Wednesday, October 26, 2011

McMicken Island and Ann

25 October 2011 Tuesday
Ann joins me and the clouds, fog are lazy burning off but by the time we get to McMicken  Island, it is lovely and sunny. The tide has reached its ebb and more of the sandpit is showing itself. Ann rows us to shore and likes how P2 is performing. I bring some extra line with us but we don't have anything to tie to. I tried to move one of the smaller rocks, but it was way too heavy.
Ann gathers shells for her grand kids
 Today I want to walk the trail out to the point and see if we can see the eagle. From Shatoosh we heard them conversing and there are 2 of them, which we could see. We didn't see them while in the forest, but saw one return to the island once we had returned to Shatoosh.
















Ann with bolders














I can always find trees to hug me.

We are welcomed by the cedar and the Douglas Fir.

The inner island trail is dark.
See orb on the right, it is blue.




































All those tree rings

A wet mossy path.


A lush succulent meadow


We arrive back in time, but I will need to get an
anchoring stake.

Upon returning to P2, we row over to Harstene Island to see if we can find a County Park, but rather find a nice little babbling brook running into where the spit attaches to Harstene.
Babbling Brook

Nice fall colors

Hira rows Ann
We both agree P2 is a big improvement.
What a lovely day it has been. I have known Ann since the mid 60's and while we don't see much of each other on land, I do try to get her on board as much as I can. She is always fun and up for any challenge. Come again.
P2 riding well  tied to swim platform,
McMicken in the distance.

PS.. In an article by Jo Bailey in 48 Degrees North, she describes the McMicken Island sandspit as a "Tombolo".  see Wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tombolo. She also speaks about the presence of great shell deposits, which she believes is an Indian Midden, or garbage pit. This is evident along the south shore. 
In the book, South Puget Sound: Afoot and Afloat, by Marge and Ted Mueller, they refer to the boulder
(noted on the chart) on the north east side as, a large, rock erratic from the Pleistocene Glacier. An erratic is defined as, a rock fragment carried by glacial ice, or floating ice, deposited at some distance from the outcrop from which it was derived. Size ranges from pebble- to house-sized block. So this answers many of my questions about the South Sound's beautiful gem of an island. I shall think of her as my Treasure Island, as she offers us so many gifts, all on such a small island (11acres).