The Shannon Point Marine Center is a facility of Western Washington University whose specific purpose is to promote education in the marine sciences. The design of our Fall Quarter-in Residence is based upon our experience in operating similar programs for Western undergraduates. The program combines a traditional descriptive approach with the most modern of scientific concepts and emphasizes hands-on experience, access to the marine environment, and close association between faculty and students. The Shannon Point Marine Center is located on the beautiful inland marine waters of the northern Puget Sound basin in Anacortes, Washington, approximately 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. The local marine environment is characterized by rocky islands, protected lagoons, high energy beaches, and extensive wetlands.
Habitats range from rocky intertidal to deep trenches.
This diversity of habitat supports a rich and diverse marine biota, including a wide variety of invertebrates, finfish, and seaweeds. There are several gull rookeries nearby and owls, hawks, and bald eagles are frequently seen. Harbor seals are common and killer whales are present in local waters. The Shannon Point campus includes 87 acres of Pacific lowland forest, dominated by Douglas Fir, but also including Grand Fir, Western Red Cedar, and Western Hemlock. The campus is a biological preserve that protects a sizeable small mammal and bird population.