To the editor:

All my life has been around water. Puget Sound. The Pacific Ocean. Lake Washington.

I’ve had two small power boats, and belonged to a sailing club. Even a little Costco four-man plastic raft (which really won’t fit four men is exciting to me. If I can’t see water, I’m not at home, if I can’t smell the tides, I’m not at home. Many of you are just like me, it’s why you choose an island as your home, or why you visit Whidbey.

All of my life I’ve been in and on top of the cold waters of Puget Sound. As kids we spent hours at the beach. Swimming, playing, trying to climb the sand cliffs at Double Bluffs. Cold? No way! Those blue legs and blue lips meant nothing!

In high school we lived above the Port of Ilwaco in Southwest Washington. My brothers were charter boat skippers, and we went salmon fishing every chance we could get. Who cared if we actually caught anything? It was just fun to be out in the open water. Crossing the bar was sometimes pretty hairy, but that was rare.

We walked the beaches, we helped save a whale that stranded ashore. We cleaned gulls and birds that became soaked in oil during the ‘70s. We do that too, here on Whidbey, but there doesn’t seem to be the same focus of our marine world in our schools, and that needs to change.

I am writing this to get all of you thinking about getting on the water, perhaps even getting in the water and enjoying our beautiful Pacific Northwest. From boating, to fishing or crabbing, sight-seeing, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving or learning about marine biology, we need a marina that can handle all of these things. Most people are talking about the economic benefits a bigger/better marina will bring to Langley. I totally agree that the economic benefits will be great, but in my view, a marina is just as important for those of us who crave that individual contact with the water.

I want to see our kids enjoy the waters of Puget Sound, even more than they do today. We need to generate their interest in our marine waters. The University of Washington’s renowned oceanography program is a resource that our school districts can tap. Introduction to the ocean and all it has to offer from marine biology to fisheries and much more should be offered right here on Whidbey. A modern, saltwater friendly lab in Langley could be a hands-on experience for all of our Whidbey youngsters (and oldsters!).

Many of us want Langley to have a great marina. We’re long past due. Today’s marina is old, decrepit, and isn’t meeting our community needs. We have a maritime history, yet we don’t embrace our waters nearly enough.

It’s more than just access for boating. A good marina also means we will have dive experiences for adults, and kids. Combined with visting yachts and sailboats, we should have fishing and tour trips as well as marine research opportunities.

Do you realize we do not have an official fisheries program at any of our high schools? That dismays me, intensely. We have some marine biology courses, but no real program focus for kids who want to be on the waters of Puget Sound, to study the life and the sea. Why not? Budget is one reason, but also perhaps the demand hasn’t been there due to lack of access?

Will a new marina get us there? Certainly more likely than continuing on with a decaying marina that no one wants to go to.

Leanne Finlay

Langley