Neah Bay

Goodbye, Space Needle!

For my final locums gig, I'm working for the Indian Health Service in Neah Bay which is in the northwesterly corner of Washington state on the Olympic Peninsula.  The drive from Seattle involves a leisurely ferry ride that is especially pleasant in the early morning.

Hello, Bainbridge Island!

The town of Neah Bay is on the Makah Indian Reservation, bordered on the north by the Strait of Juan de Fuca and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.  The coastal view is spectacular.

The shoreline in Neah Bay

The Makah Marina

Whaling was a significant part of ancient Makah tradition, and the tribal logo is a reference to an old legend about a thunderbird delivering a whale to the Makah people during a time of starvation:

You can see representations of this legend in various forms around town:

My temporary home for the next 6 weeks or so is across the street from the police station and jail:

In fact, one of my first clinic patients was a young man in a bright orange jumpsuit, sporting handcuffs and accompanied by a guard.  He had pain in both of his forearms, most likely a repetitive stress injury from lifting 60-lb baskets of fish the day before.  I suggested releasing the young man ever so briefly from the handcuffs so I could conduct a more thorough exam.  This, according to the guard, was not possible.  I explained that the repetitive stress injury would resolve faster if the young inmate was allowed to rest from the aggravating activity.  The guard shot me a look as if to say, Lady, have you completely lost your marbles?!  Apparently there is no rest for the wicked.