Thread by @DavidNeiwert

A scenic lighthouse tour with a point. Thread follows.

1) This is one of my favorite places on the planet: Lime Kiln Lighthouse on the western side of San Juan Island in the farthest northwestern corner of the lower states. That's Canada (Vancouver Island) across the way.

The lighthouse gets hundreds of thousands visitors annually. Many of them are coming to see the whales that pass right past the rocks there sometimes. (These were all taken on these rocks.)

3) It also has a several features for visitors, including an Orca Listening Station.

4) The Orca Listening Station lets you listen in to the hydrophone that is running 24/7 in the waters in front. Push that little button in the center and it runs for about eight minutes.

5) You can listen to the hydrophone yourself, live anytime, at this website.

orcasound.net/lk/

6) But when you look even closer at the listening station, you realize that, in addition to the local Whale Museum, this delightful installation was made possible by the Jessica Rekos Foundation. You read that Jessica loved orca whales and wanted to come see them here.

7) Who was Jessica Rekos? Well, this was Jessica Rekos.

jessicarekos.org/about-jessica

8) I point out her portrait to visitors. It's a powerful reminder that even in a place drenched in beauty, gun violence affects our lives, in the most tragic ways. And it's important never to forget it. For the sake of this little girl who never got to see her wild orcas.

9) It's important to never, ever forget. And to never, ever stop fighting in their name.

twitter.com/Ribbons4Jaime
twitter.com/mfolofficial

businessinsider.com/who-were-the-v…

10) For Jessica, and all the other would-have-been "orca experts" and world explorers who have been taken from us: Your spirit lives on.

@threadreaderapp unroll please