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Seen at sea 1257 results

West Seattle weekend scene: All those boats on the bay
May 4, 2013 1:03 pm
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 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Busy, busy day on Elliott Bay and at Don Armeni Boat Ramp!

We checked it out after getting an e-mail question wondering about all the boats. Here’s the occasion: 7 am-3 pm today, it’s open to recreational spot-shrimp fishing – and there’ll be a rerun next Wednesday (May 8th), same hours.

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Happening now: USS John C. Stennis in view off West Seattle
May 3, 2013 11:40 am
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

11:40 AM: Got our first text that the carrier returning home to Bremerton after an 8-month deployment is visible in the distance from Alki, which seems to correlate with a Twitter mention that it’s off north Bainbridge.

11:59 AM: In view off Alki Point now, just before it rounds the turn off south Bainbridge. (Photo by WSB co-publisher Patrick Sand, added 12:02 pm.)

12:17 PM: It’ll be out of sight soon, disappearing behind south Bainbridge, into Rich Passage. Good day for ship watching in general – right now from our vantage point at Constellation Park, two large commercial vessels are also passing. (If you’re out watching them, the darker-hulled one is the Midnight Sun, the one with the containers is Evergreen Unison, according to MarineTraffic.com.)

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Followup: USS John C. Stennis to pass West Seattle on Friday
May 1, 2013 7:47 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(August 2012 photo by Nick Adams for WSB)
Eight months ago, the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis sailed past West Seattle. This Friday, we’ll see it again, since that’s the date announced for its return to its homeport, Bremerton, according to the Kitsap Sun.

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Cruise-ship season starts Wednesday; fewer visits, visitors expected
April 28, 2013 7:02 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(April 2011 photo of Crystal Symphony passing Luna/Anchor Park, shared by CL)
A note for Elliott Bay marine-traffic watchers: Cruise-ship season starts this Wednesday (May 1st), with a stop by luxury line Crystal Cruises‘ Crystal Symphony at Pier 66 downtown. After that, the routine of weekly arrivals and departures starts next Sunday, with Holland-America Line‘s Oosterdam at Magnolia’s Pier 91, and the full weekly lineup beginning the second weekend in May. According to the Port of Seattle’s 2013 cruise-season fact sheet, this year’s stops and total passenger count are down – the projected 188 vessel visits is the lowest number since 2004, and the expected passenger total, 852,000, is the lowest since 2007. As for the changes you’ll notice, if you watch the bay and/or docks, two ships are making their Seattle debut Oceania is joining Seattle’s summer fleet, with the mid-sized Regatta docking at Pier 66. Celebrity Cruises, meantime, moves to Pier 91, with the Seattle debut of Celebrity Solstice, described last year as one of the largest ships to ever sail from here, able to handle almost 3,000 passengers. See this year’s full Seattle cruise schedule by going here.

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Updated with video: ‘Orcas of the World’ in The Whale Trail’s spotlight
April 25, 2013 8:39 pm
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 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

8:39 PM ‘HAPPENING NOW’ REPORT: It’s one of those nights when The Whale Trail turns inland – to C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor) for the ongoing series of presentations about whales and other marine life. Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for sharing photos again – here’s tonight’s featured presenter, Uko Gorter, talking about “Orcas of the World“:

Big crowd again:

Watch The Whale Trail’s website for news of the next event!

ADDED FRIDAY MORNING: Thanks to Laura for also sharing video, if you couldn’t get there last night:

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West Seattle weekend scene: Coast Guard offshore
April 21, 2013 1:28 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Thanks to David Schneider for sharing the photo, taken today off Beach Drive. He writes, “Looks like they were practicing today. Saw what looks like Coast Guard helicopter hovering just 50+ feet off the water, then dropping line to a boat below…” No incidents reported that we’ve heard of, so training is the likely explanation.

SIDE NOTE: The Coast Guard website spotlights USCG response in the aftermath of the bombings in Boston – noting that Boston is “uniquely a maritime city” (which certainly could be said of Seattle as well).

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Help those who help our waterways and their residents: Shanti’s benefit bake sale for Puget Soundkeeper Alliance
April 19, 2013 1:21 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Sea lions on a buoy in the bay are among the sights Puget Soundkeeper Alliance volunteers (like Tom Foley, who shared the top photo) see when they go out on patrol. Often, the sights are less pleasant – pollution pouring from an outfall, litter floating on the water (though Tom reported a little less of that during the recent patrol). Even if you can’t get out on the water and take action, you can support the Soundkeepers’ work today through Sunday by stopping by Shanti Salon and Spa (WSB sponsor) for their benefit bake sale – with treats like these, made by members of the Shanti team:

Shanti is on the north end of The Admiral District, at 2138 California SW, open until 7 pm today, 9 am-7 pm on Saturday, 10 am-6 pm on Sunday.

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The Whale Trail’s next event introduces you to ‘Orcas of the World’
April 18, 2013 4:55 pm
|    Comments Off on The Whale Trail’s next event introduces you to ‘Orcas of the World’
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Our local orcas have cousins all over the world! Find out about them during the fourth event in The Whale Trail‘s series of presentations: “Uko Gorter: Orcas of the World – An overview of the diversity of Orcinus orca.” It’s one week from tonight, according to the official announcement:

Orcas (killer whales) are one of the most widespread mammals in the world. Like humans, they exhibit unique cultural and even morphological differences.

Join us for this presentation by scientific illustrator Uko Gorter (also the president of the American Cetacean Society’s Puget Sound chapter), who will discuss the diversity of orcas around the globe. Spectacular photos highlight the subtle (and not so subtle) difference in appearance, unique behavior, and prey preferences between the many orca populations. Some differences are so great, they may lead to a taxonomic revisions and determination of new species and/or subspecies of orca. Uko will also discuss his collaboration with with biologists Bob Pitman, John Durban, and Andy Foote to create a poster of orca ecotypes and forms.

—–
Where: C & P Coffee Company, 5621 California SW
When: Thursday April 25, 7 – 9 (doors open 6:30)
Cost: $5 suggested donation, kids free.
–Tickets available at brownpapertickets.com

Buy tickets early and we will save you a seat! The event also features updates from Robin Lindsey (Seal Sitters), and “Diver Laura” James (tox-ick.org and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance), and photography and art from Judy Lane and Mike Russell.

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Another Seafair update: No U.S. Navy Fleet this year, either
April 9, 2013 5:04 pm
|      24 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from aboard USS Bunker Hill during 2012 Seafair Parade of Ships)
5:04 PM: In discussion of this morning’s Blue Angels cancellation announcement, one WSB’er asked if Seafair‘s Navy Fleet visits were still on – it’s had special West Seattle significance because of the Parade of Ships (here’s our 2012 coverage). We asked, and at the time, the Seafair spokesperson replied yes, as far as they knew. But now that’s changed, and they’ve just announced:

The U.S. Navy has confirmed that they are unable to provide ship visits for our fleet week due to federal budget cuts. Seafair Fleet Week will continue to emphasize military appreciation and include some component of visiting ships and Navy participation. Seafair will produce the Boeing Maritime Celebration again this summer to honor our men and woman in uniform as part of our fleet week activities. More information will be released in the coming weeks.

Keep in mind, this announcement just involves the U.S. Navy; Canadian military vessels have often participated.

6:58 PM: And to that point, Seafair says the Canadian Navy has reconfirmed its participation. Meantime, here’s what our regional U.S. Navy command says about all this.

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‘Bertha’ watch: Tunnel-machine ship finally docked downtown
April 6, 2013 1:08 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Bertha ship docks at the Port of Seattle

(WSDOT photo from this afternoon, added here Saturday night)
Since its arrival Tuesday, the Jumbo Fairpartner – carrying “Bertha” the tunneling machine, in 41 pieces – has been anchored off West Seattle’s northeastern shore. Today, it finally sailed the rest of the way to Terminal 46, which means the WSDOT webcam is now live – it’s a live-video camera, too. The most recent tweet from @BerthaDigsSR99 says unloading might start later today.

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‘Bertha’ updates: Ship with tunnel machine now off West Seattle
April 2, 2013 10:45 am
|      32 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(UPDATED LATE AFTERNOON with more views)

(Newest photo: 1:05 pm cameraphone view from Jack Block Park)
10:45 AM: The Jumbo Fairpartner, a heavy-lift ship carrying the custom-built Highway 99 tunnel machine nicknamed “Bertha,” is approaching Seattle – so we’re going on Bertha watch. For its latest position, check this MarineTraffic.com link – it’s traveling down the west side of Whidbey Island as we type this. Here’s the official WSDOT page with Bertha background and links – the state promises a live webcam as Bertha’s ship approaches its berth at Terminal 46. If you use Twitter, follow @BerthaDigsSR99. More shortly.

11:13 AM: Approaching Edmonds now, though it’s currently closer to the Kitsap County side than the Snohomish County side.

11:35 AM: Passing Kingston, per MarineTraffic.com.

11:58 AM: Seeing it in the distance from mid-Alki. If you’re coming down to the beach (or points east) for a look, get going!

12:12 PM: Bertha is now turning toward Elliott Bay. You can’t miss the cranes. Another pic shortly.

12:31 PM: Just substituted new photo above – still clearly visible from Alki but closer to the other side of the bay. Jack Block, Seacrest, Don Armeni will have good views shortly.

1:05 PM: The Fairpartner is now approaching Jack Block Park, where WSDOT executives have gathered to talk with the media, so we’ve moved there. Newest photo is atop this story.

1:30 PM: Adding a few more. The ship has stopped, for now, a ways off the park. WSDOT deputy program administrator Matt Preedy (above), the West Seattleite who you see so often speaking about the projects in this area, is here and says it’s going to anchor for a while; currently, the ship is pivoting to some degree. This is about the closest view we’re getting:

1:42 PM: WSDOT reps confirm to us here at Jack Block that Bertha is not coming all the way in to dock today – preparation will be done on ship and on shore, and they’re working around other marine traffic. Meantime, we have more great photos in the inbox, beyond what we’ve been sharing – here’s what WSB contributing photojournalist Christopher Boffoli sent from Columbia Center downtown:

We’ll add more photos in a bit – and will get on to other news, too.

ADDED 4:52 PM: Also from Christopher, the pit that “Bertha” is destined for:

From WSB contributing photojournalist Nick Adams, the Fairpartner and The Needle:

Jesse Doerr photographed the ship looking out over its eventual docking area:

Chi Duong‘s photo is from downtown:

And Adam Dunko‘s is from Hamilton Viewpoint in North Admiral:

Still more to check out – thanks!

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West Seattle sea life: Keep your distance – it’s the law
March 31, 2013 4:08 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo by Robin Lindsey)
It’s a beautiful day on the water and a beautiful day for wildlife watching – if you keep your distance, and that’s a required-by-law 100 yards. Robin Lindsey from Seal Sitters shared the photo and asked us to help get that reminder out – please don’t get so close to those sea-lion-laden buoys on the bay:

It was like a flotilla out there yesterday and lots of watercraft around them today, too. While it is tempting to get closer, people need to remember that all marine mammals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA). Sea lions and seals need to rest and regulate their body temperature. That is exactly what a huge Steller sea lion bull and a jostling gang of sea lions, mostly male California sea lions, are doing on the buoys. Our Eastern stock of Stellers are considered “threatened,” while the Western stock that lives in Alaska and Russian waters is indeed “endangered.”

Watercraft violating this federal law are being photographed and the images are being sent to NOAA’s Office for Law Enforcement. A Steller bull is a huge animal, weighing up to a ton, and if provoked could leap off and injure someone. It is only common sense that a kayaker not get within feet of the buoy as they were doing yesterday. Alki Kayak Tours is doing a great job of informing their renters to steer clear of the buoy, but others may not be aware that getting too close not only causes undue stress on the animals, but is a violation of the MMPA and punishable by fine.

We want people to get out on the water and enjoy wildlife – from a respectful distance.

Want to know more about marine mammals? Here’s the Seal Sitters’ resource-links page.

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Miss The Whale Trail’s porpoise talk? See the video!
March 31, 2013 1:47 pm
|    Comments Off on Miss The Whale Trail’s porpoise talk? See the video!
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to “Diver Laura” James for sharing video of researcher John Calambokidis‘s harbor-porpoises presentation from the latest in The Whale Trail‘s series of talks, this past Thursday night at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). Another good turnout – click the image to see a larger version of this panorama:

This was the third in TWT’s new series of events, also featuring other local advocates (such as Laura, for tox-ick.org and Puget SoundKeeper Alliance, and Seal Sitters – whose David Hutchinson is in the panorama, standing by a camera, of course). We’re checking with TWT’s Donna Sandstrom to see what’s next on the schedule; you can also watch the Whale Trail calendar for future additions.

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Highway 99 tunnel machine arrival update: Watch for it Tuesday
March 29, 2013 11:34 am
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Time flies. Or, sails. It’s already been 10 days since the heavy-lift ship Jumbo Fairpartner carrying the Highway 99 tunnel machine left Japan (as noted here, with photo). Tuesday’s the day you’ll see it sail past West Seattle shores on the way into Elliott Bay, reports Seattle Times (WSB partner) transportation reporter (and West Seattleite) Mike Lindblom, whose story includes this tracking link. We’ll of course track it with specific viewing times as it gets closer! P.S. WSDOT is offering a launch-pit walking tour next Thursday.

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Washington State Ferries now sailing on the spring schedule
March 24, 2013 4:00 am
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 |   Seen at sea | Transportation | West Seattle news

As of today, weekends will include three-boat service for eight hours each day on the Fauntleroy-Vashon-Southworth route of Washington State Ferries. That’s part of the spring schedule that has just taken effect as of this morning. Here’s the overview of changes on other routes; find the spring-schedule links here.

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Next Whale Trail event set: ‘Harbor Porpoises in the Salish Sea’
March 21, 2013 12:01 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife

(Photo courtesy John Calambokidis)
Your next chance to join The Whale Trail and friends in learning about local marine life is one week from tonight. From TWT’s Donna Sandstrom:

Harbor porpoises were once commonly seen throughout the Salish Sea. After falling to record lows, sightings are on the increase. Is the population coming back? Scientists recently gathered to discuss what we know – and don’t know – about these elusive animals. What is their range? What do they eat? Like their cousins the orcas, harbor porpoise are an indicator species for the health of Puget Sound. How are they doing?

Join us for on March 28 at C & P Coffee for the next Orca Talk, featuring John Calambokidis, founder and director of Cascadia Research. John and his colleague Jessie Huggins are leaders in the transboundary effort to assess and monitor the health of the harbor porpoise population in the Salish Sea. John is a renowned biologist who directs long-term research on the status, movements, and underwater behavior of blue, humpback, and gray whales. In 2010, John conducted the necropsy on the gray whale that stranded on Arroyo Beach in West Seattle.

The event is scheduled 6:30-9 pm, $5 suggested donation, tickets available at brownpapertickets.com. Along with the guest speaker and The Whale Trail, Donna adds, “The event also features updates from Robin Lindsey (Seal Sitters), and ‘Diver Laura’ James (tox-ick.org and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance), and photography and art from Judy Lane and Mike Russell.”

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Ship carrying ‘Bertha’ the tunnel machine sets sail for Seattle
March 19, 2013 4:17 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Alaskan Way Viaduct | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

Bertha sets sail – SR 99 tunneling machine heads for Seattle

In less than two weeks, it’ll be quite a spectacle along West Seattle (and other) shores, so you might as well get ready now. The ship above, the Jumbo Fairpartner, set sail hours ago from Osaka, Japan, carrying “Bertha,” the Highway 99 tunnel-boring machine. WSDOT says it’ll arrive around April 1st – no foolin’! The machine is in 41 pieces as it begins its 5,000-mile journey across the Pacific, bound for Terminal 46 on the downtown waterfront, where it will be unloaded and reassembled before it starts heading north from the launch pit just south of where what’s left of the Alaskan Way Viaduct ends. WSDOT is already tweeting about the trip at @BerthaDigsSR99.

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Carrier with cars: USS Ronald Reagan on the move again
March 18, 2013 1:32 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(Click image for larger view – photo by David Schneider)
More sightings this morning of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) on the move off West Seattle shores. It was out of view by the time we got down to the water but we’ve since received this photo from David Schneider, who wondered about the cars on deck. West Seattle ship-watchers noticed the same thing when the carrier arrived in early 2012 for work in Bremerton – see the photos and comments here. With the work done, the carrier is moving its homeport to San Diego and that means “everything must go.”

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From Seal Sitters: 3-pup day; chemical-ban advocacy; surfing seals
March 18, 2013 1:00 am
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 |   Environment | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

THREE SEALS FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY: No holiday for the Seal Sitters. On their Blubberblog website, you can read about today’s three pup sightings, all in the Jack Block Park vicinity – a pup dubbed Shamrock who appeared to be making a first-time visit; the return of rehabiiltated pup Ruby; and a third pup who’s nameless so far.

CHEMICAL BAN TO GET PUBLIC HEARING THIS WEEK: Tuesday afternoon, HB 1294 gets a public hearing in the State Senate Energy, Environment & Telecommunications Committee. This bill would ban two toxic flame-retardant chemicals that get into the food chain and are stored in the fat of marine life – especially our area’s seal pups – as well as humans. As noted in this Blubberblog report explaining the need for a ban, it recently passed the State House. You can e-mail your thoughts to our area’s Sen. Sharon Nelson by using this form.

SLIPPING-AND-SLIDING ‘SURFING’ SEAL-PUP CLIP: Seal Sitters‘ Robin Lindsey called our attention to this clip, which you might already have seen, since it’s passed a million views on YouTube:

Ethan Janson set up the surfboard platform off Three Tree Point in Burien. As Robin’s Blubberblog post notes, and as Alki residents and visitors have seen firsthand, platforms are a boon to seals of all sizes, so they can rest without coming ashore and having to deal with other animals (humans included). Follow the link to find out more about building your own – she writes that Alki’s own Guy Smith, builder of the Joy D. Smith Wildlife Raft, was a later consultant to the video-maker!

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Video: PBS features ‘Diver Laura’ and the fight against runoff pollution
March 16, 2013 11:52 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(EDITOR’s NOTE: Embedded video window removed because of technical problem – please follow the first link in the story to see the video)

West Seattle’s own “Diver Laura” James shares the link to that report from PBS NewsHour earlier this week. Her work documenting underwater Puget Sound sights both beautiful and disturbing is featured along with something you might not have heard about the use of raingardens to intercept runoff pollution: The fact that techniques are being studied to find out more about how they work and how long they work. (Despite the labeling from PBS, the video clip is mostly about runoff, not raingardens.) Laura is now leading the tox-ick.org program to educate people about reducing runoff, not only via stormwater interception but in so many other ways, and she’ll again be part of the team when local advocates join The Whale Trail‘s next presentation, coming up March 28th (look for more details on that from TWT later this weekend).

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Seen off West Seattle: Aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan
March 9, 2013 4:39 pm
|      39 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

First we got a note from Amanda asking which aircraft carrier is passing West Seattle right now; while we tried to find out, without even asking the question publicly, we received the photo above from Thom, who identified it as CVN-76, the carrier USS Ronald Reagan. We last featured it here in January 2012 as it arrived for what was described at the time as a year of maintenance.

ADDED 4:57 PM: Amanda also shared a photo. We haven’t figured out yet what the Ronald Reagan is heading out for – but we did find a bit of information saying the USS John C Stennis is due back in Bremerton later this month, so we’ll be watching for that sighting off Alki and Beach Drive.

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Beach Drive boat woes: The trimaran’s builder tells his story
February 19, 2013 9:53 pm
|      14 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news

(Saturday photo by Nick Adams for WSB)
By Katie Meyer
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

As we’ve covered the Beach Drive boat-woes saga, the now-wrecked trimaran’s background has started to emerge, particularly once commenters discussed having seen it advertised online for free.

Finally finding that expired ad led us to the man who built the trimaran that is now in pieces south of the Harbor West Condos. He had not heard about the fate of the Nunga Nunga Nue until we contacted him today.

Bob Sinclair is 85, a mainframe programmer who retired from Boeing in 1992, and who originally built the trimaran himself decades ago: “Originally, I had dreams of building something large enough that I could go anywhere in the world if I wanted to, and small enough that I could sail it myself.”

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Are local whales recovering? The Whale Trail’s next Orca Talk
February 16, 2013 6:30 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle news | Wildlife


(October 2012 photo by Nick Adams for WSB; click image for larger view)
Last month, the first talk in a new series presented by The Whale Trail drew a full house to C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). The next talk is just five days away – Thursday (February 21) – and tickets are still available, reports TWT’s Donna Sandstrom with this reminder:

It has been almost 8 years since the Southern Resident Killer Whales (J, K and L pods) were listed as endangered. How are they doing? What progress has been made towards their recovery? What can we do to help?

Join us for this informal and informative talk featuring Lynne Barre, NOAA Fisheries. Learn what NOAA and its partners are doing to conserve and protect these iconic and beloved whales, including current research findings, management approaches and population updates.

Lynne is the Branch Chief in the Protected Resources Division at NOAA. She worked on the endangered listing of the Southern Residents, designated critical habitat, and developed and finalized the SRKW Recovery Plan.

As part of the recovery program, Lynne developed an oil-spill-response plan and protective regulations for killer whales in Washington. She works closely with partner organizations, including The Whale Trail, to implement the recovery plan. Lynne also works on the newly listed rockfish species and coordinates with Puget Sound salmon recovery.

We’ll also hear updates from Robin Lindsay (Seal Sitters) and Laura James (tox-ick.org).

This is the second in an “Orca Talk” series, hosted by The Whale Trail at C&P, 5621 California SW. Cost: $5 suggested donation, kids free. Advance tickets available at brownpapertickets.com/event/337516. Buy tickets now – see you there!

Questions – or, interested in volunteering? Here’s how to reach Donna: donna@thewhaletrail.org or 206.919.5397.

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