Eating salmon is supposed to be good for you, right? We thought so too. Way back in 2004, however, a study that focused on farm-raised salmon concluded that pollution levels found in these fish were alarmingly high. PCBs, dioxins and pesticide levels were at the high end of the scale and, along with the creepy practice of coloring the meat red in the effort to make the farmed fish look more like wild salmon, it was enough to make informed consumers boycott the "Frankenfish" altogether.

Turns out that the wild salmon caught in Puget Sound might not be any better. In a study done by David Carpenter, a research scientist at the University at Albany, the results conclude that the waters of Puget Sound harbor some of the most polluted salmon in the world. A legacy of point and non-point pollution sources have so damaged the marine environment that, in some cases, the wild fish were found to have higher levels of PCBs than those produced in fish farms.

There are plenty of online resources if you're looking for more information on the subject, and it's not being presented here to stir the pot among fishermen, nutritionists and politicians. What these findings have done for us here at Azimuth Expeditions is to inspire us to work toward a cleaner and less toxic marine environment. Throughout the coming months there will be opportunities for you to come along with us as we work to understand the threats that we face here in our home waters and do what we can to help remedy the situation. Call to find out how you can be a part of the solution.

Get into the club scene! (Kayak club, that is.) The Matelót are a group of sea kayak touring enthusiasts that meet the second Monday of each month at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma and have trips scheduled year-round. Membership won't hurt your wallet much and the friendships and paddling knowledge you'll gain by being a part of Tacoma's #1 kayak club are well worth the time and energy. For more information, check out groups.yahoo.com/group/matelot

For the past three years, the Field Reports page on the Azimuth Expeditions site has been a favorite web destination for thousands of visitors. Simple narratives on places we've gone and the paddling experiences that we've enjoyed have helped motivate more people to get out on the water in places they may have never been before. We plan to continue sharing our trips with you, but we'd also like to take it one step further. After your next day (week, month) on the water, take a few minutes to write up the who, what, where and when of your trip and send it in. Photos and accounts will be added to the Field Reports page as they come in, making this an even more valuable resource for us all. Although Azimuth Expeditions is located in the Pacific Northwest, trip descriptions can be from anywhere, so if you live in California or have just finished your first-ever Himalayan kayaking expedition, don't let geography limit your creativity. Please send all submissions to

There are 5 different colored kayaks in a row on the beach. (For the purposes of this riddle, the first kayak is the one on the left end and the fifth kayak is the one on the right.) The owners of each of these kayaks are of different nationalities. Each kayak owner drinks a different drink, smokes a different cigar and has a different pet than the others. Somebody owns a fish. The question is who?

- The Brit has the red kayak
- The Swede has a dog
- The Dane drinks tea
- The green kayak is on the left and next to the white kayak
- The owner of the green kayak drinks coffee
- The person who smokes Pall Malls has a bird
- The owner of the yellow kayak smokes Dunhills
- The man whose kayak is in the center drinks milk
- The Norwegian owns the first kayak
- The kayak belonging to the man who smokes Blends is  next to the one whose owner has a cat
- The kayak belonging to the man who has a horse is next to the one whose owner smokes Dunhills
- The man who smokes Bluemaster drinks beer
- The German smokes Princes
- The Norwegian's kayak is next to the blue kayak
- The man who smokes Blends has his kayak next to the man who drinks water

Whew! That's a lot of stuff to keep straight… time to sharpen those pencils. The first correct answer received will win a copy of "The Only Kayak: A Journey into the Heart of Alaska" by Kim Heacox… an excellent book that details some of the 49th State's best kayaking locations. Send your responses to (Remember to put the words "October Puzzler" in the subject line of your email.)

Ardea herodias

A common sight in the intertidal areas of the Pacific Northwest, the great blue heron is perhaps the most recognizable bird for anyone who spends time on the water. With a wingspan of six feet or more and a distinctive "S" curved neck, the great blue heron fishes in the shallow waters along shore and roosts high in the trees near the water. Long legs and a long neck, yellow bill and a black plume that extends from behind the eye past the back of the head are just a few of the physical attributes that set this bird apart. Their characteristic squawk conjures up visions of the flying reptiles of Jurassic Park, but unlike Mr. Spielberg's creations, these winged giants pose no threat to innocent sea kayakers.

Since the web site calendar is still under construction, here's a list of classes and tours for the rest of this year that still have spaces available. Give us a call to register.

October
7   Ketron Island Full Moon Tour   6:30 – 10:00pm
14 Blake Island Half-Day Tour     1:00pm – 4:30pm
24 Roll Clinic                            7:00pm – 9:00pm

November
4         Rescue & Recovery Clinic      9:00am – 1:00pm
11&18  Foundation Sea Kayak Class   1:00pm – 3:30pm
16       Roll Clinic