Troll Hunting in the Pacific Northwest

The air was sharp and salty, the sky a flat winter gray, and the Sound stretched out cold and wide beside us.
Spent Monday afternoon troll hunting! Did you know there are 6 wooden trolls tucked around the Pacific Northwest courtesy of Thomas Dambo and the Scan Design Foundation? We checked 2 trolls off the list today, Bruun Idun & Oscar the Bird King.

Bruun Idun – West Seattle – Lincoln Park

Our first stop was Lincoln Park in West Seattle. This was our first time visiting Lincoln Park, and the location is gorgeous. I really need to spend more time exploring West Seattle because I was sleeping on this location and I’m sure there are many more.
We parked in the south lot and walked a little over half a mile along the waterfront path to find Bruun. She has an incredible view of the sound. While we didn’t spot any orcas, we did see harbor seals bobbing in the chilly water, along with a bevy of crows and seagulls getting up to their bird business.

Oscar the Bird King – Vashon Island – Point Robinson Park

Next, we took a quick ferry to Vashon Island and drove to Point Robinson Park to visit our second troll, Oscar the Bird King. After a short walk from the parking lot, you’ll find him holding court in a small grove, encircled by dozens of birdhouses. Compared to Bruun’s open waterfront setting, Oscar’s spot feels more like a woodland diorama.
While we were there, we also stopped by the Point Robinson Lighthouse. The trail was easy but muddy enough to keep us paying attention. Once down to the beach you can see the Lighthouse and an expanse of rocky shore. It was windy and chilly, so we didn’t spend too much time exploring. Apparently you can rent the lighthouse keeper’s quarters, which sounds like the perfect place to storm-watch and scan for orcas.
Two down, four to go. Not a bad way to spend a Monday!