Anacortes, WA
On February 10th we will be meeting in the Stevens Center at Padilla Bay Reserve ( 10441 Bayview Edison Rd, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 ), doors will open around 12:30 to check in, get settled and have some coffee.
1) Explore the Google Drive: We will use a Google folder to share resources about the program and each training. You can access this folder by clicking on this link. Once you access this folder, you will find the following sub-folders:
Contact information: Please click on the link and add the contact information that you feel comfortable sharing with your fellow 2026 Salish Sea Stewards. Also, this is a great place to identify folks you could carpool with.
Speaker slides and resources: Please click on the link to access the slides and extra readings associated with each training. The slides will be added to the folder the night before or shortly after each session. The resources will be accessible to you for two months after the last training session. You are welcome to download any of the resources.
Training schedule: Please review the 2026 training schedule.
Snack sign up sheet: Coffee/tea and snacks tend to be a critical part of this program. The Salish Sea Stewards Advisory Committee, which is a leadership group that provides guidance and support to the program, will provide the snacks and coffee/tea for the first session on February 10th. Generally, 2-3 participants of the program volunteer to provide snacks for the remaining sessions. We will have a physical signup sheet on February 10th or you can volunteer to bring snacks to a training right now by clicking on this link.
Are you new to Google Drive and would like some help? Please reach out with any questions. I will be around after class as well to work through any issues in person if that is helpful!2) Complete the pre-training assignment: Please don’t forget to check out the following reading and video before February 10th so you are ready to dive right into this 40 hour training on the Salish Sea and how you can contribute to making this amazing ecosystem healthier for all.
Watch this video (consider watching others in the repository): https://whatcomdigitalcommons.org/s/salishsea/item/1948
Read Chapters 1 & 2 of the State of the Salish Sea: https://cedar.wwu.edu/salish_pubs/1/Hiking
Biology
| Skagit County Birding Pacific Northwest Birding (FB) Whidbey Island Audubon Society | Key to Invertebrates of the Salish Sea (Walla Walla University) |
| Barney Lake Conservation Area (overwintering Trumpeter Swans, spend nights here) | light for dock exploration at night Tidepooling Camera Settings (OM TG-7, YouTube) & Photographer’s Site |
| Poisonous & Dangerous Plants (pdf) Anacortes area Plant ID Cards – Stillaguamish Tribe | Marine Invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest By Eugene N Kozloff, 1987 (copy on internet archive) |
| Pacific Northwest Moths (website) | Marine Birds & Mammals Web Map |
| Bull Kelp | Amphibians and Reptiles of Washington State |
| Bats Northwest | Whatcom County Amphibian Monitoring Program |
| Puget Sound Invert Pictures (WA Dept Ecology, Flickr) |
Nature Non-Profits / Research
| Salish Sea Stewards SIGN UP LATE NOV, Early DEC Registration Opens: December 1, 2025 | Friends of the Forest Anacortes Community Forest Lands Friends of the Anacortes Community Forest Lands |
| Northwest Straits Commission | Friends of Skagit Beaches (a bit like Sound Rivers) |
| Skagit Watershed Council : a community partnership for salmon (FaceBook) (website) | Skagit Marine Resources Committee San Juan County Marine Resources Committee |
| Skagit Land Trust – pdf overview | Puget Sound Restoration Fund |
| Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory Walla Walla University (map) | Transition Fidalgo |
| Shannon Point Marine Center Biology Dept Faculty | San Juan Co. Permits Friday Harbor Laboratories (Univ. Wash.) |
| Padilla Bay Research (see also emails) | Washington Scientific Collecting Permits (info) |
Boating
| Hole in the Wall Paddling Club (Anacortes) | Kayaking Videos PNW (YouTube) |
| West Coast Paddler (chat forums, Steve has login) | Anacortes Tide Predictions |
Coffee
| Strawberry Bay Coffee & Roasting Company | Doughnut House |
| Diedrichs Espresso (Facebook) | Pelican Bay Books & Coffeehouse (Facebook) |
| Penguin Coffee Anacortes | Beacon’s Espresso (Mt Vernon) |
Ukulele / Music
| Bellingham Ukulele Group see other groups here | Fidalgo Ukulele Network |
| Bellingham Wind Works (musical instruments) | Anacortes Music Project |
| Anacortes Music and Arts Monthly Calendar |
Miscellaneous
| Good Plants for a Butterfly Garden Pollinator gardens in Anacortes Washington (AI) in yard add Showy milkweed (Asclepias speciosa) | Christianson’s Nursery |
| Tulip Festival mid-April | Skagit Pagans |
| Mount Baker Orchid Society (web) Mount Baker Orchid Society (FB) | Radio Amateurs of Skagit County My grid square: CN88ql Nearby Repeaters |
| Bear Gun (Marlin 1895) Bear Spray (Counter Assault, brand of choice) |
Whale Watching
| Orca Reports Orca Network (Facebook) Orca Network Community Group (Facebook) OrcaSound (listen to hydrophone) | How to submit whale photos |
| Whale Watching boats to follow to find whales: M/V Sea Lion (San Juan Safaris) M/V Kestrel (San Juan Safaris) Western Explorer II (Western Prince Whale Watching) Odyssey (San Juan Excursions) Island Explorer 5 (out of Anacortes, operated by Island Adventures) |
Washington State & More
Moving to Anacortes
| PODs Alternatives | MoveBuddha |
| Ship Smart | Burlington Freeway Storage |
| First-Time Homeowner’s Guide | Central Moving & Storage |
| Efficient Move Tips | Amazing Movers (recommended Anacortes FB Grp) |
| Windermere Property Management | North Sound | SGT Auto Transport |
| Vehicle Storage, Anacortes: Closer Better? | Crime Map (general) Skagit County Crime Map |
| Elevation Data (flooding) Tsunami Map | |
| For Sale in Anacortes Redfin Zillow | For Rent in Anacortes Redfin Zillow |