Bet you can't watch the whole thing without smiling..... 🙂

[We posted this last week – and we’re re-posting it for Valentine’s Day, mostly because so many folks asked us to…! Have a great Valentine’s Day!]

Over the past few weeks, I got the chance to ask dozens of San Juan Islanders if they would be part of my little movie, and here are most of the folks who said, “Sure!”

As you can see, the clips were shot in the store, on the street, at the coffeehouse, at school, at the Community Theatre, at Roche Harbor – all over the island. The islanders are people whom I know you know, and some are folks I’d like you to meet.

I asked folks just to say “I love you” for this Valentine’s Day video & it was cool to see how the whole thing feels….the visuals are backed up by “Field Song” by ace acoustic guitar virtuoso Cameron Byington.

So…here it is, just for you.

The game was Saturday night, and the boys came close…here’s more from Update reporter & FHHS junior forward Collin Williamson about Wednesday’s & Saturday’s games:

So close, and now ever closer.

With the Wolverine boys’ basketball season coming to an end, we can look back to a successful season, and an exciting playoff run. The boys defied expectations, and amazed teams everywhere with a refreshing play style.

In the first playoff game the Wolverines hosted 1A rival Nooksack Valley. In a previous matchup the Wolverines had edged Nooksack by one point.

The Wolverines bested Nooksack 64-51. With half of the points coming from big men Otis Cooper-West, and Collin Williamson you could say these two players are gaining a better understanding of each other and how to work together.

With a sellout crowd the Wolverines had a bit of help down the stretch. Coach Rob Turnbull said this, after Wednesday’s game: “We really showed up and played like we know we can, with a playoff mentality. We really answered their runs. It was a great team victory and everyone played their role.”

With lockdown perimeter defense, the Wolverines came together for a great team victory, the first home playoff win in almost a decade.

But for the Wolverines it was on to the next one.

In a primetime showcase Tacoma’s Life Christian Eagles played our Friday Harbor Wolverines. The Eagles took advantage of superior guard play to take over in pivotal points during the second half. The Eagles improved to 14-7 while the Wolverines finished the season 16-6.

In the first quarter the Wolverines came out strong, scoring 9 quick points in half-court play. Due to foul trouble Williamson and Rosales had to take an early trip to the bench. Otis Cooper-West didn’t see the floor due to an ankle injury the day before. The Eagles made a second quarter run ending the first half with a score of 28-18.

The boys came out on fire in the third quarter, coming within 3 points from a 10 point deficit. But an experienced Eagle squad answered the run, and with the half court pressure rode out the game to win 55-49.

Senior guard Dakota Rosales had this to say about the season: “It was life changing. The season was great, until it ended. But just being able to be there with my friends really made some memories for me.”

This won’t be the last playoff run for the Wolverines. With only the loss of one senior and now knowing what it’s like to plan in the big time, you can expect a completely different squad next season.

Just got this nice note from Jody Price over at the Mullis Center….lots going on:

My note today is to share with the San Juan Island community some things I am learning about the Mullis Community Senior Center (MCSC) as I spend a few hours each week volunteering here.

Did you know that we have a senior population of over 2000 people on San Juan Island and at this time only about 500 have made the commitment to become members at the MCSC. Membership is very affordable at $15.00 singles/$25.00 couples per year.

This leads me to believe that many folks are missing out on one of the terrific benefits of membership which would be to receive the “Senior Signal”. This is an informative monthly newsletter mailed to your home or post office box and contains within a monthly calendar with daily classes, off island trips and transportation, when one can make an appointment for foot care or attend a pancake breakfast (which helps fund the center).

Each month there is a message from the Senior Advisory Committee…these are the movers and shakers who have kept the doors open and the lights at this great facility and all as volunteers! You will also find a message from Senior Coordinator Curt Van Hyning. He often includes the most current information about insurance, Medicare and Medicaid for seniors as well as insights and short articles that add perspective to our daily lives.

Other features found regularly in the newsletter include the Happy Birthday list…a chance to celebrate the lives of our friends and family members, a lunch menu for the Monday and Thursday lunches where all are welcome starting at 11:45 with a cost of $4.00 for seniors and those under 60 can dine for $6.00.

Services such as Blood Pressure Clinic, Hearing tests, home delivered meals, senior transportation and helpful phone numbers are within the pages too. What a helpful and informative resource the “Senior Signal” is and a great way to get and stay connected.

I am hopeful you will stop by the Mullis Community Senior Center (MCSC) Monday through Thursday 9 am to 4 pm or on Friday’s from 9 to noon and become a member, get the “Signal” and stay in touch with those you live amongst.

With the warmest intentions!
Jody Price
MCSC Office volunteer

Great to hear Shawn Colvin & Alison Krauss knock out The Boxer, with Jerry Douglas on the dobro…

FHHS' Liz Taylor nearly blocks a shot at Kings last night...

Friday Harbor ran into a buzzsaw last night, but can still hold their heads high after a great season. The Update’s Collin Williamson has more:

In the last game of the season, our own Wolverines took on the #1 seed Kings Knights in a 1A District 1 match up. The Knights (13-1) have had much success this year, but the Wolverines (12-2) took no notice and played with tremendous effort.

The Knights came out of the gates strong, gathering an 8-0 run in the first minutes of the game. The Knights took advantage of weak side help, driving down the lane and outletting it to their shooters. The Wolverines did a great job of swinging the ball in their half-court offense, the only problem was that it was extremely difficult to get past the Knights three-quarter court press. The Knights led the entire game, as they kept the Wolverines out of  their usual offensive flow.

With a final score of 47-23 the Lady Wolverines saw their season come to a close, and senior captain Mandy Turnbull was able to look at the bright side of the game: ”All we wanted to do was go out there and play as a team, and give it all we had. Everyone did that yesterday and it allowed us to end our season by playing together while having fun.”

When asked about the success of the season she said: “It was one of the best sports seasons. We had our highs and lows, but we all had each other’s backs. We proved that in order to be a team and have success that it starts with encouraging each other.”

Even though the season is over, they can look back to a successful season. There will be a new standard for future Wolverine teams.

Snowy owls up at Boundary Bay, a couple of weeks ago....photo by either me or Josie ('cause she's the wildlife photographer, but it was my camera). Regardless of whether she or I shot it, it was great to share hanging out with the owls....

Yawn…you’re up, right? Let’s see what’s up:

• The FHHS girls’ basketball season came to an end at Kings last night in their first playoff game…great season for the girls & much to be proud of. Way to go, girls!

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• Nancy at Griffin Bay Books tells me:

Thought I’d let you know that our author, Alexis Smith (Glaciers) has just canceled for Saturday night due to illness. If you could put some notice in the Update that would be wonderful.

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• Stuff at the Whale Museum’s web store are 30% off till Valentine’s Day – check it out!

It's cool to see our friends from Orcas shopping at Kings when they visit....this was after the basketball games, last weekend...

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• Meanwhile, over at Cotton Cotton Cotton, Randy & Gail are back in action:

Hey Ian, just wanted to know if you would mind mentioning in the Update that Cotton Cotton Cotton is re-opening on this Friday, February 10th at 10:00 AM.

We have lots of beautiful new merchandise and we can’t wait to show it off.  In celebration of re-opening we are offering 20% off   regular priced items (not including Brighton Jewelry and consignment items).  This sale will run Friday, February 10th through Monday, February 13th.

We have Taylor Brooke Dream Jeans that fit like a dream and make you look so good you think you are dreaming!  Also got in more Repair The World leisure wear that is fashionable and recycled out of water bottles!  We will be open 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM daily – closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.  Come in and shop for great deals for your Valentine!

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• From the League of Women Voters:

Learn “What You Need to Understand About Our Ferry System” with the League of Women Voters February 13.

The League of Women Voters of the San Juans invites members and the public
to learn about budget and infrastructure issues affecting Washington State
Ferries at noon, February 13 at the San Juan Library.

Our speaker will be Lopez Island resident Tom Cowan, recently appointed by
Governor Christine Gregoire to a six-year term on the State Transportation
commission.  Cowan is also Chair of the County Land Bank Commission and a
former County Commissioner.

Bring your questions.

The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization which
encourages the informed and active participation of citizens in
government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues
and influences public policy through education and advocacy.

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Fox & quilt...photo by Jill's mom....

• It was cool to hear about Jill Urbach’s mom’s quilts being so well received – here’s more (thanks, Jill!):

Thought you’d like to know that two locals are being featured in a quilt show on Vashon Island from Feb. 3-28.  They are Kitty Sorgen (MY MOM) and also Barbara Gonce who is from Lopez.  The quilts being shown are all made using Kaffe Fassett fabrics.  Kaffe Fassett is an internationally-known, London-based textile designer who is known for his use of vibrant color.

So, Mom’s and Barbara’s quilts are not only beautiful, but they explode with vibrancy!  Definitely worth seeing if anyone is looking for a fun outing to Vashon.

I have attached a flier about the show. The photo on the front was taken by Mom when one of the foxes from South Beach wandered onto her quilt.

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Julie Hanks & her husband Roy - besides a million other things, Julie's been working as the volunteer coordinator at the Community Theatre & doing an awesome job...great to have you around!

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• I’ve been wondering how the United Way folks have been doing – so it was good to hear from Elli:

United Way of San Juan County Awards $78,000 to County Non-Profits
United Way of San Juan County has awarded more than $78,000 to 16 non-profits in the county. The grants range from $560 to $17,400 to support 24 programs on Orcas, Lopez and San Juan islands. Grantees include programs for pre-school and elementary school children, senior assistance, hospice, prevention programs, family support, and others.

· Lopez Island Family Resource Center received over $16,000 for five programs.
· San Juan Island Family Resource Center received $17,400 for five programs.
· San Juan Island School District received over $11,200 for two programs.
· Five programs on Orcas Island received over $16,700.

In addition to the funds granted through the allocation process, a total of over $9,500 in designated contributions was distributed to these and six additional programs. For a complete list of supported programs and how to give, see our website at http://www.unitedway-sanjuancounty.org .

The mission of United Way of San Juan County is to enhance the ability of local agencies to meet vital needs of our community. “The needs of our community are accelerating,” said Bill Morrissey, Board President. “At a time of continuing economic downturn and dwindling public resources, our support to programs serving children, families and seniors in our community has never been more important.”

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John & Claire

• Congrats to John & Claire, getting married! Here’s more, in a note from his folks, Tony & Lisa:

John Fyrqvist and Claire Hoipkemier were married on December 31, 2011 at St. Matthew Cathedral in South Bend, Indiana.  John is a Graduate Student at the University of Notre Dame and Claire is a Middle School Teacher at the Good Shepherd Montessori School in South Bend, Indiana.

They met at the Catholic Worker in South Bend after graduating from the University of Notre Dame.  While being originally from Lansing, Michigan Claire attended school in Indonesia and Thailand with her Missionary Parents.

After graduation she also spent 2 years working at an orphanage in Honduras.  Her parents are David and Rory Hoipkemier from East Timor and East Lansing.  John was raised on San Juan Island and his parents are Tony and Lisa Fyrqvist.   Mike and Joe Fyrqvist were groomsmen and Kate Fyrqvist was  a bridesmaid.  Little sister Laura was also at the wedding and was very excited about the 48 hour train ride with grandparents Don and Gail Marioni from Port Townsend, WA.”

A side note: Claire was a soccer star in Indonesia, but when they came back to the US she had to spend time on the bench as the level of competition is much higher, especially for girls.  And John — while no Messi — did play all 4 years here ….along with all of his previous years in the younger leagues.

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Keeping warm: When the snow was here last month, Jon & Tamara Weaver kept their hummingbirds warm with by wrapping the feeder 'round with Christmas lights. She tells me it was like a neon light, drawing birds from miles around....

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• Here’s the deal for Relay for Life, by Amber Garcia’s team, Hakuna Matata:

Our Relay for Life Team, Hukuna Matata is having some exciting fundraisers this week!

On Saturday: Bake Sale from 11:00 am – 1:00 am in front of the Drugstore! We will have lots of Valentine’s Day goodies…including giant heart shaped cookies with customizable messages and some gluten free items 🙂

Now until Sunday: A Pampered Chef Fund Raiser 30% of Proceeds go to Support ACS! Help us reach our goal of $1,000 in sales! The Phenomenal Unglazed Stoneware is 20%! To browse and purchase amazing cooking tools click the link or contact Amber Garcia @ 317-6248

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That's Matt Dollahite at Gallery San Juan doing what he does so well...painting. Drop by & say hey!

John Marx

Sad to hear our friend John Marx passed away – our condolences to Georgia – here’s more, with his memorial service this Saturday:

John Marx, of Friday Harbor, passed away peacefully at age 90 on February 3, 2012, in Bellingham, WA, after a brief illness. John had been a resident of Friday Harbor since 1983, when he retired there with his wife Georgia Baciu.  John was born in Chicago, grew up in Tucson, and was a graduate of the University of Arizona and the Harvard Business School.  After brief stints working as an engineer for Douglas Aircraft and Columbia Steel, John spent 28 years at Ampex Corporation in Redwood City, CA, at various management positions in production planning, marketing and finance.

In addition to his wife, Georgia, John is survived by four children and their families:  Son Doug (Carol) and daughter Nancy (Terry, granddaughter Sarah), both of Napa, CA, son Randy (Cynthia, grandson Elliot, granddaughter Emily), of Fair Oaks, CA and son Larry (Alethea), of West Covina, CA.

John was very active up to his passing with a variety of activities including Pilates, backpacking, kayaking, skiing, singing, sailing, tennis, traveling and swimming.  He was also active in numerous organizations and causes, including the Friends of San Juan, the San Juan Singers, St. Davids Episcopal Church, the Nature Conservancy, the Sierra Club, the San Juan Preservation Trust and the Earth Justice Defense Foundation.

John will be fondly remembered by friends and family for his generous spirit, passionate opinions on every topic, interesting conversations and engaging personality.  He was particularly proud of his feat of climbing all 13 of California’s 14,000 ft peaks.

A memorial service will be held at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, February 11, at 2 pm, with a reception to follow.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Friends of the San Juans, the San Juan Preservation Trust or St. David’s Episcopal Church.

Zumba and Free Water Aerobics at San Juan Island Fitness

San Juan Island Fitness is kicking off National Heart Month by offering Free Water Aerobics classes, lead by Janet Olsen, through February 15.  Classes are held Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the heated pool at 435 Argyle Ave.  Just bring a towel and a swim suit.

Also, beginning Thursday, February 2, Jacquelyn Reiff will lead Zumba classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays from noon to 1.  Additional evening classes will begin in March.  Drop in for the class only is $7.00 or pay monthly dues and take advantage of all 30 classes per week.  Do your heart a favor.

For more information, call 378-4449 or visit www.sanjuanislandfitness.com

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Connor Dederich, Grace Willows, Beatrice Grauman and Rachel Porter were those who swam 7,500 yards at this year's San Juan Swim Team Swim-a-thon.

And…the Swim-A-Thon was a great success! Thanks for your support! The intra-squad meet is this weekend….here’s more about the fundraiser:

The San Juan Island Swim Team completed its annual fund raiser, a swim-a-thon, at San Juan Island Fitness last Saturday.  Each team member set a goal of yards to swim and requested pledges per yard or for the total distance.  Distances ranged from 500 yards to 7,500 yards (that’s 4 miles, 460 yards), or just about from town to Lakedale Resort.

The team, which is composed of kids from 7 to 17 years of age, raised approximately $2,000 which goes to offset the cost of transportation, swim team supplies including fins for drills, coach enhancement and pool expenses.  Total team yardage swam was 87,850.  That’s 49.91 miles or from town to Sedro Wooley.

“It was a real team effort, including parents who counted laps for hours on end,” says Head Coach Amy Harold.  “What a delight to watch kids set their own goals—most planning just a mile or less—and then continue bravely into two, three, or four mile swims.  They learn they can tackle vast distances, one stroke at a time,” she added.

 Next up for the team, an intra-squad meet at San Juan Island Fitness on February 11 and a season finale meet in Bellingham on February 18.

Hobbes

I get to read blogs from all around the world, and I think you’d be hard pressed to find one with as much care, attention to detail & just plain good food ideas as Hobbes’ blog about eating well. Check it out here, and it’s cool he has celebrated his 100th blog posting. Here’s more:

Chef Hobbes Buchanan of Imagine Organics, San Juan Island, recently posted his 100th blog featuring recipes and cooking videos.  He also has over 500 hits on his YouTube page.

Chef Hobbes started his blog and Facebook posts in late October to help teach parents the importance of cooking real, seasonal, whole foods for their families, instead of processed foods from boxes, cans and jars.  He focuses on showing folks how easy and quick it is to cook restaurant-quality food, and he’s so committed that he offers free consultation via email and phone.

Chef Hobbes uses many ingredients from his own garden and hen house for his recipes, as well as from the local farmers’ market and San Juan Island Co-op.  Sample recipes include: Breakfast Hole in the Wall; Best Roasted Chicken Ever; Pan-Sauteed Steelhead with Roasted Cauliflower, Rice & White Wine Sauce; Flat Iron Steak with a Green Peppercorn Cream Sauce; and Grilled Salmon with a Seasonal Pomegranate Sauce.

“America and England are two of the most unhealthy countries in the world, with an over abundance of obesity, diabetes and heart disease,” said Chef Hobbes.  “This is the price we pay for eating cheap, easy-to-prepare, processed foods.  It’s time to go back to eating real food.  It’s time to get back in the kitchen to cook healthy, easy, quick meals made from fresh, local ingredients from our own self-sufficient gardens, our local farmers, or the organic section in Marketplace.”

“Jamie Oliver, a world-renowned chef and author in the U.K., is my favorite cookbook author.  When I read his quote in ‘Jamie’s Italy’ that his kids’ generation is the first to be expected to die before their parents due to processed food, excessive use of chemicals in farming, and factory-farmed animals that are pumped full of antibiotics and steroids, and then watched two seasons of his “Food Revolution” show on TV, I decided I had to jump into action here on San Juan Island.”

Been missing our friend Camilla’s smiling face at the library these past weeks – here’s a little reminder of the smiles she brought to so many. Her potluck memorial is on the 19th – here’s more from her daughter Michelle Herko and her family:

Camilla

Camilla Woodbury (1943-2012)

Our beloved mother and grandmother Camilla Woodbury of Friday Harbor Washington passed away on January 25 after a short but brave battle with lung cancer.  She was born in Tecumseh Michigan to Lyle and Dorothy Grigg.  She graduated from Tecumseh High School in 1961 and Eastern Michigan University in 1966.

Camilla was a strong and feisty woman, a true pioneer with a good heart.  She was the only girl “paperboy” in Tecumseh and the only woman in her college calculus class.  She drove a truck and trailer, 86,000 lbs. for Borden Chemical Company, working twelve to sixteen hour days, for twenty-four years!

She performed this grueling job as a single mother, putting her two children through college.  When Borden closed she moved to Friday Harbor to be near her daughter’s family.  In semi retirement, she drove a dump truck for Island Concrete and Black Family Enterprises.

Camilla couldn’t sit still.  Since retiring she could be found working at the San Juan Island Library and on the Friends of the Library board.  She could also be found having lunch or puzzling at the senior center, playing cards or scrabble at Criminal Coffee, beading at the library or potlucking with PFLAG.

One of her greatest joys was her grandchildren and great grandchildren.   Every Saturday she could be found knitting on the sidelines of her grandsons’ baseball or soccer games.

She is survived by her children; Michelle Herko of Friday Harbor and Scott Woodbury of Portland, Oregon and her adopted daughter, Leslie O’Shaughnessy of Bellingham, Washington as well as grandchildren Kai and Nick Herko, Jackson and Berkeley Woodbury, Marcus and Jeremiah Asher, and great grandchildren Wyatt and Kaleb Asher.  She also leaves brothers Norm and Marvin Grigg and sister Judy McConnell in Michigan.

She will be dearly missed by her family, and many friends and admirers.

A potluck memorial will be held at the Mullis Senior Center Feb 19^th, 2012 at 3pm. 

In lieu of flowers please donate to the Friends of the Library in Camilla’s name.

Oriah

Lots of people share lots of ideas about the way love might happen, the way life might grow, and about what it takes to make things good in the world.

I’m pretty sure that for love to happen it needs a place (and places!) to grow, and I feel the journey to that is captured in this saying by Canadian writer Oriah Mountain Dreamer – see if you agree:

Take me to the places on the earth that teach you how to dance, the places where you can risk letting the world break your heart, and I will take you to the places where the earth beneath my feet and the stars overhead make my heart whole again and again.

It was great to see the candles Allison Dragon is making these days - she makes them at her place & sells them at Island Studios - they look & smell great!

Hope you’re thinking up things for your sweetie for Valentine’s Day & getting ready for the weekend…let’s look around a little:

Another way to show what is in your heart....

• Here’s the coolest deal ever: The Island Chordsmen Plus (San Juan Island’s Coed Barbershop Chorus) will come to your work or wherever you tell them to sing for your loved one on Valentine’s Day – so call now! They did over 40 “shows” last year, which includes giving a rose, and are scheduling for this Valentine’s Day, now.

Call 378-2724, and treat your someone special to a singing valentine.

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• The FHHS basketball guys had a great game last night, and I can’t help but think it’ll be a good bit of inspiration for our girls, as they get their playoff schedule underway tonight at Kings, in Shoreline.

Go Wolverines!

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• Linda Degnan-Cobos says this is a good weekend to check out your pruning plans:

Our Land & Sea chapter is hosting two pruning workshops with Keith Keyser this Saturday & Sunday, both at 10 am. Everyone who’s busy Saturday can come Sunday, or vice versa. They’re free, for pruning older fruit trees, and are at the Land & Sea Garden & Greenhouse across from the high school on Blair Ave and Second St. People can write slowfoodlandandsea (at) gmail.com or call me at 317-5890 if they’d like to go, or just show up…no tools are required.

Sorry for the short notice on this, Keith just noticed that the sap looks ready to start running a little early, so we’re just going for it this week.

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Purple power...there's a new Pelindaba store opening next month in LaConner....

• Nancy at the Pelindaba store downtown tells me the island’s lavender supplier is opening a new store in LaConner in March.

It’s just up the street from Doug Bison’s place there, which he says is going really well….

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Carolyn Haugen plays with the newest islander, her new dog Rowan....

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• It’s Happy Hour at the Bluff – here’s more from Friday Harbor House’s Wendy:

It’s Happy Hour all night long at The Bluff Restaurant • Bar • Terrace. Join us on a Tuesday or Wednesday for an evening of Happy Hour bites and beverages. We’ll also be featuring one chef’s choice entrée. If you’re looking for a multi-course dining experience or wish to indulge in one of Chef Kyle’s signature dishes, visit us Thursday – Monday and enjoy a meal off our new spring menu.

Dinner
Thursday through Monday | 4pm – 9pm

Happy Hour *New Extended Hours
Tuesday and Wednesday | 4pm-8pm
Thursday through Monday | 4pm – 6pm

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Middle school art teacher Leisha Holmes presents the winners from her class in the Soroptimists' "Live Your Dream" logo competition....that's her with Hayden Meyer (using text 'inventively'), Andy Stromberg (left) and Simon Vincent (not pictured) (best original), and Jesse Payne & Corbin Williams (best theme idea). Prize certificates were donated by Creative Passions & The Mystical Mermaid.

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The hospital just keeps moving along, getting closer & closer to being finished (the nice weather lately doesn't hurt for making progress!)...that's the construction site, last night at sunset....

Here’s more, in a report from Jenny Atkinson at The Whale Museum (and here’s a short review of what SONAR does to whales):

Beginning at approximately 4:30 a.m. PST on February 6, hydrophones operated by The Whale Museum and Beam Reach Marine Science & Sustainability School started detecting SONAR pings.

Hydrophones off the coastline of Lime Kiln State Park, another node about 4 km north (OrcaSound), and one at the Port Townsend Marine Science Center all recorded SONAR pings. Most of the pings were detected at Lime Kiln and were loudest at that node. Recordings of the SONAR continued until approximately 5:10 a.m. PST.

The sounds from these hydrophones stream live via the internet on the public-accessible site www.orcasound.net.  Samples of the recorded sounds are archived there. A 41-minute recording of the event was also made by a regular public listener to the network, who also advised other network listeners via the network email of the SONAR pings.

Preliminary examination of the detected sounds shows that 13 SONAR pings were detected at Lime Kiln, as well as one each at OrcaSound and Port Townsend. This would indicate that the source was closest to Lime Kiln, and likely to the south of Lime Kiln. Examination of the 41-minute recording shows a total of 82 pings occurring roughly every 30 seconds.

The peak power was centered at 7 kHz suggesting it was mid-frequency SONAR. Analyses are ongoing to determine the amplitude of the recorded pings. The Automatic Identification System (AIS) used by marine traffic to broadcast locations of vessels indicated the Canadian Navy frigate HMCS Ottawa was operating in the south end of Haro Strait during this time. It is not known whether other naval vessels were operating in the area without an AIS broadcast.

Examination of the data is ongoing, but results are being posted as they become available to http://www.orcasound.net/wp/2012/02/06/canadian-sonar-in-us-critical-habitat/.

This is the third time naval sonar has been recorded on our hydrophones in Haro Straight. The first was on May 5, 2003 when the USS Shoup, a guided missile destroyer, transited the waters of Haro Strait and activated its sonar while Southern Resident killer whales were in the vicinity.

The second SONAR occurrence took place on April 7, 2009 when the USS San Francisco, a nuclear submarine tested its refurbished sonar in the eastern end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The endangered Southern Resident killer whales were not present at that time. It appears that Southern Resident killer whales were not present during this latest incident either, but it is possible that other species of marine mammals were present in Haro Strait during this time.

The Whale Museum has not received reports of stranded or injured marine animals.  If you see an injured or stranded marine mammal, please contact the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network (800-562-8832).

Receiving recognition last Saturday: (from left) Michael Hartzell, Harry See, Ian Paterson, Jeremiah Lord, Lunnette Higdon-Hertel, Jerry Henderson, and Rebecca and Francis Smith.

Here’s the report, from the Fire Department (thanks for being there, you guys!):

Firefighters Honored for Service in 2011

Jerry Henderson and Robert Pauls received San Juan Island Fire Department’s highest awards Saturday night when the department celebrated the 2011 contributions of its members at the University of Washington dining hall.

The firefighters and support members were honored for their dedicated service in 2011 at the annual awards banquet, which was attended by about 85 people including guests.

Entertainment was provided by Jim Moe as Frank Sinatra with the theme “Honeymoon in Las Vegas.”

San Juan County officially recognized San Juan County Fire District #3 as a fire district on October 6, 1958. The fire district covers about 55 square miles, which includes all of San Juan Island, as well as Brown and Pearl islands.

The following firefighters were honored with special awards for their service in 2011:
Firefighter of the Year – Robert Pauls  
Officer of the Year – Jerry Henderson
Rookie of the Year – Ian Paterson
Support Volunteer of the Year – Karen Marler
The following firefighter station awards were given:
Station 30 (Downtown) – Jenny Benedict
Station 31(Mullis St.) – Matthew Dobbs
Station 32 (Cape San Juan) – Dan Tracy
Station 33 (Little Mountain) – Harry See
Station 34 (Sunset Point) – Michael Hartzell
Station 35 (Roche Harbor) – Robert Pauls
Station 36 (Eagle Crest) – Jeremiah Lord
Plaques were given to retiring firefighters Rick Prescott (1988-2011), Lunnette Higdon-Hertel (1989-2011), Francis Smith (1995-2011) and Rebecca Smith (1995-2011).
Chris Wisniewski was recognized for 15 years of service; Joe Cooper, Mark Tompkins and Dan Tracy were recognized for 10 years of service; and Ken Clark was recognized for five years of service.

The San Juan Island Fire Department would like to thank the Orcas Fire Department for providing a crew of five firefighters to cover an initial response in case of a call during our banquet.

FHHS coach Rod Turnbull and the Wolverines kept the intensity up in the critical fourth quarter last night, as Friday Harbor defeated Nooksack Valley 64-51 to advance in the playoffs.

It was what you wanted to see – Friday Harbor put together the whole package last night in defeating Nooksack Valley 64-51 before an overflow crowd at FHHS. The win sends the Wolverines on to this weekend’s Tri-District tourney.

The Wolverines started out hot, ending the first quarter with 21 points and carrying a 33-25 edge into halftime. The Pioneers clawed back to pull within three at 44-41 late in the third, but the Wolverines cranked it up in the last quarter to lead by as much as 15 before winning by 13.

The guys were running the ball well, putting pressure on NV throughout the game at both ends of the court, and hit the offensive boards well. We played Nooksack to a one-point decision earlier in the season – they’re a good squad – and there was a lot to like about what the Wolverines showed last night as they head into the thick of the playoffs which determines who goes to state. These guys are going places.

FHHS was led by Otis Cooper-West’s 18 and Collin Williamson’s 12 in a balanced scoring attack by seven players.