In this Issue: 2026 Events! , Welcome Center & Theatre renovation updates, and much more!
Renewal at Fort Flagler A Note from the Editor, Lee-Alison Sibley
It is that time of the year when we can walk in the woods and appreciate that the trees, shrubs, and plants go to sleep for a deserved rest.This gives us a unique opportunity to feel the quiet, to listen to the wind in the branches and to thank Mother Nature for her exquisite bounty at Fort Flagler State Park.The air is crisp as we walk to the shoreline on the lower campground and enjoy a seal poking its head up in the water.On the bluff trail we sense the history of all that came before us and we silently thank them.We are the Evergreen State, Washington, and even in the winter we see the Emerald Forest when we hike or bike these woods.Keep exploring and enjoying all we have to offer here.It is a wonderland that never disappoints.Happy Winter!
New Welcome Center Road Alteration Underway
Mark Secord
The welcome center building is nearly complete but a fix to the exit road on the center’s West side will take some time.Many have noted that the road on which all vehicles will exit the park is inadequate, especially for large RV’s and trailers.Belatedly, State Parks engineers have ordered removal of the last section of retaining wall to the North, and addition of a concrete addition to the roadway of about three feet along a good portion of the road.The photo to the left shows this widening effort underway.
An opening date for the new welcome center has not been identified, but it will certainly be in plenty of time for the busy summer season.Park visitors will be better served, with much longer hours of operation and availability of information on what’s available at Fort Flagler.
Theater Grand Opening—Call for Event Volunteers!
Claire Jackson
Acoustic panels team
Al and Bill hanging our awesome stage lighting
Mark your calendars for our Grand Opening on Sunday, March 29!
At last, after countless volunteer and contractor hours spent restoring the interior of the WWII theater, the dust has (almost) settled. We’ve refurbished the floors and painted the walls; hung new glass fixtures from the ceiling, lit by updated wiring. A top-of-the-line audiovisual system fills the room with sound and light, acoustic panels now ring the room, and the red velvet curtains will soon be hung on the stage.
Right: John fabricates a stone countertop
Soon we’ll be planning future FoFF events at our Theater at the Fort. We listened to your favorite memories during this year’s member meeting—about dances, musical performances, pirate chants and Halloween parties—and we’ve come up with other ideas, too, like a nationally-recognized speaker presentation, a classic movie festival during the dark months, revival of the Celtic Cajun day, and more. One of our FoFF Board Members was even married at the theater!
Do you have ideas? Special skills? Feel like running a popcorn machine or the AV system? We’re forming a Theater Events Committee and would love to have you join. Please reach out to Claire Jackson and Deisy Bach at theater@friendsoffortflagler.com.
Stefanie enjoying some stair scraping
Mark and Greg ready for the next acoustic panel
Programs News
Deisy Bach
Get Ready for an Exciting Year of Natural History at Fort Flagler!
Friends of Fort Flagler is excited to share an early preview of our 2026 Natural History Events—and we’re confident this will be one of our best years yet! Members enjoy free access to these programs. To participate, please log in to our new system at https://friendsoffortflagler.app.neoncrm.com/forms/createaccount.
Enter your email to get started. If you’re already a member, you’ll be prompted to log in. If not, you’ll be guided to create an account. The system will clearly indicate your membership status. Not a member yet? Joining is easy, with annual memberships starting at just $20.
Jan 21, 2026 Salish Elephant Seal Sighting: Coastal Stories & Conservation
We’re incredibly fortunate to welcome back several of our most popular returning speakers, whose programs continue to inspire curiosity and spark conversations long after the events end. At the same time, we’re delighted to introduce a number of new presenters who bring fresh perspectives and stories about the wildlife, ecosystems, and hidden history of our treasured park.
Whether you enjoy relaxing virtual programs from home, prefer the atmosphere of in-person presentations at our historic WWII Hospital, or love getting outdoors for guided walks along our beaches, forests, and bluffs—there will be something for everyone in 2026.
Salish Sea Elephant Seal Sightings: Coastal Stories & Conservation
iNaturalist: The Power of Community Science
Discover the World of River Otters
Composting
Native Bee Habitat Talk and Walk
River Otter Walk
Pigeon Guillemot Talk and Walk
Geology Walk
Biggs Orcas
Remember, only members can attend for free.Starting n 2026, Non-members will be charged a nominal fee of $5.00. This is only a partial list—just enough to whet your appetite. Our full 2026 calendar will be announced soon, and we can’t wait to share everything we have planned.
Thank you for being part of our vibrant Fort Flagler community. We can’t wait to see you in 2026!
A Pasta-tively Perfect Day for Two Little Seals
By Rachel S. Imper
What a delightful day at Fort Flagler! On November 15, a group of us, including several members of the Friends of Fort Flagler, were privileged to witness the release of two young harbor seals into Port Townsend Bay by SR3 (Sealife Response+Rehabilitation+Research). SR3 had rehabilitated the two; one that had become separated from its mother, and the other that was found badly injured. Each year, SR3 chooses a different category to name their patients. This year, it was pasta. So the two were dubbed Angel Hair and Lo Shi Fun.
As their crates were opened, the young harbor seals edged down into the water. They swam together for several minutes, looking up, apparently puzzled at the small crowd on shore. To keep the pinnipeds from becoming used to people, staff at SR3 don’t even speak around them, so no wonder they were slightly bewildered!
Seal pup chums: Angel Hair and Loh Shi Fun!
Are you interested in participating in exciting programs like this? Perhaps you'd like to present a future program—or if you’d like to suggest a presenter, please email us atprograms@friendsoffortflagler.org
Seals continued... Everyone had smiles on their faces as Angel Hair and Lo Shi Fun returned to their home waters, eventually swimming off and diving away.For those involved in the Friends of Fort Flagler Docent Program, seeing those seals get a second chance at life was especially heartwarming. After all, docents try to protect wildlife by educating summer visitors to the park about the need to avoid Rat Island when seals are pupping and seabirds nesting.
SR3 rescues and rehabilitates marine mammals and sea turtles and runs the only marine mammal hospital north of California. But it also performs scientific studies. One part of its research is to give rescued harbor seals numbers as well as names, so that they can be tracked. They have numbered tags both on their heads and on their flippers. The head tags disappear with the seal’s first molt, but the flipper tags remain. (If you see a marine mammal with a tag, and you can take a photo, please send it to SR3, even if you can’t read the number. They often can identify the animal from its markings. Staff and volunteers are always excited to find out that one of their rescues is alive and thriving.)
As rewarding as it is to be part of a seal release, it’s important to note that SR3’s scientific research benefits all of us who live near the Salish Sea. Their data helps to evaluate the health of our waters and all the sea life that lives there. Whether you like fishing, crabbing, clamming, or just eating seafood or walking the shores of our beaches, that knowledge is vital. So thank you, SR3, for all you do. And pasta la vista, Angel Hair and Loh Shi Fun!
Note: With serious funding cutbacks, donations to SR3 are even more important now. Go to www.sealifer3.org to learn more and to donate.
Know Your Park Ranger: Karl Fisch
“There’s no place like home!”Ranger Karl Fisch spoke these words as he talked about growing up in Port Angeles, then working in parks all over Washington State, but spending the bulk of his career on the Olympic Peninsula.After thirty-three years with Washington Parks, Karl can definitely confirm that his career as a ranger was the right one for him.
Graduating from college at Western Bellingham University with a degree in geography, he explored many paths en route to becoming a ranger.Beginning as a seasonal ranger in 1990 in eastern Washington, Karl established himself with State Parks in that area before returning west.When asked which part of the state he preferred, he said that as he cris-crossed Washington in his career he found the east has a lot of beauty, but he missed the tree forests we enjoy here in western Washington.He did detour to Ocean City – Ocean Shores and enjoyed his time as a ranger on the Pacific coast. After that he was sent back east to Riverside in Spokane with its ponderosa pine forests, so that location satisfied his preference for an environment with trees.
Along the way, in Spokane, he met his future wife, and they married in 2002.Both found employment on the Olympic Peninsula, though not very close to each other -- Karl worked at Fort Worden and wife Ann was near Olympia as a mental health counselor.They commuted back and forth for a couple of years until eventually Ann began a private practice locally.They have one daughter who is currently in New York City at Barnard College.
Karl spoke enthusiastically about Fort Flagler, thewoods, trails, beaches, wildlife, and historical attributes of the park.And the views!With the Cascades and Olympic Mountains both in sight depending on where you’re standing in the park.He often stops on his way in to work in the morning to take sunrise pictures which never fail to enchant him, especially when the sun comes up in gorgeous colors over Mount Rainier.
As for his daily work, he is involved with hiring personnel, supervising seasonal aides, camp registrations, and interacting with camp hosts who stay as volunteers for a month or two to meet and greet campers and help to clean campsites.
Karl covers Mystery Bay and Anderson Lake Park along with Fort Flagler, checking park passes and educating folks about conditions and regulations.Talking to people and helping them is the favorite aspect of his job and he enjoys seeing park visitors enjoy the park as much as he does.We’re so glad he is part of the team. Thanks, Karl
We are deeply grateful to our amazing and dedicated volunteers. Their commitment helps keep Fort Flagler State Park clean, safe, and beautiful for visitors and wildlife alike. If you’d like to join future efforts, we’d love to have you! Cick below to tell us what you would be interested in helping with.
We have exciting volunteer opportunities for you to get involved with.
Board Member Make a difference—join our team and help preserve the beauty and legacy of our beloved state park. This position offers the opportunity to contribute skills, time, and ideas to help maintain and enBohance the visitor experience.
Docent Love spending time at the beach watching birds and seals? Become a Rat Island docent! Educate visitors about the nesting birds, including the endangered Caspian Terns, and harbor seal pups while helping protect this vital habitat.
Museum Volunteer Museum Volunteers work in the museum and gift shop, greeting visitors, providing park information, and sharing its history.
Natural History Administrator Support the Natural History Chair by coordinating with guest speakers. Help gather presentation descriptions and bios—all from the comfort of your home.
Event Volunteer Collaborate with the Natural History group to set up events throughout the year. This role is entirely remote and helps keep the community connected.
Adopt a Trail or Bunker If you frequently walk or hike at Fort Flagler, adopt your favorite trail or bunker! Help keep the area clean and report any major maintenance needs to the park ranger.
Trail Maintenance Join work parties to tackle projects like clearing winter debris, planting, removing invasive species, or spreading bark and rocks. Emails will be sent as projects arise—perfect for those who love hands-on work.
Your support of our State Park has never been so needed!
A donation of any size is greatly appreciated and is tax-deductible! Help us continue the great work we do at the park—from natural history events and habitat restoration, to maintaining trails, renovating buildings, putting on community events, and so much more.
