such is the level of predation on these or TVs, watching movies about
little fish. In Puget Sound, we, as penguin marches or watching others
the dominate prey species, have do what we once took for granted and
decided that spawning herring did ourselves, which was to seek
make up 18 different “management outdoor experiences. Well, I’m
stocks” (because we, as herders of the telling you those experiences are
world’s critters, need to count all this still there, still waiting for us, and
stuff so we know how much to “take”). still exciting to see when we let them
In the past, herring have been caught into our lives. I’d like to think that,
for food, then caught and ground up with a good-old recession now altering
for oil and pet food. Some of the eggs our grandiose lifestyles a bit, we may
are used as high-end gourmet food for begin to think about returning to the
Asian markets. old ways of enjoying ourselves. Get
The reality of it is that the many
Rhino Auklet
outside, get in a boat, get your eyes
seabirds, marine mammals and larger open again and see a few things. You
fish species have a greater need and eat might find you like yourself more for
these important little fish to survive. close range, beyond the beach and these experiences.
Fewer Orcas these days? Well, it might parking lots, beyond the signs that say:
be that a bunch of us dropped our “Wildlife Viewing Area.” Out here on Among other adventures, Larry
anchors in those wonderfully quiet the waters of Puget Sound, a daysail Eifert paints large murals for the National
back bays where eel grass beds live, can turn into a real wildlife experience Park Service. The Eifert’s 1939 Monk Sr.
our 45-pound Danforths tearing up the if you just look for it. Many sailors sloop, “Sea Witch,” is well-known in the
bay’s bottom and depriving herring of might have just sailed by, maybe only Northwest, having been a subject of
good, quality habitat for them to lay worried their sails might get a dab of Jo Bailey’s “Gunkholing” books and
their eggs. Or, more likely, shoreline bird doo on them. Some wouldn’t have articles for decades. Eifert paints and
trophy home owners have altered the even noticed, for it seems that many of writes about the same boat, wildlife friends
spawning grounds off their front yards us have diminished awareness these and sailing in the waters off his home in
by adding elaborate stone walls and days to the natural world around us. Port Townsend. See his artwork and read
lawns that use chemicals that then run We spend most of our lives chained more at
www.larryeifert.com
off into the nearby waters – killing the indoors, watching nature on monitors
ecosystem they spent zillions of dollars
to live next to. Fewer herring means
less food for salmon, an important food
for Orcas. Fewer herring also means
less food for Orcas, too, which catch
them the same way seals do. In Puget
Sound, 60-70% of the herring are eaten
by larger critters each year, and the
numbers of herring is decreasing each
year. Get the picture?
We watched the herring action for
awhile longer as we sailed past, then
Pre-Inventory
headed over to the next ball of birds
and fish. Out of that cloud of wheeling
and screaming gulls, a lone Rhinoceros Super Sale!
Auklet flew by at top speed holding a
three-inch flapping herring in its bill.
Everything is on Sale
You could almost imagine the bird’s
thoughts of, “I got mine, now I’m
getting out of this party as fast as my
5% to 40% OFF
little black wings can carry me.”
So what’s the big deal with Two weeks only!
watching a bunch of birds? To me,
it’s a matter of the quality of life. Sure
September 12
th
- 27
th
, 2009
it was a pleasant day for a sail. The
scenery was beautiful, the company
Sale prices valid only at the upstairs Display Store.
wonderful, the experience memorable
Discounts off retail price, not valid with any other offers or special pricing.
– but experiencing the birds and the
herring balls made it much more so.
fisheriessupply.com (206) 632-4462
Open 7 days a week to serve you!
We had watched nature at a very
1900 N. Northlake Way Seattle, WA 98103
48° No r t h , Se p t e m b e r 2009 pa g e 49
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