It has been difficult to buckle down and get the blog written so I apologize for such a long delay between posts. This is a place that just grabs you and it is hard to sit inside and get this done but I can finally start sharing it with you.
This place hits all your senses; the crisp ocean smell is everywhere, you can hear the roar of the waves from INSIDE the RV, the mist creeps through the Sitka spruce that march down to the black lava of the coast and you can feel the concussion of the waves standing near the shore. It is a living, wild and dynamic environment and it absolutely gorgeous.
This place hits all your senses; the crisp ocean smell is everywhere, you can hear the roar of the waves from INSIDE the RV, the mist creeps through the Sitka spruce that march down to the black lava of the coast and you can feel the concussion of the waves standing near the shore. It is a living, wild and dynamic environment and it absolutely gorgeous.
Although it is hardly "work", our primary job is to greet folks as they come into the Visitor Center, answer questions about hiking trails, local animals and plants and be ambassadors for the area and the National Forest. Part of our daily responsibility is roving the 26 miles of trails they have here and our commute to the "office" is through old growth forest. It has been a wonderful experience talking to everyone. Below is Ranger Jim in uniform. We have to have a bit of fun on the job afterall We "work" every Thursday through Sunday from 9:30 am to 4 pm and the rest of the time is ours. We spend much of that free time exploring the area so we can familiarize ourselves with the small towns and other places and events nearby.
Many of those we work with are also volunteers and there is a very active group of locals as well as those of us who are here for several months. They are wonderful people and we have some great new friends.
Many of those we work with are also volunteers and there is a very active group of locals as well as those of us who are here for several months. They are wonderful people and we have some great new friends.
We also see some spectacular things from the Visitor Center windows. Yesterday we saw a pod of six Orcas. Today we watched four Gray Whales moving north and two of them were a mother and calf. The mother would periodically roll onto her side so her calf could feed. It was incredible as it unfolded about 200 feet away from us. On a bird hike today we saw 21 species in an hour and a half including a juvenile Eagle being mobbed by gulls. There are both forest and sea birds here such as Wilson's Warblers and Pacific Wrens to Oystercatcher and Surf Scoters. There are also Bobcat, Elk, and their main predator, Mountain Lion, plus Black Bear.
There are a number of scientific studies being done here in the Siuslaw National Forest. We spoke with a biologist from Oregon State University in Corvallis and they are mapping the habitat of small forest carnivores like Marten and Fisher. Because the forest is so dense and the terrain is so rugged they came up with the idea of taking shelter dogs and training them to alert to the scat of these carnivores. Scientists retrieve the scat, do a DNA test and map where these animals hunt and live. This is a great win-win situation for both the dogs and scientists. All they need is a ball-obsessed dog.
Over the next several posts I'll report back on some of our other activities, nearby towns and the history of the area (which dates back to Captain Cook and the late 1700's) and we'll have time to explore more of Oregon, but with all that's going on we have so much to keep us busy right here.
There are a number of scientific studies being done here in the Siuslaw National Forest. We spoke with a biologist from Oregon State University in Corvallis and they are mapping the habitat of small forest carnivores like Marten and Fisher. Because the forest is so dense and the terrain is so rugged they came up with the idea of taking shelter dogs and training them to alert to the scat of these carnivores. Scientists retrieve the scat, do a DNA test and map where these animals hunt and live. This is a great win-win situation for both the dogs and scientists. All they need is a ball-obsessed dog.
Over the next several posts I'll report back on some of our other activities, nearby towns and the history of the area (which dates back to Captain Cook and the late 1700's) and we'll have time to explore more of Oregon, but with all that's going on we have so much to keep us busy right here.