West Seattle, Washington
13 Tuesday
(WSB photos/video unless other credited)
Imagining yourself in the tropics is one way to make it through the annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim at Alki Beach. Another is to consider that – today, anyway – the water was a lot warmer than the air: 47 degrees and 25 degrees, respectively. Despite the subfreezing air, hundreds were ready to go when organizer Mark Ufkes counted them down at 10 am:
(Photo by Scott Nelson)
While running into the water and immediately running out is the prevalent participation level, some lingered:
This was the first en-masse “swim” since 2020, when the air and water both were warmer – both 50 degrees, we noted that day.
ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: Thanks to Robert Spears for these photos:
(January 1, 2018, photo by Robert Spears)
For everybody who’s asked about the plan for New Year’s Day 2022 Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim – this is just in from organizer Mark Ufkes:
We go in the water at 10:00 am sharp, so don’t be late. According to Washington State regulations; three simple requirements:
Adults must be vaccinated and boostered for Covid 19.
Everyone must wear a mask.
You and your group must be Covid-free, be in good health, and distance yourselves 6 feet from others while on the beach.For over 15 years, the Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim has been about “washing away the complexities of the previous year and bathing in the unlimited possibilities that the New Year provides”. All while pushing us all out of our comfort zone. Prior to Covid, we had over 700+ swimmers. In 2022, we need this event more than ever.
So, go over the three simple requirements listed above. Bring a large, warm towel, a coat to put on after you get out of the water, good water shoes, and your hopes and dreams for a spectacular 2022. Holding hands and wearing bright colors as you go into the water also seems to help.
I wear Goodwill pink every year, to celebrate the day in the not-too-distant future when over 50% of our Members of Congress will be women and/or People of Color. Imagine the message that would send to the world and how much more empathy we will have in our national governance.
When you arrive, you’ll see the gathering madness across from Duke’s. Stay in your group of family and friends, spread out down quarter-mile Alki Beach, and allow six feet between your group and your Polar Bear neighbors to your left and right.
Just before 10:00 am, you will hear the megaphone countdown begin; 10, 9, 8 . . . At “one “ in the countdown, we all run, screaming like the children we are, into 47-degree Puget Sound. The water will be warmer than the air this year, so it will be much more pleasant that one might expect. The mild insanity is really quite fun, and we are in and out of the water so fast that we barely get goosebumps. And like everything in life, your attitude, and belief in yourself, will keep you warm and successful.
We’ve received multiple reports about this, and more are likely to see it since today’s sunshine is likely to bring out more beach walkers: A dead white-tailed deer is on the beach at Constellation Park, and it’s been reported to authorities. Deer sightings, dead or alive, are not common around here. Last deer report we had was in 2019, on Pigeon Point; in 2016, we chronicled weeks of sightings of a deer that WSB readers dubbed “Westley.”
10:15 AM: Last week we mentioned a dead, decomposing sea lion that had been seen floating in West Seattle waters and then turned up on the beach at Lincoln Park. It’s still there, and we’re still getting calls about it. Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network says it’s so large that Seattle Parks will need heavy equipment to remove it. We’ve been trying to find out about Parks’ plan and finally heard back late last night: A crew was planning to go out today to assess the situation and figure out what to do. They promised to let us know what the crew decides, so we hope to have an update later.
12:41 PM: Parks says the crew determined it’s too big to remove with the equipment they have in the area so “they are asking our Heavy Equipment crews to help. However, the renderer will not be able to get out until Thursday because of other commitments and tides.” (“The renderer” is for carcass disposition, as was also done with a dead seal at Alki last week.)
That’s the Steller sea lion who showed up on West Seattle’s shore Wednesday, during a day when a dead California sea lion also drew a lot of attention. David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network sent this update (with photos) on their Wednesday responses:
Even though Harbor-seal pupping season is winding down, Seal Sitters had a very busy day yesterday. It started in the morning with a Harbor seal on the beach along the Alki promenade. Juvenile and adult Harbor seals are typically very skittish and choose quiet unoccupied beaches to hang out. After a brief rest, this seal returned to Puget Sound. Next came a report of a sea lion on the rocks along the shore of Elliott Bay near Duwamish Head. Sadly the day ended with a response to a California sea lion carcass that was washing ashore at Lincoln Park.
The sea lion on the rocks was of particular interest, as it turned out to be a live Steller sea lion, which we don’t see very often locally. It’s also very unusual to see any sea lion actually on the shore of West Seattle. I’m sure you’ve noticed all the California sea lions that prefer the tie-up buoys in Elliott Bay. Adult Steller sea lions are huge animals as you can see from the photo below [taken some years back] showing one surrounded by a number of California sea lions.
Yesterday’s Steller has some health issues and Seal Sitters will continue to monitor his condition if he keeps frequenting our local beaches. It’s important to remember that sea lions can be aggressive if ill or injured and can move fast on land. Do not approach if you come across one. To learn more about Steller sea lions check out the following link to NOAA’s fact sheet: fisheries.noaa.gov/species/steller-sea-lion
We want to thank all of you who reported these animals to the Seal Sitters’ Hotline yesterday including reports of the sea lion carcass at Lincoln Park. Seal Sitters depends on the public to let us know the location of any marine mammal you might come across on West Seattle beaches (alive or dead). We can then quickly get a volunteer on site to assess the situation. As a member of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Seal Sitters is authorized to request specialized assistance if necessary from our partners, SR3 (SeaLife Response Rehabilitation and Research, WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife), and World Vets. Our hotline (206-905-7325) is staffed by volunteer operators from 8 AM – 8 PM, 7 days a week. If calling outside those hours, please leave a detailed message.
(Photo by James Tilley)
Thanks for the photos! Last night turned out to be an excellent night to join Seattle Aquarium beach naturalists exploring the shore south of Alki Point during low-low tide.
That’s an orange snail fish, according to Brandy DeWeese, who took that photo and the ones below:
The beach naturalists will be at Constellation Park again on January 29th, 7-9 pm. If you want to explore on your own (carefully!), the low-low tides are even lower, and later, the next few nights – here’s the chart.
Just got word of this – the Seattle Aquarium‘s beach-naturalist program will return to West Seattle tomorrow (Friday, December 3rd) for a nighttime beach walk. This time of year, the low-low tides are at night, and it’ll be a minus-three-foot tide tomorrow night. The beach walk is at Constellation Park (look for the canopy at 63rd/Beach Drive) south of Alki Point, 8-10 pm, free, no registration required. Family-friendly, the aquarium tells us. More info here.
Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo of the Argosy Cruises Christmas Ship during its visit to Alki Beach on a rainy, breezy Saturday night, its third West Seattle stop in two days, and final one this season. It’ll be sailing to other locales through December 23rd.
The report and photos were sent by Lynn Shimamoto of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:
Seal Sitters is happy to announce that three seal pups rescued from West Seattle beaches have been successfully returned to the wild.
Back in August, Zach Ward happened to see Seal Sitters responding to “Cascade” at Alki across from Starbucks, and he took this photo of the emaciated newborn. Cascade still had an umbilical stump and was estimated to be 2-3 days old. Knowing the pup would die without immediate help, Seal Sitters captured Cascade for treatment at SR3’s marine wildlife hospital in Des Moines.
(Photo of Cascade by Zach Ward)
Seal Sitters took two more pups to rehab because of unsafe conditions. “Piccolo,” another very young pup prematurely separated from her mother, was picked up at Lincoln Park. “Sprinter” kept hauling out at busy spots from Alki to Seacrest where she was harassed by a dog. On Tuesday, all three were deemed healthy enough to go back in the wild. SR3 released the trio at a secluded beach on Vashon Island, along with a fourth pup nicknamed “Maury.”
(Photo by Lynn Shimamoto – Cascade at top, Piccolo at bottom, Sprinter and Maury not pictured)
Seal Sitters is thrilled that these pups were nursed back to health and given another chance at life.
If you see a marine mammal on a local beach, or one offshore that appears to be in distress, please call Seal Sitters MMSN at 206-905-SEAL (206-905-7325).
Thanks to Mike Munson for another photo of the work at Lowman Beach Park, removing the seawall and tennis court to restore a more-natural shoreline, as was done with the south side of the park long ago. The project’s been in the works for more than four years; work is expected to last until next spring.
P.S. A brief update will be part of the Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meeting, online at 7 pm Wednesday.
Thanks to Mike Munson for the photo from Lowman Beach Park, where crews are in their third week of what’s expected to be an eight-month project, removing the failing seawall and the adjacent tennis court, and restoring a more natural shoreline, as was done on the south end of the beach years ago, We asked project manager Janice Liang about this work, and she explained that it’s related to another component of the project, daylighting the end of Pelly Creek: “The Contractor is currently installing new storm drain structures (as seen in the photo) to connect to the existing 18″ Pelly Creek storm drain on the uphill side. The pipe will be daylighted at a pipe outfall midway of the site, with exposed stream beds connecting down to the beach.” For a view of what the finished project is supposed to look like, you can find design documents here.
While the days are getting shorter, at Alki, they’ve also just gotten longer. Tonight is the first night that Alki Beach Park‘s closing time is back to 11:30 pm, after two months of closing at 10 pm. The early closing time was ordered in early July – first as a holiday-weekend experiment, then as a two-month trial run – days after the shooting that killed 22-year-old Tilorae Shepherd. We confirmed with Seattle Parks this afternoon that there had been no last-minute decision to extend the early closing time. One note: Though the beach is open later now, the fire pits are supposed to be closed for the season as of tonight.
If you want to play tennis at the Lowman Beach Park court one last time before it’s removed as part of the shore-restoration project, you have six days. Seattle Parks says its contractor McClung Construction will be starting work next Monday (September 13th) and that means, according to project manager Janice Liang, “The park will be partially closed during construction including the beach, tennis court, and the gravel walkways. The play area and the part of the lawn area close to the street will remain open.” The $1.2 million shore-restoration project will remove the failing seawall on the north side of the park, creating more beach space, and daylighting the stretch of Pelly Creek that currently leads to an outfall pipe in the seawall. The work is expected to last at least eight months. Earlier this summer, Parks ruled out building a replacement tennis court elsewhere in the park, but said it would consider allowing something smaller, like a pickleball court – provided community fundraising covered the cost; nothing is planned so far.
Nice day to go to the beach – but if you do, heed this reminder from David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:
West Seattle is entering its busiest 2-3 months for vulnerable harbor-seal pups using our local beaches. We ask that everyone please be alert and report any marine mammals you come across to the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325. The young harbor seal pup in the photo was chased into the water yesterday by an off-leash dog. Remember, dogs are not permitted on Seattle Parks’ beaches, either off or on a leash. This pup appears to have some respiratory issues, which is common for many pups during the fall months. It is critical that these animals are able to rest undisturbed.
ADDED TUESDAY NIGHT: We don’t know whether it’s the same seal, but Cindy Roberts photographed this one basking at Constellation Park today:
10:44 AM: Those yellow umbrellas are part of a one-day art installation at Alki Beach that Charlotte Starck hopes will send a message to the other side of the world. Here’s her explanation:
A pop-up environmental art installation, I call, The Umbrella Postcard: Seattle to Troops made of yellow umbrellas set in the sand in the shape of a yellow ribbon. The intent is to make it viewable from the sky for the world to see. Underneath: the words “Come home safe.”
The exhibit is also lined with 13 American flags in memory of the 13 service members who died Thursday in the Kabul airport attacks. Each flag has the name, hometown, and age of the servicemember – most in their early 20s.
For pedestrians, we will tie yellow ribbons and put signs on the lamp posts lining the exhibit on Alki at the volleyball courts. The exhibit will be taken down at twilight Monday.
Starck created this with daughter Sarah Hall and Brandon Rodriguez.
She says the airport bombing troubled her so much that, “I wanted to do something broad that would send a clear and direct message from Seattle to Kabul, and I believe ‘A picture paints a thousand words’.” The yellow ribbon is the original awareness ribbon, dating back to the Iran hostage crisis in the late ’70s.
12:18 PM: Added that photo from our return to Alki to check on the finished installation.
3:42 PM: Here’s the aerial view, by Howard Shack:
Thanks to Steyn Benade of Always Local Photos for that pic and word that a harbor-seal pup was rescued at Alki Beach today. We asked David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network what happened; he sent this photo and response:
A very young harbor seal pup was responded to by Seal Sitters today at Alki Beach. Volunteers established a perimeter and watched over the pup during the early afternoon. Given its poor body condition – it was very thin – it was felt that an intervention was required. SR3 in Des Moines was contacted and they arrived, captured the pup, and provided transport to their facility. On initial examination, it was determined that this was a nursing-age pup with no attending mother. Hopefully rehab will be successful.
We don’t know why the pup was abandoned, but if humans/pets get too close, that can scare the mom away from returning to her pup. (Both of the photos were taken with long lenses.) If you see a marine mammal on a West Seattle beach – or in distress offshore – call Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network at 206-905-SEAL.
(WSB photo)
Walking on the Lincoln Park waterfront path Thursday evening, we spotted the tape and signage that Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network puts up when they’re guarding a visitor on the shore. They explained a harbor-seal pup – first one they’ve seen on a West Seattle beach this pupping season – was resting among the driftwood. We couldn’t see the pup from the path, but SSMMSN’s David Hutchinson got a long-lens photo and sent it to us early today:
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
He says it’s a “very young harbor seal pup, nicknamed ‘Xico’ by one of our new volunteers – pronounced Chico.” Reminder that if you see a marine mammal on shore – or one offshore that seems in distress – please notify SSMMSN at 206-905-SEAL.
Smiles, waves, billowing flags, and honking horns kicked off this year’s Alki Beach Pride weekend – celebrating the LGBTQ+ community – with a car/motorcycle parade that left Jack Block Park shortly after noon. Even a classic fire truck!
Here’s our video of the entire parade as it headed onto Harbor Avenue SW, beach-bound:
After the parade, we headed uphill to The Admiral District, where the Rainbow City Band was serenading outdoor diners on restaurant row:
Day 1 festivities continue with parties at West Seattle Brewing and Alki Beach Pub; tomorrow includes a rolling/biking parade from Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza at 1 pm and an outdoor movie at 8:15 pm at Alki Playground – see the full schedule here. This is the 7th year for ABP, but as explained here, its roots go back much further.
(WSB June photo of soon-to-be-removed seawall)
We reported in coverage of last month’s Morgan Community Association meeting that Seattle Parks was close to choosing a contractor for the Lowman Beach Park project that will remove the seawall and tennis court and restore a more-natural shoreline. Announced today, the contractor is McClung Construction of Buckley, awarded a $1.2 million contract, according to Parks’ project manager Janice Liang. They’ll start mobilizing in early September, which means partial closure of the park; Parks says that “includes beach access, tennis court and trail access. Public access to a portion of the lawn and playground area will be maintained.” The failing seawall used to continue across the south half of the park’s shore, but that part was removed in the 1990s; the new work will not only expand the sandy beach area, but will also daylight part of Pelly Creek. (added) Construction is expected to last at least eight months.
Thanks to the Seola Beach neighbor who sent that photo of Ruckus the Northern Elephant Seal, resting on a private beach during today’s low tide. The neighbor says he was under watch so curious onlookers could be kept at a distance. As Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network has explained, he might be getting ready to molt; if you see him, keep them updated with a report to 206-905-7325 (905-SEAL).
Thanks to commenter Bryan for reporting that the signs came down today on the South Alki beaches affected by a sewer leak from the Harbor West condos on Beach Drive. Seattle Public Utilities confirmed to WSB tonight that “Samples show acceptable levels and in consultation with Public Health-Seattle & King County, Seattle Public Utilities staff have removed the warning signs and reopened the beach. It’s been almost two weeks since first word of the leak.
In our report on this month’s Alki Community Council meeting, we noted a Seattle Parks manager mentioning a problem with “illegal food vendors” at the beach. Some readers wondered why King County Public Health hadn’t done anything about that. Now the agency has, according to an announcement we just received:
A Public Health food inspector found 5 food establishments operating at Alki Beach in Seattle without a valid food establishment permit on Saturday, July 24th and were directed to immediately cease food and beverage services. These establishments include:
Botanas Locas closed July 24, 2021 at 12:20 pm
Chopped N Skewed closed July 24, 2021 at 1:55 pm
Marco Morales Stand closed July 24, 2021 at 1:55 pm
Nieves De Garrafa closed July 24, 2021 at 2:10 pm
Ivonne Pineda’s Stand closed July 24, 2021 at 2:40 pmThese establishments will be allowed to reopen once the person in charge of each business completes the 3-Step Plan Review process to secure a mobile food services permit (which also applies to food carts and stands) per the instructions online at kingcounty.gov/foodsafety/mobile
This came in too late for followup questions tonight but we’ll be pursuing a few tomorrow.
An update from David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:
Seal Sitters continues to monitor our visiting Northern Elephant Seal since he was first spotted in West Seattle waters on July 16. He had previously been sighted in the Des Moines/Redondo area in early June. The volunteers at SR3 (the newly opened Marine Mammal Hospital in Des Moines) named him “Ruckus” considering all the attention and excitement he was creating. To our knowledge, he has not hauled out on any public beach in West Seattle, but with the cooperation of property owners along the Sound, Seal Sitters’ first responders have been able to check on his location and condition.
While elephant seals vary somewhat in color through shades of brown and gray, they all go through an annual “catastrophic molt.” During this process they shed their top layer of skin and fur in chunks which results in a dramatic change in appearance and they remain on the beach for an extended period of time. This is normal, but can give the impression that the animal is sick or dying.
If Ruckus is still in our area when he molts, we hope he can find a quiet safe beach. If you should come across him while out walking our beaches, please keep a respectful distance and report his location to the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325.
The top photo is of Ruckus on a private West Seattle beach on 7/18, while the bottom photo is of a molting female Northern Elephant Seal on a downtown Seattle beach back in April of this year. Female elephant seals molt in the spring while males molt later in the summer.
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