West Seattle scene: The vessel that caught eyes off Alki

If you were in the Alki area tonight, you may have noticed that vessel – the 231-foot Mt. Mitchell – spending a long time just offshore. We received a few notes about it, and Mike shared that sunset photo. We don’t know exactly what it was doing – here’s the data from MarineTraffic.com – but we do know it’s a research vessel, once in service for NOAA, but now privately owned (here’s the infopage on the website of the company that owns it), and specializing in underwater mapping. We’ll see if we can find out tomorrow exactly what it was up to (if someone who knows doesn’t happen by here sooner).

5 Replies to "West Seattle scene: The vessel that caught eyes off Alki"

  • Carol July 15, 2010 (11:00 pm)

    Was wondering the same thing and posted a different picture on my FB. The “vessel” is still out on the water @ 11:00pm. Will be interested to learn what it’s been doing out there for so long. Thanks WSB and Mike (upstairs photographer).

  • Alki Resident July 15, 2010 (11:04 pm)

    Its been out there off and on all day,plus this afternoon there was a helicopter hovering around it like it may have been part of a surveyor or something.

  • Fiwa Jcbbb July 16, 2010 (10:52 am)

    They’re surveying for the new West Seattle – Downtown subway tube to run beneath Elliot Bay.

    I can dream, can’t I?

  • Megan July 20, 2010 (1:32 pm)

    It was definitely a nice night to watch Mt. Mitchell at work! R/V Mt. Mitchell was testing some equipment and completing sea-trials before departing for a summer research mission. If you enjoyed watching the ship off of Alki, go to facebook and “Like” the ship, so you can keep up with her activity throughout the year.

    http://www.facebook.com/pages/Seattle-WA/RV-Mt-Mitchell/113657191978425

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