Gooey-what?
They’re spelled geoducks but pronounced “gooey-ducks” and they look like razor clams on steroids. They make their home in Puget Sound (and that’s pronounced “pew-jet”) and are edible just like their bivalve cousins. Seattle sits on the edge of the Sound and offers some of the most diverse wildlife around. Come to MLA ’17 and take advantage of all we have to offer!
Did you know that Puget Sound is the country’s second largest estuary? Its glacier-carved channels and branches are fed by freshwater from over 10,000 rivers and streams. Seattle sits on the edge of “the Sound” and offers a variety of opportunities to get up close and personal with the wildlife.
A great place to start is the Seattle Aquarium, where you can watch Harbor Seals and Sea Otters frolic, handle a Sea Cucumber and observe the Giant Pacific Octopus. Get to know more about northwest marine life and this treasured habitat.
Interested in all that great Pacific Salmon? Head on over to the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (locally known as the Ballard Locks) and view local salmon as they swim up the fish ladder. Or, just watch the variety of boats passing through the Locks. It’s all fascinating!
If you’re into something bigger and have a little more time, how about taking a whale watching tour? Board a Clipper Vacations ship in Seattle and cruise up to the San Juan Islands. Along the way you’ll see humpbacks and orcas, porpoises, seals and bald eagles. Whale sightings are guaranteed!
Submitted by Andrea Ball, MLA '17 Local Arrangements Committee
