Pacific Northwest {part 1}

Wow, I sure am behind on my blog.  The end of the summer was a whirl wind.  I am still trying to catch up on things now that school has started.  I will back up to July.....

The culminating adventure for my Masters program in Environmental Education was a 14 day trip to the Pacific Northwest.  Each cohort gets to choose the destination and each student is given two days where they are the teacher.  Other cohorts have gone to Alaska and Hawaii but we decided to stay in the lower 48.  What an adventure it was.  We took so many photos over the two weeks that I am going to put them in two posts.  Here goes week 1:

 

 

We started our journey on Bainbridge Island, WA.  We traveled there to check out one of the worlds greatest environmental education schools/centers.  It was fabulous.  The architects talked to children before designing it and placed the kid's ideas through out the center. 

 

The crew on the floating classroom.  This moves across the water on a pulley system.  The bottom has grates that lift up and kids can do water sampling.

 

Carlisle and I checking out the campus

 

The suspended bridge.  The students can get the feel of the mid canopy forest while walking across.

 

We left Bainbridge and headed to Friday Harbor, WA via ferry.  Our plan: to kayak with Orcas

 

Waiting to Kayak

 

Our fearless leaders....a selfie

 

Out in the Puget Sound checking out some Bull Kelp

 

Although we didn't see any Orcas, we did see a bunch of Harbor Seals

 

Our next stop was to the Olympic Peninsula and Tongue Point.  It is known for some of the best tidal pools in the US.

 

Ruby Beach

 

Kalaloch Beach

 

The sea caves were awesome.  I could just see the boys running wild, in and out of the many caves

 

Coolest find of the day

 

I did not make this but it was sitting on the beach.

 

Nerding out around a tide pool

 

Did I mention that we were traveling for 14 days in an RV??  Yup, all 8 of us squished in an RV.  Needless to say, we got to know each other very well.

 

Cruising along

 

We arrived at Olympic National Park

 

It was amazing, fantastic and breath taking.

 

Pictures do not do it justice

 

We stayed at the Conestoga Campground and RV park.  Stay tuned for more.....