West Seattle, Washington
31 Thursday
4:38 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul for the tip – transient killer whales are in the area, midchannel in Puget Sound, southbound, passing the mouth of Elliott Bay. Let us know if you see them!
7:06 PM: Texter says they’re in view now looking south toward the Fauntleroy/Vashon ferry lane.
Thanks to Greg for sending the photo, taken from the hillside east of Weather Watch Park. He notes, “Seems most likely it’s the USS Connecticut based on the MMSI number provided by Marine Traffic.” The Connecticut is indeed based at Naval Base Kitsap, and made headlines earlier this week for a reported bedbug infestation; the linked story notes it had training scheduled this week.
(Photo by Stewart L.)
Washington State Ferries has been somewhat vessel-challenged lately, but in case you wondered – as did a few readers who contacted us – the scene above is not a new breakdown. M/V Wenatchee passed north-facing West Seattle with tugboats this morning on its way from the WSF maintenance facility at Eagle Harbor to Vigor shipyard on Harbor Island in West Seattle. At Eagle Harbor, Wenatchee was painted; at Vigor (where it was built), it will go into drydock for stern-tube repairs. It’s expected to return to service sometime this spring.
9:58 AM: We mentioned on Thursday that the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) was almost home; it stopped at Indian Island in the north Sound before finishing its journey home to Bremerton after 10+ months away. It’ll be passing West Seattle soon – it’s just north of Elliott Bay now.
(Photo by Gary Jones)
10:35 AM: Passing south Bainbridge, about to make the turn.
(WSB photo – state ferry M/V Kitsap got a good look)
1:22 PM: Here’s another look at it passing, from Don Brubeck in Upper Alki:
The carrier has now arrived in Bremerton – Eric Gattenby tweeted this photo from Rich Passage, between here and there:
A recap of its long deployment is in this report by Josh Farley of the Kitsap Sun. The Nimitz, going on a half-century old, is scheduled to now go into maintenance.
(April 2020 photo by Don Brubeck)
6:37 AM: When USS Nimitz (CVN 68) last passed West Seattle, in April 2020, the aircraft carrier was headed out for training followed immediately by deployment. Later today, Nimitz and crew will pass by again, this time on their way home to Bremerton. The MarineTraffic.com tracker shows the carrier entering the Strait of Juan de Fuca around 3 am, and right now it’s about to pass Port Angeles, so it’s still hours away, but some local would-be shipwatchers asked for a heads-up, so here you go. The Nimitz stopped in San Diego last weekend before the final leg of the journey home.
6:48 AM: Josh Farley of the Kitsap Sun points out that the Nimitz is expected to stop at Indian Island</a> [map] before continuing on to Bremerton.
(Photo by Lynn Hall)
12:36 PM: Thanks to everyone who sent photos! That’s the heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star (WAGB 10), returning home to Seattle this morning after a 2 1/2-month journey to the Arctic. The 45-year-old heavy icebreaker usually goes to the Antarctic this time of year, but the pandemic got in the way of that mission, and the Coast Guard announced in October that Polar Star would head north instead. Here’s an Alaska news report on the end of the Polar Star’s deployment; see photos here.
6:16 PM: Those photos are also featured in a news release published by the USCG late today.
(First 2 photos by Trevor Simonton)
2:52 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch for the report – transient killer whales are passing West Seattle again, southbound right now, visible from Alki. Let us know if you see them!
3:29 PM: Via email, Robin Sinner says they’re moving southwest, with a research boat trailing.
4:16 PM: Kersti and Robin both note in comments that the orcas are now in Elliott Bay, near the grain terminal.
(Photo by Liz Murdock)
6:51 PM: Photos added.
The transient killer whales that passed West Seattle southbound on Sunday are headed back northbound right now, reports Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch. They were “mid-channel, close” off The Arroyos as of a short time ago. Visibility’s not the best, though, with fog in the area, but they’re out there.
Thanks to Lynn Hall for the photo. That’s the guided-missile destroyer USS Cape St. George (CG-71) off Duwamish Head earlier this afternoon. MarineTraffic.com shows the ship currently off Harbor Island, where, this story from last year says, it’s been undergoing work at Vigor. Modernization of the Cape St. George is part of a two-ship, quarter-billion-dollar Navy contract for the shipyard, according to this report.
3:12 PM: Thanks to Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch for the tip: Orcas are in view from West Seattle right now! They’re visible from Constellation Park, east of mid-channel, Kersti says, southbound, passing Blake Island. Let us know if you see them.
3:29 PM: Update from Kersti – they’re “just hanging” off Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook (across from Me-Kwa-Mooks – she says they’re transients so they may well be hunting (transients eat other marine mammals, unlike resident orcas, who focus on fish).
4:22 PM: Among those who’ve seen them, Mike Jensen:
A January treat…my first Orca sighting #seattle #westseattle #PNW pic.twitter.com/MmBUDOGgGh
— Mike Jensen (@mjtwit) January 14, 2021
ADDED THURSDAY NIGHT: Along with the photos in comments, here’s another one – from Kersti:
THURSDAY: If you’re out along the shore, be on the lookout for Laurie‘s neighbor’s floating dock. She sent the request for help:
During the big windstorm two nights ago, a little floating sea-life dock broke loose and floated away. It’s approximately 8×8 and has the letters “ADM C” on it. We’ve checked up and down Beach Drive to no avail and it’s possible it headed north around Alki (based on wind direction). If anyone sees it, please call Howard at 206-579-5316 and he will come retrieve it.
SATURDAY UPDATE; See comments – it’s been found! Thanks to everyone who looked.
(Alki photo by James Tilley)
The overnight windstorm stole the spotlight from this morning’s “king tide,” but tomorrow’s a rerun – 12.8 feet at 6:40 am. No “coastal flood advisory” alert this time, though, as the weather has calmed down – tomorrow midday is likely to look like this:
(Photo by Troy Sterk)
A mostly sunny Thursday is predicted, high around 50, maybe some light rain tomorrow night, but tonight is expected to stay dry.
2:28 PM: Thanks to Carol for the photo, and to Brooke and Jeannie for sending notes at about the same time, after noticing more than a few sailboats off West Seattle. This is the Three Tree Point Yacht Club‘s Duwamish Head Race, from Des Moines to Duwamish Head to Blakely Rock and back to Des Moines. It’s part of the 2020-2021 Southern Sound Series. The race roster lists 51 entries.
ADDED 7:15 PM: More photos! This one’s from Jerry Simmons:
From David Hutchinson:
And from Lynn Hall:
Elliott Bay is a little cleaner and safer tonight thanks to the “Great Battery Roundup.” Above and below are the video and report shared by “Diver Laura” James as her project continued:
We showed up, we dove, we got the lead out!!!
Dive 4 of the Great Battery Roundup 2021 was a brilliant success; we were able to fully remove 8 derelict batteries from the wreckage of the “Honeybear” at a very popular dive site (near Seacrest).
These batteries were found in the hull of the wreckage, as time and tide had finally eroded away the body of the vessel, leaving only hull remnants and debris field. Upon inspection of the debris field, we could readily make out the ‘power banks’ for the vessel, 6 (turned out to be 8) large marine batteries, mostly hidden under a rotten deck hatch.
Dive 1, we removed the deck hatch and exposed the remaining unseen batteries.
Dive 2, we tested a battery run to shallow water
Dive 3, we moved ALL the batteries we could find currently from the debris of the wreckage and moved them into the ‘freshwater lens’ area (up where the water would be less salty from the influx of river water) to encourage any squatters that the batteries are no longer reputable living quarters, and move on.Dive 4 was delayed slightly by some excessively snotty weather, but when the storm cleared up, our endeavors were greeted by a brilliant blue sky and calm waters. We were able to remove all the batteries liberated from the wreckage! Batteries ranged in weight from 40 lbs to >65.
We ran out of time to get them to Seattle Iron and Metal Corp, so will be taking them in for recycling tomorrow but I’m so thrilled that we were able to remove them with minimal fuss and a bit of elbow grease. Huge thanks to everyone who made this possible!
We have at least one more VERY large marine battery to remove but it’s buried pretty deep in the sediment directly out from the riprap wall in about 20′ deep water, so it will take some excavation. Volunteers are welcome, both shore support and underwater (but you have to be certified and comfortable diving in our chilly emerald sea).
Donations for the project can be made to Sustainable West Seattle.
This week, “Diver Laura” James has been taking us along on an underwater cleanup odyssey off Seacrest, her continuation of the “Great Battery Roundup,” a project begun nine years ago. Her video above and report below chronicle how things went on this New Year’s Day:
What better way to start off the New Year than doing some good for our shared oceans! I can’t thank my dive buddies enough for coming out and sharing this dive!
We were able to remove not 6 but 8 batteries from the debris of the Honeybear wreckage in cove 2. All 8 are now up in the freshwater lens intertidal zone in preparation to be moved up into the shallow shallows on one of our king tides and then removed from the water and taken to West Seattle business Seattle Iron and Metals Corporation’s recycling facility.
Looking at the tides, we should be able to manage that over the next few days. If you dive cove 2 in the meantime, yes, there is a herd of batteries on the far side of the cove at the base of the riprap.
Huge thanks to Lamont Granquist for his epic camera skills and Michael McGoldrick for his excellent lighting! (and the intrepid sea lion who joined us)
Donations for the project can be made through Sustainable West Seattle.
Diver Laura’s previous two reports are here and here.
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
One day earlier this month, a reader asked us about that University of Washington research vessel, R/V Rachel Carson, lingering off West Seattle for hours. That set us on a research quest of our own, learning that the Carson was there for earthquake-related research. The work, UW oceanography professor Paul Johnson tells WSB, has been under way for about three years and involves methane bubbles that seep from the Seattle Fault beneath Puget Sound off Alki Point. The work could someday help with earthquake prediction. We asked for details in hopes of writing a story – and Professor Johnson provided the words and images in the format you see below, which tells the story quite well without much intervention from us – scroll on:
10:53 AM: Thanks to Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch for the tip – orcas are in view from Alki, at least four, southbound toward the west side of the Sound. Let us know if you see them!
11:04 AM: They’re moving fast – Kersti says they’re now off Blake Island.
12:37 PM: Now passing the south end of Lincoln Park, per Kersti, who says these are transient orcas, not residents.
2:16 PM: Another update from Kersti – residents are in the area too!
(Photo by David Hutchinson, from Constellation Park)
12:39 PM: You may have another chance to see Southern Resident Killer Whales from the West Seattle shore today. Both Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch and Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail tell us orcas from J-Pod and K-Pod – two of the three resident groups – are headed southbound in this direction, still a bit north of Elliott Bay. Let us know if you see them!
1:23 PM: See comments for updates; Kersti reports some turned into Elliott Bay.
1:54 PM: Donna called to say the whales are now visible from Constellation Park (south of Alki Point), back southbound in the Sound, but “bring your binoculars.”
(This photo and next by Jerry Simmons)
3 PM: Kersti’s update in comments – with photos – says some were visible without binoculars.
(Photo by Kersti Muul, who identifies this whale as J37)
Meantime, Sasha tweeted this video:
Just saw some at Linkin Park! pic.twitter.com/HyE3cYoTWM
— Sasha (@essrez) December 6, 2020
5:46 PM: Thanks to everyone who’s since sent photos!
(Photo by Jamie Kinney, who has more here)
Orcas are in the area again today. About an hour ago, whales were spotted in the Bainbridge ferry lanes, southbound, according to Kersti Muul of Salish Wildlife Watch, so if you’re by the water any time today, be on the lookout. She says the whales that passed by yesterday were transients, not residents.
Thanks to Stewart L. for the photos! We mentioned back in October that the heavy icebreaker USCGC Polar Star would be heading to the Arctic – and today, it departed. As the Coast Guard noted in October, Polar Star usually goes to Antarctica to resupply McMurdo Station, but a “limited resupply” was planned by air this year instead “due to COVID safety precautions.” In the Arctic, the USCG says, the 44-year-old Polar Star will “help protect the nation’s maritime sovereignty and security.”
P.S. Stewart L. also shared this photo of other Coast Guard work in Elliott Bay today – as Aids to Navigation boat 55107 visited the navigational marker off Luna/Anchor Park:
Thanks to Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch for the tip: Orcas are in the area again, southbound off Bainbridge Island (Yeomalt – here’s a map). Let us know if you see them!
Thanks to Stewart L. for the photo! That submarine was in view off West Seattle, northbound in Puget Sound, a little over an hour ago. While MarineTraffic.com doesn’t ID it beyond “submarine/military ops,” the tracker does show that it’s continuing that way, off south Snohomish County’s shore at last check.
9:57 AM: For the second day in a row, you have a chance to see orcas off West Seattle – Kersti Muul from Salish Wildlife Watch says whales are southbound, south of the Bainbridge-Seattle ferry lanes. Let us know if you see them!
10:32 AM: In addition to the updates in comments (thank you!), Donna Sandstrom from The Whale Trail called to say they’re between Blake and Vashon, visible through binoculars.
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