TIPSU HAWS

I went to bed at 2:30am. My alarm went off at 5:50am. Only awake this early for one thing: Kenton Street Fair!

Come hang out with me! I’m running on adderall, spite, and coffee - this is a guaranteed to be a good time. 😆

✨I might even share Canoe Journey stories if you bring me gluten-free treats and tea lattes✨

Each night, a puller that doesn’t have a paddle of their own, chooses a paddle and keeps it close. When we landed at Suquamish, this paddle was in my hands and I passed Her to the helpers on the shore. When we walked onto the beach I caught sight of one of my most favorite people, Channa, and gravitated in her direction. Channa saw the paddle being carried by a helper and noted the handle. She had found her long lost paddle that she had carved in 2018. That was when Tahlequah was grieving her calf. To honor Tahlequah, Channa carved the orca tail handle. Tears sprang into my eyes as I told Channa that I was deeply honored to have used her paddle. That’s when she told me that her paddle chose me. And that’s how I was gifted this paddle on our journey to Lower Elwha. We launched from Port Gamble this morning and are pulling to Port Townsend. I’m currently sitting in the sun on the deck of the Ice Bear, a beautiful 45’ sailboat while I wait for my turn to pull. Our Pullers are singing. The wind is carrying their good medicine across the water. And the water is carrying canoes of strong-hearted Indigenous people, just like it has done since time immemorial.