Our Pacific Rim Campus is located on the Salish Sea on beautiful Whidbey Island overlooking the Olympic Mountains to the west with access to the rainforests of the Pacific Northwest, the abundant marine life of the Puget Sound, and the snowcapped mountains of the Cascades. Au Sable is hosted, during Summer Session II, at the Camp Casey Conference Center, operated by Seattle Pacific University. For more information regarding Camp Casey, see here: Camp Casey Conference Center.

Student housing

At Camp Casey, students stay in the Bachelor Officers Quarters, or BOQ, (Bachelor Officers Quarters- Camp Casey) and share a room with one to two other students. Students should expect a twin bed and a shared dresser in their housing assignment, and a shared bath, similar to a dormitory at your individual colleges. At Camp Casey, the BOQ, while rustic and basic, is the perfect place to build community and call home for five weeks! Students have access to shared spaces which include a lounge, classroom, study space, and a dining area. Camp Casey is close to the beach and bluffs and has a lot of space inside and outside for students to spread out and enjoy their time on Whidbey Island. Please note, the internet at Camp Casey (in the BOQ, Classroom and any shared space) is not what students are used to on their own campuses, and should come prepared for such. While there is internet available, it is only to be used for coursework. We recommend students use this short period of time to unplug, spend time in community, and enjoy being on Whidbey Island for a short period of time!

Classrooms

Classroom space is provided and students have access to the classroom spaces during the day and in the evenings (for an example of the classroom at Camp Casey, see here: Classroom-Camp Casey). Professors spend some time in the classroom, but most instruction is spent in the field! So, in that sense, the classroom space at our Pacific Rim campus also includes local beaches, tide pools, Hurricane Ridge in the Olympic Mountains, the Cascade Mountains, the Pacific Northwest Rainforest, the San Juan islands, ferries, and more! Some classes at our Pacific Rim campus even include overnight camping trips, so come prepared to wear waders and explore tide pools, or camp to see the sunrise as it peeks above the snowcapped mountains.

Dining

At our Pacific Rim campuses, for summer session II at Camp Casey, students will eat their meals both at the BOQ, supplied by the Au Sable staff, and at the Camp Casey Dining hall (Dining-Camp Casey). Students will be provided a weekly schedule of what to expect in regard to meals, dictated by course schedules. We are able to accommodate most dietary restrictions, and work hard to serve hearty, healthy meals.

Trails and Outdoor space

Camp Casey is located on bluffs looking over the Salish Sea. There are trails throughout Camp Casey, with access to Fort Casey State Park, the Pacific Northwest Scenic Trail, Camp Casey beach, and walking access to Crockett Lake. Students can explore the area, use the playing fields at Camp Casey, and jump on the nearby ferry to Port Townsend. A highlight every summer is the amazing sunsets easily seen from the BOQ. Students often gather every night to watch the sunset, reflect, share, and enjoy their home away from home on Whidbey Island.

Getting to Pacific Rim Campus

You will receive information about specific travel information, in the beginning of February as that is typically when the summer ferry schedules are posted for the Whidbey Island ferries. In the meantime, you can view general travel here: Au Sable Pacific Rim General Travel Info. Please note, the suggested times in this information is subject to change and will be updated according to updated ferry schedules.