For those wishing to add scenic
enjoyment to a race, the Birch Bay Marathon certainly has plenty to
offer. The course follows Birch Bay itself for the first three miles and
nearly five at the end with an additional stretch in the middle. On the
opposite side of the peninsula both laps show off Drayton Harbor and
the little border town of Blaine which boasts the Peace Arch as a symbol
of international harmony. Blaine's nearby neighbor to the west is
British Columbia's White Rock. The Cascade Mountains stand high in the
distance. As the course winds its way back toward the bay, the Canadian
Gulf Islands lie off in the distance.
Local wildlife includes
all sorts of mammals, birds, fish and sea life. Deer, muskrats, rabbits,
raccoons, skunks, squirrels, crows, ducks, eagles, geese, grouse,
gulls, herons, hummingbirds,
jays, owls, woodpeckers, wrens, clams, crabs, mussels, oysters, seals,
starfish, bullheads (well, not everything is exciting), salmon,
steelhead, and more. Some of these are certain to be around on race day.