After pruning my fruit trees all afternoon, I was tired, but putting my tools away and raking up the cut branches, I thought I might go in search of a sunset. I knew just the place, Hammons Preserve. As I drove the length of Cultus Bay Road the radio announcer said that sunset would be at 4:17. A short trail for a short day, I thought. In December, we sometimes have dark days or wet days, which make short days even shorter. In mid-winter I crave the light and get outside to put my face in it whenever I can. I’d enjoyed working in my yard. Watching a sunset over the water would be like putting a cherry on top of a good day. I used to live on this corner where Cultus Bay Road makes a right turn and Possession Point Road goes straight. I rented a little cabin here and tried to get home every night in time for sunset. My landlord, artist Ed Nordin, painted sunsets over and over, capturing the dimpled water reflecting the light in every shade of the rainbow. I parked in the grassy lot and stepped out. All was quiet. Walking past the split rail fence and up the hill under a huge maple, I could hear its bare bones shivering in the breeze. When I reached the bench in the top corner I turned and sat down, happy to rest after hours of pruning. I rolled my shoulders and rocked my head to get the kinks out. Ahhh, time to relax. The day had been sunny but wet weather was coming. A cloudbank on the horizon had claimed the sun in this last hour of the day. There would be no spectacular sunset, but at the edge was a silver lining, the hint of a smile as the sun said goodnight. The view was fine. The marshy end of the bay is great habitat for waterfowl and shorebirds. Ducks flew overhead in a line. When the Hammon Family donated their farmstead to the land trust, Al Hammon's wish was to offer the place for folks to come and “rest their souls awhile.” At the end of this long year of struggle, many of us need such a place. After a while I rose from the bench and continued down the hill passing through the naked orchard in the soft light. Entering the forest in the back corner of the property, I found a couple of fir cones tucked into the nook of a tree. How sweet. Following the path and returning toward the field, I came upon a footbridge with poop on it. Yuck. My first thought was, "Someone is walking their dog here and not picking up after it, even though there was a pet waste bag dispenser at the start of the trail." But as I neared the poop, I leaned in. This wasn’t dog poop. Some of it looked like a twisted rope, coyote scat. And some looked like it might be otter. The two old sheds nearby would make a perfect home for an otter family. I picked up a stick and poked at the reddish brown poop. It fell apart easily to reveal different undigested morsels of cone, seeds and fruit pits. I often stop to examine wild animal scat. It reveals the diet of our fellow creatures. They’re good role models for us to eat local, organic and what’s in season. I passed by the old sheds and stood where the farmhouse used to be. There’s no trace of it now, but there was a photograph on the kiosk at the trailhead. I remember visiting Al Hammon when I lived nearby, and bringing him a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving. He lived alone and it seemed like a good idea. He was genuinely appreciative and very much surprised. I could feel his gentle spirit still in this place. Maribeth PS This trail is in the new 2021 Edition of Hiking Close to Home, available under the Books tab of this website. Happy Holidays! Directions: From Highway 525 at Ken's Korner (2.7 miles from the Clinton Ferry Terminal) turn south on Cultus Bay Road. Drive 5 miles and Hammons Preserve will be on your left.
This trail is short, grassy, on a gentle slope but not suitable for most mobility devices.
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Maribeth Crandell has been a hiking guide in the Pacific NW for over 20 years. She's lived on Whidbey and Fidalgo Island for decades. As a frequent bus rider she easily makes connections between trails and transit. Archives by date
April 2024
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