Anderson Island

26 October 2013

The Anderson Island Historical Society invited Barbara Reid to give a presentation at their monthly pot luck dinner and talk. Dave Jacobsen, President and numerous members made certain flyers were sent out to island residents/clubs, all the AV setup worked, the food was delicious and there was a big turnout for a small island.  They were interested in hearing my personal replication of Puget's route into the southern waters in May of 1792.

Anderson Island Community Center

Special Guests were Deb Wallace and her husband, John. Deb is the Administrator for Pierce County Ferries and Airports and is interested in our Puget Project. She had attended my talk to the Gig Harbor Rotary. Her department is working on having historians speak about the local area on special Ferry Routes that are being created in the south sound.. I am looking forward to meeting with Deb for future collaboration.

I continue to be so impressed with the Anderson Island community and what they are doing for their island.
Their own project with creating Jacob's Park is continuing to develop and a composting toilet has been placed, a walkway down to the beach is being constructed, giving kayakers access to the point, park and facilities.

For me personally, this was my best talk of the year. I continue to be at more ease with my audience, I am having more fun, and am learning more about how interested people are in this topic. I feel I am making a big soup for Puget Sound and as time passes, the soup is simmering more and more and getting better and better. There are more friends to meet, more talks to give, more ideas to sort through and more fun to be had.
PS... Yes, I wore my Puget outfit, but I am back in my winter uniform as fall in in the air and the leaves are turning red/gold and the pumpkins are ripe for Halloween.

Kopachuck and Cutts Island State Park Re-Visited

9 October 2013
I met again with Park Ranger Dennis Mills at Kopachuck to review possible sites for future signage for the Puget Memorial Project. Dennis drove me down on the park road to view several sites. The last two seemed the best and the last one was my favorite, as it has a clear view of Cutts Island and is near the waters edge at high tide.

Ranger Mills pointing to Cutts Island

He brought me up to date with next years signage for Cutts Island.  They are adding another post to the existing signage post. They will be 5 feet apart and will house a  metal  Cutts Island Sign, a Wa State Park sign and  smaller signs for no fires,etc. There would be room to put an 18x24 inch sign for Puget. Having a metal sign might work for Cutts.

Current sign post

This would be removed

not all signs will be 18x24
This is not the parks' plan, but my drawing for me to think about.

This certainly got me thinking that a cheaper, smaller Cutts Island sign might be a possibility. Even adding one on Kopachuck would work. Dennis showed me current Kopachuck signs that are 18x24 inches:

The green sign is 18x24 in.

This is 18x24 in

I departed with a fresher sense of new possibilities. This might be a more practical approach and one in which we could dove-tail with the park on something that could happen faster than at Blake Island. I also like that Kopachuck has a virtual Geo-Cache program for the park and perhaps this could be incorporated into our signage, as well. Thank you, Dennis for your time, thoughts, vision and your support for the Puget Memorial Project.

Anderson Island and Richard Blumenthal

28 September 2013

Days of relentless storms marched across the southern waters of Puget Sound. I sat in my car waiting for the Anderson Island Ferry to load. As I looked out through the torrents of rain and pea soup fog I could not see beyond the Ferry Terminal at Steilacoom, WA. Hidden from my eyes was my destination for the afternoon, Anderson Island. Nothing was going to stop this ferry ride for me. I was about to meet Richard Blumenthal, my mentor, the man who infused my spirit to follow my dream of replicating Lt. Peter Puget's Exploration of the Southern Arm of these waters we know as Puget Sound. He was speaking to the Anderson Island Historical Society and Dave Jacobsen, President had invited me. Dave is also on the Anderson Island Parks Commission. Our journey together began in May 2013, when he invited me to see the new beginning of Jacob's Point Park which overlooks Oro Bay. Oro Bay is where Puget and his party took refuge from a storm on 22 May, 1792. A storm similar to my storm today.

My journey with Richard(Dick) began in February 2012, when learning that all the authors of my reference books were deceased, I took a chance and called a number and a live person responded, and yes, he was the author of my favorite reference book, With Vancouver in Inland Washington Waters. We spoke for an exciting hour. I had a million questions and he had a million answers. He confirmed that Puget took Blake Island to port, but the starting point(anchorage) was illusive, but somewhere between Blake Island and Restoration Point on Bainbridge Island. He had replicated the route in his own boat.

Since that time I have emailed him on a regular basis, but I had never received any replies. He is a busy author and compiling another book, Maritime Place Names- Inland Washington Waters. Today, I would meet him and hear him speak on his newly published book.

Left-Dave Jacobsen; Right- Richard Blumenthal

The islanders put on a wonderful pot luck dinner and Dick spoke for an hour on the various Anderson Island names and Puget's route into Oro Bay. I discovered my email address was incorrect, and he never received my emails.  He is such a knowledgeable and fun man to speak with. Our circle of friends is growing and more and more people are getting excited about Blumenthal's books, Jacob's Point and the Puget Memorial Project, which now includes Anderson Island residents.

Andreas Anderson, Dave and myself
enjoy the friendly islander hospitality

Dave told me he is traveling this week to the Big Island of Hawaii and will be replicating Archibal Menzies' route to ascend the slopes to the summit of Mauna Loa. Oh my gosh! This will be exciting to hear about.

Please go to this link to see all the books Richard Blumenthal has written. Inland Waters Publishing, buy some for Christmas presents, birthdays or whatever. This was wonderful to be on Anderson Island again, and absolutely fabulous to meet Richard Blumenthal and to hear him speak about Puget Sound. A love we all have in common. My circle of friends has just gotten more spectacular. Thank you Dick, Dave, and the Members of the Anderson Island Historical Society.