(Added: Photo by Admiral 935, looking north on California SW as PP passed)
1:29 PM: We’re launching as-it-happens coverage now that the Polar Pioneer is close to Seattle – destination: West Seattle’s Terminal 5 – and media as well as spectators are getting in place. We’re starting at Seacrest, where TV crews are converging, as well as some drilling opponents who say they plan to “unwelcome” PP; they’ve put up red “warning” flags on the pier and some kayakers are in the water.
Also spotted: City Councilmember Mike O’Brien:
Meantime, after slowing to a near-stop for a while across the Sound from Shoreline, Polar Pioneer and its accompanying vessels are on the move again. Updates to come.
1:39 PM: Texter says it’s in view in the distance from Alki Point. We’re setting up near Anchor/Luna Park to see it when it rounds the bend. Photos? editor@westseattleblog.com – thanks!
Coming into view by West Point pic.twitter.com/5N19bncQeM
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 14, 2015
1:47 PM: Visible now coming up to West Point. (Added)
(Photo by Gary Jones, taken from Alki Point as Polar Pioneer passed West Point)
Kayakers head out past Duwamish Head pic.twitter.com/8nSImk4N58
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 14, 2015
Kayakers are off Duwamish Head. As mentioned in our earlier coverage when it left Port Angeles around 1:30 am, the rig has four Foss vessels with it – Andrew Foss, Garth Foss, Lindsey Foss, and Pacific Star – and, since then, has added three Coast Guard vessels.
2 PM: A police boat has taken up position near the navigation marker off Duwamish Head. The kayakers are still floating just offshore. (added) The police boat came over for a closer look at them:
the @seattlepd boat giving kayakers a look-see pic.twitter.com/h6kqxNfIR1
— West Seattle Blog (@westseattleblog) May 14, 2015
2:25 PM: It’s in Elliott Bay now, traveling at 7 knots, 13 hours after leaving Port Angeles. Meantime, that’s NOT a TV helicopter circling over us on the Duwamish Head shore, that’s Guardian One.
3:01 PM: We’ve been on Twitter (and live on Periscope) for the past half-hour as the Polar Pioneer passed Duwamish Head. Lots of spectators.
Helicopters overhead, kayakers, Coast Guard, other vessels on the water.
3:16 PM: Co-publisher Patrick Sand has headed east/southeast to Don Armeni, where a protest sign is about to be hoisted or floated. He sent this photo:
(added) Here’s what it looked like – yes, it was tethered:
(added) Chief Seattle’s great-great-grand niece, Duwamish Tribe chair Cecile Hansen, watched with her daughter from Jack Block Park. Thanks to Ann Anderson for this photo:
Ann also shared this one, in which you can see a tribal canoe out with the group on the water:
Speaking of sending photos, thanks to everyone who’s done that – just starting to check them. Polar Pioneer remains stopped in the bay.
@westseattleblog here's a stevedores view pic.twitter.com/ECBrRbEyXg
— Justin Hirsch (@justindhirsch) May 14, 2015
3:44 PM: It’s on the move again, heading south, toward the port. We’ll see if it goes all the way to T-5, where, as we reported yesterday, the city says it would be in violation of the Port’s permit and could be cited.
Polar Pioneer and the #Seattle city skyline. #shellno @westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/BkyMYxSwIW
— Kevin Freitas (@kevinfreitas) May 14, 2015
4:36 PM: Kevin‘s tweeted photo shows the Polar Pioneer as it rounded the bend and headed into the mouth of the Duwamish River, where it’s arrived at T-5:
Polar Pioneer at the dock.@westseattleblog pic.twitter.com/l1PPcv6I13
— Joe Conley (@Kawnliee) May 15, 2015
We’re back at HQ right now getting ready for some evening coverage (unrelated) and will be adding more photos.
(Thanks to Scott for this view from Riverside, looking toward the “low bridge”)
5:08 PM: For some, seeing it might be their first word about all this – we were reminded of that by a phone call. Same way that the shutdown of T-5 last summer surprised some who didn’t make the connection until they saw the vast, empty stretch. But no, it’s NOT here to drill in local waters. It’s scheduled to stay here for a matter of weeks before leaving for the offshore Arctic drilling for which Shell recently won a key federal approval. But first – opponents are continuing with their plans for a “festival of resistance” this Thursday through Saturday. We talked today with Seattle Police to ask about their plans; they acknowledged a briefing this morning but said that on the water it’s Coast Guard jurisdiction, on port land it’s Port Police jurisdiction – they’re just standing by to see if anything happens outside those two areas. We are awaiting the port’s answer to our questions about whether they are planning any different access policies at Jack Block, for example. Meantime – it’s been three months since the Port’s CEO announced the signing of the lease with Foss, which said it in turn had a deal to bring the Shell vessels here.
ADDED EARLY FRIDAY: David Hutchinson photographed the Polar Pioneer, docked, with the latest “kayaktivist training” class, which had headed out from Seacrest earlier in the evening.
That was billed as the last training class before Saturday’s long-scheduled on-the-water protest. More on that later today.
| 87 COMMENTS