While volunteer surveyors have been faithfully counting returning Hood Canal summer chum in Chimacum Creek, coho salmon have started their journey from the ocean to their natal spawning grounds. Survey teams already have begun to report shadowy bullets darting between the staunch, oscillating chum. These coho salmon soon will push their way into the highest reaches of the watershed, pausing along the way in deep pools where they will await the coming rains of winter. All of this can only mean one thing: its Spawner Survey training time at North Olympic Salmon Coalition.

The group will have its annual Coho Spawner Survey Training from 10 a.m.-noon Friday, Oct. 31. This year the training will be located in the Madrona room at the WSU Extension Office, which is now in the Cupola House at Point Hudson in Port Townsend.

No experience is necessary to join the survey team. Soon after the training — usually around the middle of November — volunteer teams will start surveying the upper stretches of Chimacum Creek from HJ Carroll Park to Eaglemount. This is a one-day-per-week commitment, with each survey taking an average of 2-4 hours to complete. If you’re interested in joining the survey team, RSVP to Kendra at outreach@nosc.org or 379-8051.