MSEE- Adventures in the Pacific Northwest: We Made it--- Day 1

We Made it!!! After a very long day of traveling we finally arrived in Seattle. Most of us left in the wee hours of the morning (Emilee at 1:30am!!!) which made for an interesting day. By the time we landed in Seattle we were starving as it was 3pm our time. We jumped on the light rail and journeyed into the city to the ferry station. Fortunately, Dottie told us about a great restaurant by the ferry where we enjoyed seafood and clam chowder (thanks, Dottie!).

Bellies full, we jumped on the ferry to Bainbridge Island. Brad, our fearless professor, had friends that lived on the island and worked at an amazing environmental center that we had come to check out. Brad's friends, John and Kathy, were nice enough to pick us up from the ferry and generously offered their home as a place for us to stay. We even got a home cooked meal, the last we will have for a while.

Day one is over. We are happy, excited and ready for an adventure!

Our leaders, Brad Daniel and Charlie Wilson

John, Brad and Kathy.

Islandwood, an environmental education center developed by Paul and Debbie Brainard. Paul Brainard is the creator of desktop publishing. They designated their wealth to environmental education, targeting students that otherwise couldn't participate in these experiences.

John, Director of Education at Islandwood, gave us a personal tour around the facilities. Our jaws dropped as we walked around the campus. It was state of the art in every way possible. From composting toilets to a floating classroom, it was amazing. The designers asked children what they would like to see in the center and they incorporated the student's desires.

Our first wildlife spotting, a mother mule deer and her faun.

A suspended bridge allowed children to experience the mid-canopy of the forest. They are asked to lie down and stare into the sky or down below to the forest floor. What an experience!

Children asked for a floating classroom. It was on a system of cables that allowed them to pull themselves to the middle of the pond. There were grates in the bottom of the "boat" that could be lifted out in order to conduct studies and take water samples.

The center treated their own waste water with the room they called the "Living Machine"

Of course, the center had an amazing garden. Everything in the garden was edible. John compared it to a natural "Willy Wonka's factory". Children could run around and eat whatever they desired. Brad and Carlisle stood next to the cob oven utilized in the garden.