Barnacles Explore Whatcom Falls

The Barnacles had an exciting day exploring Whatcom Falls. For some, it was the first time they had seen the waterfall! We crossed the stone bridge and discussed the origin of the name "Whatcom" and its Lummi meaning "place of noisy waters." We spent some time exploring near the falls, safely and carefully of course, and admiring ice formations that had been created from a cold night the day before.

Next we traveled down the trail to a spot where we set up temporary camp and played games. We reviewed our learned skills in the art of camouflage and played a few games of Hide. While hiding, we found many indications of human impact, from dog poop to plastic hangers. We discussed the scope of impact that our community and other visitors have on natural spaces like Whatcom falls, and the importance of Leave No Trace ethics. We were able to pack out the hangers and a few other pieces of "safe trash." We always make sure to discuss safe and unsafe trash. Pieces of safe trash are items such as plastics, wrappers, etc.  to which we can apply our motto "You see it you own it." That is to say that even though we may not have been the ones to leave the items, as environmental stewards and recreators, we still have a responsibility to clean them up!

After  several games of Hide and some lunch, we moved on to the Whatcom Falls' swimming hole. We watched a couple of teenagers prepare to slack line near the water and discussed the safety concerns of how people in our community use the swimming hole. Specifically, we worked through the dangers of cliff jumping into shallow waters, and how though it may sound fun, it is ultimately a very risky thing to do! We talked through a few specific considerations that make jumping into the water unsafe, such as the changing depth of water due to rain fall and the shifting of larges rocks and boulders beneath the water caused by a moving current.

During this discussion, we spotted a bird about which we had spoken earlier, the American Dipper! We recognized the bird based on a description we had learned at the start of our day. We noted that like the description we had learned, this bird was grey, round-bodied, found near the edge of a stream,  and bobbing (dipping) up and down searching for food. For more information about the American Dipper, click here!

After watching the American Dipper for a few minutes, we began our trek back to the stone bridge. Along the way we played a game called "Cougar Stalks Deer," a game very similar to "Red Light/Green Light," but tweaked to discuss how deer have a hard time seeing things that aren't moving, but have excellent hearing and are more apt to notice animals when they make sudden movements.

Once back at the stone bridge, we spent a few last moments exploring near the waterfall before moving to the field to play some final games. We ended our outing as we always do with our Attitude of Gratitude, and finished just in time to miss the sleet! 

For more photos from this outing, click here!