Friends and Board Members!

Download the Volunteer Registration Form here.

Spring is here, and summer is quickly approaching, which means the time has come for us to implement the plans we have been working on all winter long! Harbor WildWatch is growing quickly, and lots of changes are taking place to make us an even more dynamic, exciting and FUN organization than we have been in the past.

First, we have 4 new learning opportunities scheduled to bring us all up to speed on our knowledge and understanding of our local beach environments. All Get Your Feet Wet volunteers  are expected to attend as many as possible, but particularly Sessions 1 and 2. seaStars and sunStars personnel will greatly benefit by attending all 4, and it will be exciting for everyone to meet our new group of seaStars and sunStars and their parents at Session 4. Naturalists, Friends and Board Members are always welcome, and we hope to see you when it is possible for you to attend. For planning purposes, please let us know when you are planning to attend any of the following sessions.

1. April 19: 8:45 a.m. meet at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium RSVP Required! not later than 4-15!  We will spend time in the Marine Discovery Center with our lead naturalist Rachel Easton. Using the touch tanks in the center, Rachel will bring us up to speed on all of the life forms we are likely to encounter on our local beaches. She will also teach us which critters can be handled, and which should not, as well as which ones can safely be placed in touch tanks together.  At about 10AM we will head to Purdy Spit for a beach walk with Alan Rammer at low tide (noon) and around 12:30 we will travel to Purdy Fire station for a talk by Alan and our Harbor Wild Watch Volunteer Orientation.  Lunch, on us will either be delivered to the beach if we have a nice day or to the fire hall. The day will dismiss around 3.

2. May 3: 9 AM-12 Noon Penrose State Park with Rachel Easton.  Rachel will lead a walk out onto the spit where we'll also have the company of Ernie Karlstrom and his shovel. Together they will show us the best places to find critters, etc; we will also include a dry run set-up of canopies and tables. If the weather is pleasant, bring a sandwich and we can chat over lunch!

3. May 10: 2PM-5PM Kopachuck State Park walk w/ John Valentine. No one is more knowledgeable about this beach, the natural history of the area and the critters who live here than John. You will want to be sure to catch this exciting afternoon.

4. May 17: 1PM-3PM Skansie Park / Jerisch Dock in Gig Harbor. Plankton PlayDay w/Rachel Easton.  Plankton nets and a diver (hopefully Kirsten) will help us discover interesting critters for study, and we will meet our newest group of seaStars and sunStars.

Next, we have a new Volunteer Registration form. As we are growing, and finding more and more people to help us with our mission, we need to have system to keep track of who is helping out when and where. This information is necessary for liability, informational and recognition purposes. Please fill out this registration form and return it to me at the address on the bottom of the 2nd page as soon as possible. As last year, we will ask GYFW volunteers to commit to 6 beach dates and training, and in return we will furnish you with a HWW tee-shirt, cap and nametag. We also have developed a volunteer handbook, which will be distributed to all volunteers, with our schedule, contact info and other helpful information for your use.

Lastly, as a kick-off for our season many of us are planning to go on a Whale Watch trip to see gray whales in the sound on April 12. This trip is through Island Adventures out of Everett, and departs at 11AM. If we have 10 or more, we go for $54.00 per adult, $49 for kids 4-15, under 3 free. If you want to go, please e-mail me to get your name on the list, and I will send additional information at a later date.

As the new volunteer coordinator, it will be my pleasure to meet those of you I do not know and to re-kindle acquaintances from last summer. See you at training! Remember to Learn. Have fun.

Download the Volunteer Registration Form here.

Barb Bourscheidt barb@harborwildwatch.org
Harbor WildWatch Volunteer Coordinator
PMB#99
3110 Judson Street
Gig Harbor, WA 98335

Locations of Beach Programs:  Kopachuk State Park, Penrose State Park, Narrows Beach Park, Purdy Spit, Jerisch Park, Joemma State Park, Manchester State Park.  Locations are determined by low tide schedules, and events planned by the City of Gig Harbor and/or the State Park system.