Shell Middens

As you travel along the scenic coasts of Vashon taking in the beauty of the tall pines and rocky beaches, you may have notice strange areas full of white shells. Well, these phenomenon are not natural. In fact, they are quite the opposite. They are actually referred to as Shell Middens. A Midden is a fancy name for an old dump. For the Native American tribes that lived on Vashon some 200 years ago, these were places to drop shells, human waste, animal bones, and other unused materials. Shell Middens are crucial to understanding the diets and lifestyles of early Americans. Unfortunately, Middens are becoming less and less common due to the erosion of the land that they are on. Thus, archaeologists are eager to find out all that they can from these Middens on Vashon and throughout the Puget Sound before they completely disappear. So, as you paddle around be sure to look out for these strips of shells and imagine what life may have been like when they were being created. 

     For a detailed look at the middens on Vashon you can turn to Laura S. Phillips & Julie K. Stein’s 2003 book Vashon ISland Archaeology: A View from Burton Acres Shell Midden (Burke’s Museum of Natural History and Culture Report, No. 8). Which can be found at your local King County Library.

Dockton Docks

One of our favorite spots on the Island, Dockton Park offers an amazing place to have a picnic with the family or get your toes wet in Quartermaster Harbor. However, did you know that it used to be far less peaceful than it is now? Just down the way from where the dock is now, Quartermaster Harbor was home to one of the largest dry docks in all of the Puget Sound. The dry dock was 325 feet by 102 feet and was able to carry and hold multiple large ships at once. Though built and housed in the harbor since 1892, it eventually was moved to Seattle in 1909.

     At the same time, the Martinolich Shipping Company was building boats in Dockton. Their company started operations in Dockton in 1905m, and they were one of the largest employers for Island men at the time. They built and launched many ships successfully, but one of the most famous stories on Vashon was of one of their failed launches. After construction, they launched a boat by the name of Florence J. Almost immediately the ship tipped over and sank into the water. Though the boat was recovered, the story still lives on. The company eventually ceased operations in Dockton in 1929, but they continued making boats elsewhere until 1974. 

List of boats made by the Martinolich Shipbuilding Company: 

• http://shipbuildinghistory.com/shipyards/small/martinolich.htm

One of Vashon’s Mascots

The seal density in south Puget Sound is among the highest in the world, and they are the most commonly seen marine mammal in the region. They are present year-round and most travel less than 60 miles from their birth site in their lifetime; Therefore, the seals surrounding Vashon Island are genetically distinct from those located in the northern Puget Sound and Hood Canal. They have excellent eyesight in and out of the water and their whiskers are capable of feeling vibrations in water movement to detect both predators and prey. Local seals can dive to a depth of more than 300 feet but typical dives are less than 150 feet, lasting between 4 and 6 minutes. Most hunting will occur within a few miles of their haul out site where we see them out of water. Locally pupping occurs between late June and September making for good pup watching through the summer paddling season.  

Learn more at: https://www.sealsitters.org/marine_mammals/harbor_seals.html