8 // COASTWEEKEND.COM
Who were the
first Americans?
ASTORIA — The Maritime Archaeolog-
ical Society will hold its annual mem-
bership meeting at the Barbey Maritime
Center 9 a.m. Saturday and Sunday,
Feb. 10 and 11. The Center is part of
the Columbia River Maritime Museum in
Astoria.
The meeting begins with presentations
covering the work the Society has con-
ducted over the past year. This includes
an update on last
summer’s search for
the Beeswax Wreck,
the Shipwreck Sur-
vey Project and the
Big Anchor Project.
The talks and
keynote address will
last until noon and
are free to the public.
COURTESY MARITIME Refreshments will be
ARCHAEOLOGICAL provided.
SOCIETY
This year’s key-
Dr. Loren G. Davis note speaker is Loren
G. Davis, professor
of anthropology at Oregon State Univer-
sity. In his talk, “The Ongoing Search for
the First Americans: Perspectives from
Western North America,” Davis will dis-
cuss ongoing and future research efforts
to discover and study first Americans
sites in Oregon’s offshore waters and in
the Baja California peninsula.
Evidence indicates that humans were
present in the Americas by at least 14,500
years ago and most likely migrated from
northeast Asia during the last glacial peri-
od. The timing and route of entry into the
Americas is not clearly understood. How-
ever, efforts to discover, excavate and
interpret early archaeological evidence
of the first Americans continue to reveal
important information about this exciting
chapter of human history.
After the meeting, members will enjoy
a special tour of the Lightship Columbia,
a National Historic Landmark at the Co-
lumbia River Maritime Museum. Sunday,
Feb. 11, will be dedicated to member
training courses. Basic training will begin
with an intro to maritime archaeology,
including laws and regulations, and will
be followed by more advanced hands-on
volunteer survey training in the after-
noon.
The tour and training sessions are
free for MAS members. For more infor-
mation, visit maritimearchaeological.org
or email info@maritimearchaeological.
org.
COURTESY NORTH COAST LAND CONSERVANCY
Melissa Reich could use some help in the tool shed at North Coast Land Conservancy’s Circle Creek Conservation Center.
Give land conservancy’s tool collection some love
SEASIDE — Volunteers are invited to join
the North Coast Land Conservancy staff for
an indoor stewardship day 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 14, to give the organization’s
tool collection some TLC.
The little shed at Circle Creek Conservation
Center in Seaside is full of tools the staff and
volunteers use all year long, as well as tools
leftover from the property’s farming days that
haven’t been touched for a decade or more.
Staff could use help sorting and identifying
the tools in the shed so they know which ones
to keep, which need repair and which aren’t
needed at all. Some tools such as hazel hoes,
Pulaskis and loppers need to be sharpened and
oiled. Others need minor repairs.
Volunteers familiar with farm equipment
and power tools are especially welcome to help
staff understand what they have and potentially
help with minor repairs. Unskilled volunteers
can help by sorting, organizing, cleaning and
sharpening.
Email Stewardship Director Melissa Reich
at melissar@nclctrust.org with questions or
to let her know you’re coming. Circle Creek
Conservation Center is located at the end of
Rippet Road in Seaside. Look for the Rippet
Road sign on the west side of U.S. Highway
101, 0.7 miles north of the junction with U.S.
Route 26. Follow the road west and north
a short distance, passing a gravel quarry on
your left, to where the road ends between two
barns.
Learn of waves, tides, currents at Salty Talk
ILWACO, WASH. — What’s the difference
between sneaker waves, rogue waves, long-
shore drifts and rip currents?
Come find out at a Salty Talk presenta-
tion with Aaron Webster, interpretation spe-
cialist with Washington State Parks, whose
lecture, “Waves, Tides, and Currents,”
explores the distinct river and ocean mar-
itime systems that make this area unique.
The event will be held 6:30 p.m. Thursday,
Feb. 15.
Webster is recognized throughout the
Pacific Northwest for his interpretive
programs. His presentations foster a better
understanding of the natural forces at work
on the coast.
Salty Talk presentations are held upstairs
in the Salt Hotel & Pub (147 Howerton
Ave.) on the Ilwaco waterfront.
The event is free to the public Come
early or stay late if you want grab dinner or
a beverage. Seating is limited; there are no
reservations.
Salty Talks represent a partnership among
the Salt Pub & Hotel, Columbia Pacific Her-
itage Museum and Washington State Parks
and Recreation Commission, with support
from Friends of Columbia River Gateway.
COURTESY COLUMBIA PACIFIC HERITAGE MUSEUM
Aaron Webster, interpretation specialist with
Washington State Parks