West Seattle, Washington
09 Tuesday
(Added: Photo by Mike Scharer)
FIRST REPORT, 10:31 AM: According to a post on the Orca Network‘s Facebook wall, orcas were off Maury Island as of less than an hour ago, headed northbound – which means, headed this way. Let us know if you see them; we’ll be on the lookout too.
(Added: This photo and next one by Gary Jones, as orcas passed Alki Point)
11:49 AM UPDATE: Shirley just posted a comment from The Arroyos saying they’re visible but very close to the Vashon side. So – if you have good binoculars (or find Donna from The Whale Trail – she has extras) – you may be able to see them from Lincoln Park, Beach Drive, etc. soon.
1:23 PM UPDATE: Donna called a few minutes ago to say there were two groups, one off north Vashon, one passing Blake Island. Commenters are seeing them too, including Gary Jones seeing some near Alki Point. For our part, we just came back from a shore check from the point to Jacobsen Road, and apparently just missed them.
The National Weather Service includes our area in an alert out tonight – a “coastal flood advisory,” for possible tidal overflow, especially during the high tides the next two mornings. At 6:08 tomorrow morning and 6:41 Friday morning, the high tide will be just under 12 feet – but a “tidal anomaly” may push the water a foot or two higher. So the NWS is alerting waterfront residents and anyone else who might be out on the shore.
(ADDED: Video of orcas @ Vashon’s Point Robinson, by Kelly Keenan via Orca Network on FB)
11:18 AM: Just got a text that orcas are again headed this way – off Bainbridge Island a short time ago, and moving south. Alki Point and Beach Drive are likely the best places to go now – or Lowman Beach and Lincoln Park in a bit. Let us know if you see them! (Here’s our coverage from last Saturday’s sightings. P.S. Whether it’s whales or any other type of breaking news, text us at 206-293-6302 any time!)
11:56 AM: At Lincoln Park. Nothing visible with unaided eye, but wildlife photographer/writer Trileigh Tucker tells us she saw them with strong binocs. (P.S. We saw Trileigh at the park a bit later, and want to thank her publicly for sharing the binocs – we got a glimpse too!)
Two shoreline scenes to share tonight: First, thanks to Alki photographer David Hutchinson for tonight’s vivid late-fall sunset. According to the current forecast, we have one more clear day ahead – then clouds might start moving back in around this time tomorrow night, with an anticipated return to wet weather. Temperatures are expected to stay a bit above normal, though tonight, with the clear sky, will be cold. Looking ahead to the big holiday events next weekend – all listed in the WSB West Seattle Holiday Guide – might be rainy, but you know what they say about making predictions this far out …
Second, just received while we were processing David’s photo, Aaron Baggenstos shares this view of harlequin ducks photographed at Lincoln Park:
(Click image for larger view)
Aaron tells us he leads wildlife-photography tours throughout the state via his business Aaron’s Photo Tours.
12:19 PM: We’ve just obtained some information on an incident that caught some attention on Fauntleroy Cove Sunday afternoon. A sailboat ran aground, and Seattle Fire Department crews helped make sure the person on board got to shore safely, according to SFD spokesperson Kyle Moore, who says, “Our engine company waded out in 1 foot of water. The lone occupant of the sailboat leaped to the firefighters and they took him to shore. He was uninjured.”
ADDED 5:49 PM: We’ve added photos just sent by Peter Hogan (thank you!).
(Orcas and ferry, by Trileigh Tucker)
FIRST REPORT, 10:36 AM: Via Twitter, our friend Rebecca from Ravenna Blog passes along the news that orcas have been spotted headed this way, off southeast Bainbridge at last report. (No, the whales didn’t take an inland detour; Rebecca has a maritime background.) We notice this is also being discussed on the Orca Network Facebook page too. Heading off for a look – let us know if you see them!
(WSB photo – whale-watching off Beach Drive)
12:02 PM: We are at Emma Schmitz Viewpoint with Donna Sandstrom (above left) from The Whale Trail and others – the orcas are visible even with weak binoculars! They are off north Vashon.
(Tail-lobbing orca, by Trileigh Tucker)
(We should mention, if you get to whale-watch with Donna, she has GOOD binoculars to share, part of The Whale Trail’s public service.)
(WSB photo – orca spyhopping late this morning)
12:42 PM: Just got a text that they’re visible off The Arroyos, in southwesternmost West Seattle. Donna believes these whales are from resident J Pod, with the possibility of some K Pod too.
Thanks to Jenn Padilla for sharing that photo from the Alki boardwalk, where high water from our record rainfall has augmented what was already one of the month’s highest tides, 12 feet, peaking about an hour ago. Jenn texted us the photo (206-293-6302 any time), saying she’d never “seen the Sound so full that it spilled over.” (The peak high tide was 12.6 feet last Saturday.) P.S. From just around the point to the south, here’s high-tide coverage on Beach Drive Blog.
This fall, we’ve already had multiple times to see and talk about Puget Sound sealife – orca visits, salmon runs, seal pups, even the Seacrest octopus controversy. There’s new information today about something that affects them all, and more, and us: Puget Sound pollution. One visualization is in “Diver Laura” James‘s photo above, pointing out cigarette butts strewn on the seafloor; she took the photo near the Fairmount Creek stormwater outfall off Harbor Avenue, in about 20 feet of water. Discarded cigarette butts are washed off sidewalks and streets when it rains, go into storm drains, and wind up here, leaching toxic chemicals into the Sound. Just one source of pollution, of course – one among, unfortunately, many. To help understand what’s happening in and to the Sound, the state has just launched a new website – described in this news release:
The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has boiled down a 300-page report into a new, user-friendly website that explains what we currently know about toxic chemical pollution in the Puget Sound region.
The website links what’s known about toxic contamination in Puget Sound to ongoing efforts to keep the contaminants out of the nation’s second-largest estuary. The site draws attention to actions that individuals, businesses, community groups and federal, state, tribal and local governments can take to help reduce toxic threats to the sound.
A new resting place for sealife and birds off Alki! A new raft has just been added to the offshore lineup, announces Jason Attaman: “It was secured to our buoy (Sunday) night. This is located at the 3000 block of Alki Avenue. It was launched specifically as a seal and other wildlife platform for all to enjoy.”
2:16 PM: If you look closely at that photo shared by Mike Russell via Twitter, you’ll see a low-hovering orange-red helicopter, which attracted plenty of attention off Seacrest a little while ago. Mike and others say it dropped divers into the water; they then were picked up by small craft. We’re still trying to formally confirm but there is no indication of a rescue in the area so we’re fairly certain this was a drill; will add whatever we find out.
2:27 PM NOTE: It appears to have been an H-65 U.S. Coast Guard helicopter.
ADDED 4:49 PM: Two photos by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand – above, one of the divers right over the water, under the helicopter; below, you can also see the Coast Guard Defender Class boat off to the right.
And just a moment after we added those photos, we got confirmation from the USCG – it was a training exercise.
(Photos by Robin Lindsey)
When the Seal Sitters‘ hotline – 206-905-SEAL – rings, “there’s a seal on the beach” is the most common report. Not this time: “There’s a seal on a kayak!” instead. Seal Sitters’ Robin Lindsey shares the photos and tells the story:
Yesterday afternoon, Seal Sitters hotline operator Tess received a call that a seal pup had hopped aboard a passing kayak and the boater wasn’t sure how to handle the situation. Jeff Kelley and his son, who was visiting from Brooklyn, were taking a spin in their kayaks around Elliott Bay when a pup started trailing them. Suddenly, the pup jumped onto the back of the kayak and was not particularly interested in returning to the water – after well over 30 minutes, they contacted Seal Sitters for advice.
A tired seal pup will sometimes rest on a log in the water – or even hop on a passing logboom being towed by a tugboat to catch a snooze. Or, a kayak or paddleboard. Jeff and his son did exactly the right thing: they let the pup rest, remained in the area and then gently encouraged the pup to abandon ship when they needed to move along on their journey.
Robin has published a longer version of the story on the Seal Sitters’ “blubberblog” site – see it here.
P.S. Another report tells the story of Ma Kai, a pup who’s been showing up nightly for a while – and posing quite the challenge.
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor
They are mysterious, majestic – and largely unprotected. Now the status of the Giant Pacific Octopus has come to light – harsh light – because of an incident here in West Seattle, but it’s a light that might also lead the way to overdue protection.
WSB Forums members have been talking about it for a day, divers’ discussion boards have been spreading it like wildfire, and citywide media has picked it up too – an outrage-sparking saga from the popular diving area off Seacrest – known as Cove 2 – involving someone “harvesting” an octopus that was originally reported to be a female guarding eggs.
If you haven’t heard about this yet – here’s a basic version of the original report, on a personal website. The citywide media reports include one from our partners at The Seattle Times today, and a story by KING5.com last night.
While some of the discussion has centered on the alleged braggadocio of the diver who took the octopus – and someone claiming to be him has been posting in the WSB Forums thread, denying that it was a female – others have focused on this question: How can this be made illegal, so that it can’t happen – legally – again? That’s what we looked into
Right now, state Department of Fish and Wildlife rules say it’s legal to “harvest” an octopus (if licensed, and per a daily limit) just about anywhere – except for Marine Protected Areas (here’s a map). As the map shows, there are some in West Seattle – Schmitz and Richey Viewpoints off Beach Drive. The state law regulating protected areas is here.
The first person from whom we heard about this, award-winning environmental advocate and diver Laura James, expected a petition drive to be started to designate the popular diving area off Seacrest as a protected area.
And that’s one way to make it happen, we found out when we called WDFW to ask what is required to get an area designated as a protected area. Spokesperson Craig Bartlett provided a raft of information – and told us that the department is also looking into the issue. Bartlett noted that in his 13 years with the department, he didn’t realize till this came up that the octopus is unprotected.
According to Bartlett, “There are two ways citizens can petition the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife for a change in fishing rules: 1) fill out a petition form at http://www.ofm.wa.gov/reports/petition.pdf and send it to the commission or 2) attend a commission meeting and testify during a public comment period.” There’s a meeting coming up next Thursday and Friday, he notes – the calendar is here, and the agendas for both mornings show public-input periods. (You would have to go to Olympia, however.)
We also have asked Seattle Parks for comment on the possibility of protecting the waters at Seacrest; since it’s a city park, it seems as if they might have some jurisdiction. We’ll add that reply when we get it.
4:50 PM P.S. On the Northwest Dive Club discussion boards, where this first came to light, there is now a separate discussion about pursuing protection – see it here.
10:07 PM UPDATE: As Diver Laura (James) has pointed out in comments, a petition is now up and running online – find it here.
(Photo courtesy Jeff Hogan NWFSC, taken under permit #13136)
Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales, first to let us know on Sunday about the latest sightings of orcas in West Seattle waters, shares that photo taken while he was on a NOAA research boat later in the the day. He reports:
We followed them from roughly Alki all the way up to Mukilteo. We had all the members of J Pod, K Pod and a few L-Pod whales as well. Didn’t see any foraging, but just lots of slow travel and socializing. Collected several fecal samples in addition to all the photo identification work.
He identifies the whale in the photo as K21, a male (if you didn’t already know that because of the large dorsal fin) born in 1986, according to this page on the Center for Whale Research website. J, K, and L pods are the “Southern Resident” groups who live in this region, though they sometimes forage much farther away.
(Added Monday: Video by Ed Brooks, shot from Magnolia as the whales headed back north; link discovered via Orca Network Facebook page)
11:41 AM: We are hearing from multiple sources that orcas are headed this way again! First word that we received came from Jeff Hogan of Killer Whale Tales when we saw him here at the West Seattle Junction Harvest Festival – and other tips have come in too. Let us know if you see them!
12:57 PM UPDATE: Donna from The Whale Trail says they’re currently “milling around” mid-channel between Me-Kwa-Mooks and Blake Island.
2:23 PM UPDATE: Just got a text – “On Bainbridge ferry heading into Elliott Bay. Orcas EVERYWHERE.”
Today we’ve received media alerts about two upcoming local multi-agency drills that MIGHT catch your eye – so we’re mentioning them briefly and inviting you to file the info away just in case: Sunday afternoon near First and Holgate in SODO, a drill is planned to simulate terrorism targeting a passenger train. All day Monday, it’ll be a drill simulating response to a threat onboard a state ferry, which will be somewhere between north Vashon Island and Edmonds as it all unfolds (with both helicopters and boats involved in that one). So now you know.
Orcas have been spotted north of Elliott Bay, according to Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales, and if they keep heading south, they might be in the West Seattle vicinity by sunset. Not a sure thing – but we’re letting you know so any sightings don’t come as a surprise! Let us know if you get a glimpse. It’s been six days since the last spate of West Seattle sightings.
(1st two photos by Gary Jones, added @ noon)
ORIGINAL REPORT, 9:53 AM: Thanks to Jeff Hogan from Killer Whale Tales for the alert that orcas have been spotted off Magnolia, headed southbound. Let us know if you see them – murky out there today but then again, black fins against silver water might be more visible. (Just last week, orcas in West Seattle waters led to beautiful photos – both from WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams, here, and from community contributors, here.)
10:46 AM UPDATE: They are reportedly visible now from North Admiral’s NW-looking blufftops.
11:21 AM UPDATE: Now reported to be passing Alki Point. Jeff says they are residents, J-pod.
NOON UPDATE: First two photos added, courtesy of Gary Jones (thank you!), taken near Alki Point. As commenters are saying, they’ve been spotted off Blake Island – we were just down at Lowman Beach and saw two TV choppers overhead, though not the whales (we did see them from the earlier Admiral blufftop stop).
(Photo by Mike Russell)
12:38 PM UPDATE: Still getting scattered sighting reports. Will be linking this story shortly from the BIG STORIES list on the sidebar so you can find it again even as we start adding other stories to the top of the site.
1:26 PM UPDATE: They were seen on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth run around 1 pm.
That 3-minute time-lapse video is shared by West Seattle environmental advocate Laura “Diver Laura” James, to tell the story of last Sunday’s rainstorm from underwater – the outfall off Alki where some of West Seattle’s runoff goes. (Be sure to watch at least the first half.) Want to make it less dramatic next time? The campaign against the Tox-Ick Monster will show you how. And you can discuss clean water – Puget Sound and beyond – with Laura and other Northwest advocates, journalists, and experts, in a live online chat at 11 this morning, presented by EarthFix – here’s the link.
(Click photo for larger image)
Orcas are a beautiful sight in any weather – but their presence in West Seattle waters during the Monday sunset was just over the top. Earlier, we showed you community-contributed photos; now, photos by WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams, who also was out with the whale-watchers, here south of Alki Point:
Some watched from the water:
And the centers of attention did not disappoint:
(Click photo for larger image)
At Lowman Beach, people strained to keep the orcas in view until it was too dark to see:
The question now – will we see the whales again tomorrow?
(Click photo for larger image)
Let us know if you see them – and we’ll share the news. (Thanks to those who provided updates today, including Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail.)
First of two rounds of orca photos tonight, as they put on a show right up till (and past) sunset – these photos are contributed by WSB’ers. Top photo with the kayaker is courtesy of Mike Scharer. Next, by Gary Jones:
Also by Gary, this view with Alki Point Lighthouse in the foreground:
With the setting sun, next one is from David DeSiga:
ADDED 9:23 PM: Another Gary Jones photo with a breaching orca:
By all accounts, these are “southern residents” – the orcas that spend most of the time between the San Juans and south Puget Sound. (added) And here’s a view from David Hutchinson at Constellation Park south of Alki Point:
2nd round of photos coming up.
(Photo courtesy Thomas Marx)
The fireboat Leschi was off West Seattle’s north-facing shore this afternoon, and WSB’ers shared two very different views (thank you, Thomas and Carolyn!) – above, the beautiful expanded-fleur-de-lis-like sight of its multiple streams, and below, a rainbow prism through the mist:
(Photo courtesy Carolyn Newman)
Want to know more about the Seattle Fire Department‘s fireboats? Go here.
That’s Skittles the seal pup, nicknamed by Seal Sitters, who spent much of this past week trying to protect the too-thin pup while s/he tried to rest along Alki-area shores. The last update from Seal Sitters’ Robin Lindsey noted that Skittles was resting on an offshore platform/raft as night fell on Thursday. And that has led her to put out this reminder:
We would like to stress that people need to stay away from the two platforms when seals are resting there. We are getting increased reports of harassment, forcing the pups at times to abandon the rafts. Seal Sitters wants to remind everyone that disturbing a marine mammal – whether on shore or in the water or on a platform – is a violation of federal law, the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is considered a disturbance or “take” if you so much as wake up a pup. Please stay 100 yards away when possible. Our hotline has been flooded with calls about kayakers, paddle-boarders and boaters in motorized craft getting to close. We have advised people to email us photographs of anyone who is close enough to disturb these resting seals and we will forward them on to NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement for investigation. Alki Kayak has been very proactive in telling rental clients to stay away from any pup on shore or on the rafts. We hope that kayakers and paddle boarders will help spread the word among themselves to stay back.
These pups DESPERATELY need rest to survive. They are already struggling and can’t afford to waste precious calories. We don’t want these pups forced on shore where it is even more dangerous for them. PLEASE keep a distance when you are out in the Sound. It is truly a matter of life and death for these pups. And if anyone spots a pup on the beach, please call our hotline immediately at 206-905-7325 (SEAL).
If you were at or near Don Armeni this morning, you might have seen them – tribal canoes heading across Elliott Bay to join in the Salmon Homecoming celebration on the downtown waterfront. Anne from Ventana Construction (WSB sponsor) shares the photos, and says she counted eight canoes, including the Duwamish Raven Canoe (top photo):
And from the other side of the bay:
A canoe-welcoming ceremony was scheduled for the festival at 11 am; other demonstrations and celebrations of tribal culture are on the schedule (see it here) this afternoon.
| 18 COMMENTS