People are curious about the whales, salmon and plankton in the Salish Sea that surrounds us. Through shoreline events, local people learn what’s in the water.
When you give via SCGive.org on Nov. 29 (24 hours only), Giving Tuesday, your donation to Sound Water Stewards supports events to connect local people with local beaches and marine life there.
This map indicates where Sound Water Stewards (trained volunteers) do community science, stewardship or education events on Camano Island.
Based on the beach, events will highlight these species and more
- plankton
- grey whales, ghost shrimp
- invasive green crabs, native crabs
- marine birds, pigeon guillemots
- forage fish, eelgrass
- sea stars, sunflower stars
- clams, mussels
- northern giant hornets
- bluff erosion and beach processes
- bull kelp
The Salish Sea faces intense challenges. Port Susan, Skagit Bay, Stillaguamish River and Saratoga Passage are ecologically sensitive waters.
We will teach sustainability actions and give out a hand lens to all participants to take a closer look, plus a Junior Steward booklet for youth.
Everyone can play a role in stewardship.
Please give online on Nov 29 in support of Sound Water Stewards
The more we raise, the more beach events we can present.
Pictured below, whale bites are divets or pits left by gray whales when they take a bite in the sand, then filter out the ghost shrimp (sand shrimp) to eat, leaving behind a pit. Pictured here on the west side of Camano Island. (See also sand dollars in the foreground)
Recent news article on ghost shrimp:
https://www.bothell-reporter.com/news/a-spooky-critter-that-burrows-in-the-puget-sound/
