We’re all pleased with our new bridge at Stockade Bay….oops, I meant Buck Bay. (Stockade Bay, as many will know, was the ‘original’ name for this idyllic little wonder near Olga that Cascade Creek empties into.)

In any case, it’s certainly a nice bridge, and quite an improvement over the previous roadway. Kudos to the county road department, and certainly to Razz Construction, which did such a fine job! While I will miss the thrill of coming around the tight corner at the Bay and discovering flaggers waving STOP signs, I think the bridge is just fine.

I do have one small question, however: since salmon recovery funds in the amount of $472,000 (according to the posted sign at the bridge) were expended on the bridge, what is the purpose of the giant, honking tree stump with attached root system left smack in the middle of the creek?

Is this some sort of obstacle course for the salmon to run, allowing perhaps only the strongest and most agile to make their way around this huge stump? Did the salmon recovery folks have it put there to keep the salmon from intruding further up the creek? It seems a real puzzle, to have this thing left in place, essentially blocking the creek. Were all of the salmon recovery funds expended on the bridge work, or did some perhaps go towards purchasing tiny little axes and saws so the salmon could hack their way upstream?

More than a few of us who live in the area, or pass by frequently, seem to have the same question on our minds. Can anyone clear the air – or the creek, for that matter – and explain the purpose of the stump being left in the creek?

Tom Welch

Olga, Orcas island