West Seattle weekend scenes: Mystery messages materialize

March 3, 2013 at 2:39 pm | In Seen around town, West Seattle news | 39 Comments

Last night, Kristina told us about that photo via the WSB Facebook page:

At Lowman Beach this morning, there was a sign “I surrender” on a log – someone went to some trouble to letter the sign, and to cut the groove into a log to attach the sign, and I wonder what it’s about. … Who put it there? What does it mean? It’s beautiful and thought-provoking and I am appreciative: thank you.

Reminded us of a stenciled message we noticed on a Lowman Beach log and showed here almost six years ago. But apparently it’s not just a Lowman phenomenon – Kristina then e-mailed this afternoon to say she came across this today in the Schmitz Park area:

Clues, anyone? Seen others?

39 Comments

  1. But don’t give yourself away!

    Comment by Steve Castle — 3:59 pm March 3, 2013 #

  2. “…someone went to some trouble to letter the sign, and to cut the groove into a log to attach the sign…”
    .
    I am not appreciative of that.

    Comment by mookie — 4:11 pm March 3, 2013 #

  3. I think it is in reference to the log being cut down and beached, “It surrendered” for man kind.

    The other sign is in reference to the death of the park due to the power infrastructure!

    Comment by Silly Goose — 4:21 pm March 3, 2013 #

  4. Really, Mookie? A log? And a driftwood log, at that? Where’s the “rolls eyes” emoticon? Sheez. Like the sign says, I Surrender.

    Comment by Chuck & Sally's Van Man — 4:24 pm March 3, 2013 #

  5. I saw the sign yesterday, Saturday, it looks like someones idea of public art on the sly. If they cut the notch in that tree they did it neatly because I didn’t see any sawdust from the work. The tree may have been cut before it washed up. It appears harmless, no need to stress over it.

    Comment by westseattlecodger — 5:13 pm March 3, 2013 #

  6. Gotta agree with Chuck & Sally’s Van Man.

    I see nothing wrong with desecrating driftwood. PC to the extreme.

    Comment by West Seattle Hipster — 6:00 pm March 3, 2013 #

  7. I’d love to hear about other sightings if there are any. I thought that both signs were fabulous (although the scene of the Lowman Beach one was much more attractive than the one outside Schmitz Park leaning against that ugly fence!). I’m a fan of public art on the sly, and I’d love to see more of it!

    Comment by Kristina — 6:01 pm March 3, 2013 #

  8. saw a tall-ish middle-aged white guy using a hand drill on a piece of driftwood yesterday afternoon on the beach at Fauntleroy Cove not far from Colman pool…

    Comment by WS Family — 7:07 pm March 3, 2013 #

  9. Kool. More. Please.

    Comment by Mike — 7:18 pm March 3, 2013 #

  10. Since when did people start thinking of parks and beaches as their personal sketchpads?

    Comment by Robert — 7:26 pm March 3, 2013 #

  11. We’re talking about a notch in…..driftwood? We feel like we have to defend cutting a notch in driftwood?

    Please either tell me that I’m dreaming, or this is a joke. Because the alternative is even worse.

    Comment by G — 7:36 pm March 3, 2013 #

  12. kind of ok with us, but not really, hoping they come back and remove it before the tide turns it into unsightly
    garbage in our already struggling Puget Sound marine environment –
    that someone else has to deal with…

    Comment by WS Family — 7:39 pm March 3, 2013 #

  13. What’s wrong with public art, especially done in a really low-key way? One little sign is going to clutter up the Sound? It’s placed well above the tide line, and would take an usually high tide to float it out.

    Sheesh.

    Comment by G — 7:53 pm March 3, 2013 #

  14. I was going to make that point. If you’ve been to Lowman Beach – the logs are close to the west edge of the grassy part of the park, and don’t get hit with the tide. And the sign in photo #2 is nowhere near the water. – TR

    Comment by WSB — 7:56 pm March 3, 2013 #

  15. The second sign reminds me of a mantra in meta-meditation (lovingkindness).
    You focus these types of thoughts on yourself and the world around you to cultivate compassion..

    Comment by LisaM — 8:03 pm March 3, 2013 #

  16. feel like a hugging a real tree right now…

    OK, maybe not right now.

    Comment by supernova72 — 8:19 pm March 3, 2013 #

  17. Maybe the person didn’t cut the log and simply placed the board there. Maybe the log was already cut. Lots of driftwood turns up near there like that already. Cool stuff!

    Comment by westseattlelove — 9:10 pm March 3, 2013 #

  18. Typical West Seattle crazies on here. Get over it. It’s driftwood. And speaking of garbage in the Sound, we’re planning to send out a message in a bottle! :)

    Comment by E — 10:00 pm March 3, 2013 #

  19. If I wanted Deep Thoughts and Profound Wisdom, I’d break open a fortune cookie.

    Comment by Sonoma — 10:15 pm March 3, 2013 #

  20. Maybe someone is coming to terms with a break-up?

    Comment by argonautter — 10:30 pm March 3, 2013 #

  21. Art to one person is graffiti to another. Fortune cookie.

    Comment by Carol O. — 10:54 pm March 3, 2013 #

  22. In any event who cares, it’s cool and thought provoking. Love it!

    Comment by Rara — 11:00 pm March 3, 2013 #

  23. It’s about the boundaries which i guess is the concern. Where do we draw the line? What if spray painted directly on a driftwood log? What if on a live tree? What if the message weren’t as contemplative but more provocative or even insulting? Where is freedom of expression trespass on ones freedom to enjoy unadulterated nature? What if carved into the tree? And so the conversation continues…

    Comment by Art critic — 9:02 am March 4, 2013 #

  24. oh no! how could anyone hurt a poor defenseless chunk of driftwood? What is this world coming too! L.O.L.!

    Comment by earth first ed — 9:07 am March 4, 2013 #

  25. REALLY, WEST SEATTLE?! It’s driftwood. Get over it.

    Comment by Cait — 9:26 am March 4, 2013 #

  26. Oh my gosh these comments crack me up – so much ire over messages of peace and groove in driftwood! Perhaps the artist did the one about peace, then felt despair over the state of humanity and created the second. Well, nevermind, Mr./Ms. Artist. You can’t please everyone, but *I* appreciated them!

    Comment by Kristina — 9:33 am March 4, 2013 #

  27. I prefer the art of natural driftwood. If you must do it, leave it up for a while and then please remove it before it deteriorates and litters the beach.

    Comment by sgs — 9:43 am March 4, 2013 #

  28. I tip my hat to you, Steve Castle.

    Comment by Robin Zander — 10:15 am March 4, 2013 #

  29. Just the thought of this gets my inner dervishes whirling like a kid on three bags of Skittles and half a bottle of Ritalin, ricocheting between hysteria and despair, his grandmother’s Hummels and the hopelessness of two parents who just won the ADHD super lottery, leaving me 14 bats closer to the belfry and finally, sadly, understanding what the words ‘to be or no to be’ really mean, and even wishing I was back in Mrs. Cranbuel’s english class listening to her trying to explain what the ‘not to be’ part means without traumatizing us, praying for a fire drill, but knowing that we’re all now tainted in some way that I don’t fully understand and that there is no fire drill coming this time.

    Comment by lost my will to live — 11:26 am March 4, 2013 #

  30. I think a 3rd party moved this sign as it was somewhere else earlier in the week.

    Comment by Jim — 12:27 pm March 4, 2013 #

  31. Heeeeeello Sign Poster. I know you’re reading these posts and enjoying every minute of it! Good on ya!

    Comment by WTF — 2:34 pm March 4, 2013 #

  32. This thread is an episode of Portlandia waiting to happen LOL

    Comment by Terry — 2:56 pm March 4, 2013 #

  33. @ Terry: Definitely Portlandia!

    Comment by westseattlelove — 4:55 pm March 4, 2013 #

  34. I certainly hope that the sign boards, stencils and paint were locally sourced.

    Comment by Ajax — 5:07 pm March 4, 2013 #

  35. Put a bird on it

    Comment by MetPatrick — 6:52 pm March 4, 2013 #

  36. ..or a little yellow duck

    Comment by Gatewood — 9:27 pm March 4, 2013 #

  37. Too bad there’s no port security cameras up and running there. We could track this individual down and arrest him/her.

    Comment by The Man — 9:53 pm March 4, 2013 #

  38. OMG. Reading these posts are ridiculous. You tree huggers are acting like the beach was tarred and feathered. Give me a break!

    Comment by MB — 8:36 am March 5, 2013 #

  39. The beauty IS all the comments this is provoking … but especially from those getting all worked up over this (really people, get a life …). Good for the artist – you stirred reaction. More power to you … and thanks for the metaphorical gentle elbow in the ribs.

    Comment by wscommuter — 9:48 am March 5, 2013 #

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