I say more?

We soon heard voices and immediately entered stealth mode (such as it was). The excitement was palpable as boys scattered into the ferns and berry bushes, sure of a surprise approach. Alas, it was not to be. We were quickly detected. All was not lost, however, as we learned a few important lessons:

• The adrenaline will flow…breathe! 
• Communication is key. Have a plan….walking into the enemy camp and saying ”Hi”, as one of our number did, doesn’t cut it…
• Set a place and time to meet should events warrant. 

Perhaps next time will produce more surprise, but we succeeded in tapping into a child passion on Sunday, our true measure. 

Connecting with the land with your whole being and preserving a natural setting is a constant balancing act...literally and figuratively.

We next meet on Saturday, April 22nd, from 10:30am-2:30pm for our spring service outing at Connelly Creek. In the meantime, check out the photo gallery for Sunday’s outing.

The Barred Owls rock their Arroyo "night" outing; 3/4/17

Let’s start at the end. When the Barred Owls walked off the trail at N. Chuckanut, they had just hiked for a half hour (about 3/4 mi.) in the dark without using a headlamp. I was prepared to give the OK for artificial light about half way through, but no need. They stretched their edge (motto) on this night: your Explorers were up to the challenge!

Throughout the outing, the mentors found opportunities to talk with the boys about using all their senses, anticipating the need to listen for the creek when the trail was less visible, or to focus on the feel of the ground through their boots to detect off-trail wandering. Our task was made easier by light from a 1st quarter moon, courtesy of a clearing sky thanks to a break in the rain/snow. 

Before hiking out, we spent time creekside carving (please check out our knife safely video) and sharing tea. As night began to make its presence known, we made sure our headlamps were accessible and we were each dressed warmly enough. As our “Be prepared” motto states, “A prepared explorer is a happy – and safe – explorer.” This is especially important come nightfall, of course. Because we didn’t have any issues with preparedness, we were able to relax and immerse ourselves in this spectacular natural spot. Props to the Barred Owls for being well prepared!

Prior to descending the hill to the creek, we engaged in a spirited game of Spider’s Web in a location that is very demanding for the flies. A mini-Grand Canyon that carries a stream toward Chuckanut Creek provides a commanding vantage point for the spider and little cover for the encroaching flies. The flies shared information; we tried different routes (including charging full speed straight for the “food source”); we got very muddy. Alas, none of it worked. The game ended in a stalemate. 

Life is like that some times. Try as you might, you can’t bend fate to your will. Significant for the mentor’s goals for the Barred Owls, however, was the fact that they chose to play Spider’s Web. They also chose to explore Chuckanut Creek below the N. Chuckanut parking lot after our opening meeting (see first photo below). These decisions were a result of collaboration and compromise (motto) by the Explorers, capably led by their Tribal Elder. Expect more liberty and responsibility as your Explorers grow and change.

Initially, our afternoon was relaxed, as is evident in this shot. The deliberate pace set the tone for a reflective outing.

We stumbled on a partially constructed shelter and quickly deemed it a "backpackrack". 

Mentor Jedidiah checks in with a well prepared Explorer.

The route to our carving/sharing tea spot involved crossing Chuckanut Creek on a log bridge. Here, Explorers Mentor Apprentice (EMA) Logan helps us climb down to creekside.

The boys chose a carving project to work on through the Spring. Most took to the task with characteristic energy and focus.

Safe carving involves ensuring that when your knife slips, which it will, it doesn't cut you. The Explorers on either side of Mentor Jedidiah are using proper spread-legged technique.

Ready to hike back in the dark!

Quick turnaround! As a few of the boys pointed out to me on Saturday, our next outing is this Sunday, March 12 (daylight savings starts this day) at Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve. So, check the rest of the photos quickly, then have a look at the schedule for details on Sunday's outing. See you at the trailhead.

The Barred Owls vanquish N. Lake Samish 1/22/17

At a slight risk of hyperventilation, several of the Barred Owls and mentors spent more than a little time blowing on our nascent fire in a cold drizzle at N. Lake Samish on Sunday. Despite our efforts, there was, for some time, no spark. It didn’t look good for a warming blaze.

Not surprising, given the completely moisture-laden forest surrounding us. In fact, a cold drizzle was the prevailing weather on that hill. As a growing sense of discouragement enveloped us, mentor Joey led an effort to locate and harvest fat wood to get us to kindling temperature. Found in tree stumps, fat wood has a high concentration of resin which makes it very flammable. 

Even with the fat wood, it took us three tries to get the fire started. And once we finally got it going, we struggled to keep it alive. Call it modest; call it grudging — we called it welcome warmth! I guess it doesn’t have to roar into a raging bonfire to nourish us. 

In fact, the fire served as a metaphor for the day. Our numbers were small, the sky gray and the hill tall and steep. By the time we reached our “base camp” we were primed for a day that was marked more by wandering than focused energy. A good example: our skill for the winter/spring is carving. The Explorers have done some carving, but it’s time to take it up a notch with specific projects. Other explorers have worked on making chopsticks, butter knives and the like. On this day, we decided to whittle the wet outer layer off sticks to improve their chance of burning — a noble endeavor given our struggles with the fire, but not the effort I envisioned. 

The day was not without its highlights, to be sure. Top of the list — a waterfall that beckoned us off the trail on our ascent. This stream was as full as I’d seen it, delivering the backdrop for a fun, impromptu climbing challenge. I overheard one of the boys say, to no one in particular, “I love climbing!”

Less obvious were the softer tone and opportunities for deeper associations between Explorers that the slower pace enabled. In measured interaction and quiet conversation lie the chance to connect and reflect. As the Explorers Club motto points out, It’s All Part of It. 

This is the waterfall that drew us off the trail on the way up. More rocks than stream, actually, which made for a fun, challenging climb.

Seems easier than it was on that sloping rock - slippery!

Harvesting fat wood for our reluctant fire.

Here's a great example of the deeper connection that is possible when we slow down - a lesson in using a pack saw to get at the fat wood.

While warm, and certainly welcome, that's not much of a fire for the effort that went into creating it. Thanks to mentor Joey for his persistence and knowledge of the use of fat wood as an accelerant.

Here we scatter as we begin one of our Hungry Hungry Marten games.

There's peace to be found in the forest, if we just slow down and let it envelop us.

No reason for this picture other than to bring a smile to your face!

We managed to raise the energy level for a few games of Hungry Hungry Marten before gathering our packs and heading back down the hill. On the way up, I had asked one of the boys why we bother trudging up a mountain only to come back down again a few hours later. He replied, with profound simplicity, “Because it’s fun.” 

A wise lad. The restorative effect of stepping into nature’s nourishing landscape and letting go of the business of our daily endeavors cannot be overstated. Even, or perhaps especially, on days that are just kind of normal, it does a soul good.

We’re going to mix it up a bit on our next outing (March 4, Arroyo Park), when we start later and continue until after sundown. We’ll send details as we get closer; in the meantime, check out the rest of the photos from Sunday’s outing here.

Deming...er, Fragrance Lake - The Barred Owls go in search of snow. Unfortunately....

The Deming Homestead Eagle Park is described by Whatcom County parks as, “Fields and forests edge the North Fork Nooksack River surrounding the park. Sunny picnic tables invite a leisurely break any time of the year, but the greatest attraction occurs from December through March, as majestic bald eagles congregate here to feast on spawned salmon.” It’s also a great spot to work on tracking and just getting lost in the natural environment.

However, we woke on Saturday to a forecast of hazardous road conditions, so the mentors decided to forego our planned visit to Deming and stay close to town rather than venture out the Mount Baker Highway. Instead, we hopped into Merkle, one of Wild Whatcom’s two trusty buses, and headed to the Lost Lake/Clayton Beach trailhead to begin our hunt for snow in the Chuckanuts. 

There was no sign of snow along the Interurban trail as we started up toward Fragrance Lake, but we were hopeful. In fact, hope turned to confidence when we encountered a former Girls Explorers Club mentor coming down the trail. She informed us that there was indeed snow at higher elevation. Energized by this “intel”, our pace quickened. It’s a steep hill, though, and soon we stopped for a rest, lunch and exploration break. 

We pondered whether this would be a good spot to play Spider’s Web, but decided to press on in search of the elusive snow. About half way to Fragrance Lake there’s a spur to a lookout. We elected to follow this path for the view and in the belief that it might provide an excellent Spider’s Web location. The view was nice but a surfeit of downed trees precluded playing the game. Oh, and still no snow. And it was getting to be time to consider reversing course so as to be at the trailhead at the appointed time. 

So, to review: no eagles, no snow, no game. 

The Fragrance Lake trail has some pretty steep spots. It's a good idea to take a breather every little while. As we say in Explorers Club, "Fast is slow and slow is fast".

Here's our rest/lunch/exploration spot. Well, more than just this "nurse rock", of course, but the boys were quick to climb atop....

...and just as quick to explore these moss-covered boulders.

You can still see hints of what the old growth forests were like, with massive trees, boulders and streams coexisting in a natural symphony. Beautiful.

Mini-grand canyons were meant to be leapt across, wouldn't you say? Check out the video below for a better appreciation of this activity.

Foggy, but still awesome.

Finally, our long awaited game of Spider's Web.

Here's a first...the spider won! Ask your Explorer how that happens.

Interestingly, the boys weren’t deterred by the repeated failures. They called Hide! several times, explored when given the opportunity, and chatted as usual. 

It wasn’t the plan for the day, but what we mostly wound up doing was wandering — getting lost in the moment and the location. This is actually something we strive for in Explorers Club, so we embraced it as we headed down the hill. Without consciously deciding, we fell into the EC motto to Be Here Now, which helped us as we returned to our lunch spot and organized that elusive Spider’s Web game. 

As expressed by the motto It’s All Part of It, we accepted the frustration of our repeated foundering and kept our perspective. Sure, the snow gave us the slip (the only snow play took place in the parking lots at either end of the bus ride) and we saw not one eagle, but we were with friends in the splendid Chuckanut Mountains - so much for which to be thankful. 

You won’t be surprised to learn that there are more photos. 

The Barred Owls meet again on January 22. Here’s the club’s updated page for details. Have a peaceful holiday.

The Barred Owls brush up on their shelter building at N. Galbraith

Two groups of five Explorers, each with the same assignment — build an earth shelter in which you could be warm and dry through the night. 

Our skill for the season is shelter building. As the Barred Owls reminded me, they’ve already worked on this skill (last year). Great then…should be easy, right?

The good news, as with most challenges in life, is that the quality of the final product, while important, is not the only measure of success. Your Explorers scored better on collaboration, creativity and effort, for instance, than they did on construction…or on selecting team members with useful skills…or on selecting an appropriate site for their shelter. Well, perhaps not that easy.

One group decided to capitalize on a rock overhang that provided a dry space, but had to abandon their effort because the “cave” was on the side of a hill, which called for many up and down trips gathering materials. Lessons learned? Calorie conservation is a key consideration in a survival situation, so avoid the extra work involved in climbing up and down a hill if at all possible. They also realized they were eroding the wet hillside, a reasonable tradeoff in a true survival scenario but not it a mock emergency such as ours.

The other group struggled to come together on a shared vision of what the shelter should look like. You can see from the photos that they worked through that, but took valuable time “sweating the small stuff” in the process. After 90 minutes of effort, they still had much work to do, a deal breaker when weather and nightfall bestow a real sense of urgency.

A section of Galbraith Mountain was recently logged for housing development. The view feels odd.

Decomposer in action!

To compensate for a curved ridge pole, this group decided to raise both ends of their shelter, which would make for more room but increase the complexity of ensuring a warm and dry environment.

Another look at the 'skeleton' of their shelter. Note the clean, flat surface. Their time might better have been spent completing the structure.

It's dirty work, but someone has to do it.

While others played Spider's Web, two Explorers decided to work on their carving skill.

Our closing meeting. A good example of the leadership transferred to our Tribal Elder (see below).

The Barred Owls have been together for several years now. They know the culture (see mottos); they’re in or approaching middle school. In a few years, they might be participating in multi-day backpack trips that require personal discipline and awareness of, and attention to, the needs of one’s trip companions and the group as a whole. It’s time for them to assume more responsibility on our outings. So, our Tribal Elder took on the task of distributing our jobs and leading our opening meeting as well as decision making during the outing. We’ve done this all along; we’re increasing the stakes now. Our tribal elder on Sunday accepted the opportunity to stretch his edge (Motto) and did a fine job.

Fortunately, we have another chance to work on their shelter building when we next meet - Saturday, December 10th, 10:00 - 4:00 for an exploration of Deming Homestead Eagle Park. Note the longer schedule. We meet at 10:00 as usual, but to allow for the ride out to Deming, we'll return at 4:00 pm.

Check here for the photo gallery. I guess we were too involved in our work to capture the moment on "film". Sorry about that; we'll be more aware next time.

The Barred Owls traverse Whatcom Creek; 9/18/16

The Barred Owls traversed Whatcom Creek on Sunday, from below Civic field to Bloedel-Donovan park. In doing so, we got up close and personal with 2.2 of the 4 miles that the creek covers from Lake Whatcom to Bellingham Bay. After Saturday's rain and clouds, we were thankful to see lots of sun and temperatures warm enough to temp many of us into the creek, not once, but twice!

Whatcom Creek is emblematic of Bellingham, as the place where the native Lummi fished for hundreds of year before European settlers saw the advantages of settling where the creek empties into the bay. We focused on Whatcom Falls Park, where the stream loses much of its 350' elevation loss. 

David Sobel (an education writer who has contributed to the philosophy of place-based education) said: "If we want children to flourish, to become truly empowered, then let us allow them to love the earth before we ask them to save it." Mentors Joey and Brian (and wonderful Explorers Club Apprentice Logan) set the table for this nature connection by guiding the group through forest and stream; this beautiful place did the hard work. 

The allure of the creek was strong. We hadn't gone very far when the boys decided they needed to get down to the water. 

A little further down the trail found several boys in the cold water.

After our first dip, we found a forested spot for games of Hungry, Hungry Marten and Spider's Web. We also played several rounds of Hide! Looks like this explorer needed a break from the fun.

Cooking up some mischief!

Check out the dappled sunlight. What a glorious day!

It took a few tries, but we found the swimming hole we were looking for!

Why crawl along the long spanning the swimming hole? Because it's there, of course!

They were interested in the dam that regulates the creek's flow. We were interested in the lineup of packs along the rail.

Wild Whatcom isn't alone in feeling that it's about the journey, not the destination (motto). And Sunday's outing was living proof. We packed effort, laughter, excitement and appreciation of the land into a scant 2.2 miles. The Barred Owls are in a good place right now. The boys enjoy each other's company; they approach our outings with energy; they welcome new members openly (as they did on Sunday) and they care for and help each other. Thanks for affording us the opportunity to work with them through Boys Explorers Club.

We took more photos, of course. Our next outing takes place Sunday, October 16th at North Galbraith Mountain. It should be a perfect time to focus in on our skill for the fall - shelter building. We look forward to seeing you then.