11:53 AM: Thanks to Paula Grassell for the photo from Alki – that’s the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), headed out this morning. It’s one of two aircraft carriers based at Bremerton, but you won’t see the other one off our shores for a while – the USS Nimitz is getting maintenance work for the next year. The Stennis has been out for various training periods in recent months, getting ready for an upcoming deployment, but there’s no official word yet on this voyage.

12:48 PM: And thanks to Tom Stoner for this photo: