West Seattle, Washington
16 Sunday
(WSB photo, Duwamish canoe family launching for 2024 Canoe Journey)
While dozens of canoe families from around the region are arriving at Alki on Wednesday afternoon, the Duwamish Tribe‘s canoe family will be heading out, though their ultimate destination is the same. You’re invited to the sendoff at 2 pm at Don Armeni Boat Ramp (1222 Harbor Avenue SW). Here’s the tribe’s announcement of what’s ahead:
Tomorrow, July 29, marks the beginning for the Duwamish headed to Canoe Journey 2026, Paddle to Nisqually Medicine Creek Potlatch, which continues an inter-tribal celebration and annual gathering of Northwest Indigenous nations. After preparing and training for months, the Duwamish Tribe Canoe Family is poised to join and celebrate the annual canoe journey, Healing Through Our Waters By Honoring Our Ancestors, from July 29 to August 5.
Canoe Journey is an annual Indigenous cultural event, held in the Pacific Northwest, where Native Nations from Washington, Alaska, British Columbia, and beyond travel by traditional-style canoe along the Salish Sea and surrounding waterways to reach the host Nation, this year the Nisqually, for a week-long gathering. This final landing is one of the most powerful parts of the experience — canoes arriving one by one, crews announcing their Nation, and being formally welcomed ashore.
The annual tribal journey in the Pacific Northwest region was sparked by the Paddle to Seattle in 1989, hosted by the Duwamish and Suquamish Tribes and spearheaded by Quinault Elder Emmett Oliver, as part of Washington State’s Centennial celebration (see image of inaugural event T-shirt on display at the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center). Each year, the Tribe reflects on the first Paddle to Seattle and the strength of those who came before us, grateful to our elders and especially to our Chairwoman Cecile Oliver Hansen for setting the tone for future generations. We are still here and we are blessed to pull together. The Canoe Journey has grown to include over 100 canoes and the participation of Canoe Families from other native canoe cultures, including Native American tribes, First Nations peoples, Alaska Natives, Inuit, Maori, Native Hawaiians, and other indigenous peoples from across the world.
This year, the Duwamish Tribe Canoe Family will depart Alki Beach [Don Armeni Boat Ramp] around 2:00 pm on July 29, paddle to Blake Island and host camp for the night, and then continue to Puyallup on July 30 and, after a stop at Steilacoom, paddle toward Nisqually on July 31 (see map). The Duwamish protocol, where Tribal Canoe Families share their songs and dances, is estimated to happen on August 4 or 5.
Duwamish Tribe Canoe Family has spent months preparing — training crews, practicing song and dance, and planning routes. This year’s journey began in mid-July with canoes making their way from further out toward Nisqually, where each canoe is welcomed at every stop by host communities with food, songs, and protocol that honor safety, respect, and shared responsibility on the water.
Last year’s Canoe Journey was hosted by the Elwha on the Olympic Peninsula, so when the Duwamish canoe family headed out, they were northbound.
(Old south-restroom building, photo courtesy Kay Kirkpatrick)
Also from the city today, an update on the Westcrest Park south restroom project. Seattle Parks is planning two info-sessions – the main one will be Saturday August 8, 10 am to noon at the south parking lot entrance (8th/Barton). City staff also plans to be at the Westcrest P-Patch work party on Wednesday, August 5 at 5 pm “for a quick briefing to share the designs directly with you in the garden.” The project is described as follows:
SPR is replacing the south restroom with a prefabricated facility that meets Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements. The SPR team will present the preferred location and design for the new restroom along with restoration options for the old play area footprint left after the former south play area was relocated in 2013. This is an opportunity to provide feedback on the preferred design before announcing the final design in the coming months.
The project team told HPAC in January, as we reported here, that they were looking at a “Portland Loo” type of restroom for the site. The project website also reiterates the same budget numbers mentioned then – $1.35 million total, $823,517 for the restroom, $527,689 for the play-area site. They expect to start construction next spring.
Tribal canoe arriving at Suquamish yesterday.
By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog
With nearly perfect conditions forecast on the water, more than 100 tribal canoes are expected to arrive at Alki Beach tomorrow afternoon. It’s the second-to-last stop on the 2026 Tribal Canoe Journey, an annual event that brings together Pacific Northwest tribal canoes to join in a paddle-powered journey to a hosting tribal nation, which this year is the Nisqually Tribe.
Most of the canoes will be coming to West Seattle from the Suquamish Tribe’s Port Madison Indian Reservation along Agate Passage in North Kitsap, a distance of about 13 miles. Some canoes started their journeys from the Washington coast or Northern Vancouver Island more than 2 weeks ago to get to central Puget Sound in time. (see map) If the forecast holds true, canoes will have a 7mph wind at their backs and temperatures in the high ‘60s under sunny skies. The tide will be coming in as they make their way across the sound, with expected arrival on the beach in front of the Alki Bathhouse sometime between 1-3 pm.
Canoes staged today on shore at Suquamish ahead of departure to Alki in the morning.
As we reported in a June preview, the Muckleshoot Tribe is hosting the West Seattle stop on the journey and will welcome canoes to shore and provide overnight camping, food and an opportunity to share culture at their tribal campus in Auburn. They will also provide security for the canoes, many of which will stay on the beach awaiting the next leg of the journey to the Puyallup Tribe of Indians landing in Tacoma on Thursday.
The Muckleshoot are providing event parking and shuttles for participants and the general public at a Port of Seattle parking lot (2949 SW Florida Street) next to Jack Block Park. Expect increased traffic in the area, but the Seattle Police Department tells WSB that they don’t have any officers assigned to the event.
The last time canoes landed at Alki as part of the tribal journey was in 2023, when the Muckleshoot welcomed 126 canoes. There is no departure ceremony per se, but canoes are expected to begin leaving Alki between 6 am-8 am on Thursday morning. The Nisqually Tribe will host the Medicine Creek Potlatch journey celebration, with 6 days of camping and protocol, starting with the ceremonial landing at Sequalitchew Creek in DuPont on Friday.
While dozens of canoe families are arriving at Alki, the Duwamish Tribe‘s canoe family will be leaving Don Armeni Boat Ramp at 2 pm Tuesday, heading to Blake Island to host a camp there; we’ll have a separate preview later tonight.
That map is from an SDOT announcement this afternoon that the department has finalized the design of the much-discussed Highland Park Way hill lane-conversion project and could start construction early next year. To describe the final design, SDOT offers these overview points:
Updated Design Highlights
-The curb will not be shifted along the full downhill section
-Semi-permanent concrete barriers will be used instead of a full curb shift to allow flexibility during emergencies
-Improved bike and pedestrian connections throughout the corridor
-New lane layout that maintains traffic flow, slows vehicle speeds, and reduces congestion near W Marginal Way SWFeatures That Remain from Previous Design
-One downhill lane removed beginning at SW Holden St
-Wider, repaved shared-use path with upgraded lighting
The SDOT map above shows the final design for the northeast end of the project zone, the intersection with West Marginal Way SW, which SDOT says now includes:
-Protected bike lane extends all the way to the intersection
-Downhill lane expands to three lanes (left-turn lane and two through-lanes)
-Center median removed to fit the new lane configuration
-One westbound left turn lane removed on W Marginal Way SW
Other sections of the project are detailed, each with a map, on this webpage – here’s one of them, in an area that had been the subject of much discussion, where a residential street meets the downhill lanes:
SW Othello St Area
-Widened shared-use path
-Downhill protected bike lane with jersey barrier opening and bike pavement markings at intersection
-Single downhill travel lane
-Advanced warning signs for intersection
-No centerline markings to indicate turning movements
SDOT says construction will “begin as soon as February 2027.” The idea of removing a driving lane to install a bicycle lane dates back six years, though at the time it was proposed for the uphill side; it was eventually shelved, but resurfaced in a proposal for federal funding in 2022.
That photo is from one of multiple readers who have messaged us to report a sighting of ICE officers at Alki Beach this afternoon. The sender, who also sent this video, said the officers, in unmarked vehicles, converged on that vendor stand along the sidewalk, then left apparently without detaining anyone.
We’ve been going by the future location of Glassyard Commons – the northeast West Seattle site planned to hold 72 RVs and 20 tiny houses – every few days, looking for signs that construction was finally starting. This afternoon, we saw it, with several pieces of heavy equipment in operation and a portable toilet in place. This is line with what Glassyard Commons operator Low-Income Housing Institute told us for our most-recent update a week ago, saying they expected to start work by month’s end. When we first reported in January on the plan to build the site on government-owned land at 7201 2nd Avenue SW, LIHI and the city had hoped to have the site open before the Seattle World Cup matches that ended three weeks ago; now LIHI says they’re aiming to have Glassyard Commons open in November.
You’ve probably heard about the Chilly Hilly bike ride. One of your West Seattle neighbors is inviting you to join in the second annual Warmy Flatty!
Maggie organized it as a way to raise money to fight gastrointestinal cancer, in honor of her mom Janet Osborn, a teacher at Pathfinder K-8 for almost 20 years:
My mom always told my dad that she’d never ride the Chilly Hilly on Bainbridge with him, but she’d be happy to do a Warmy Flatty!
Last year we had our inaugural Warmy Flatty and we are looking forward to this year’s event! We ended up raising over $10,000 for gastrointestinal cancer research at Fred Hutch. Join us for the Second Annual Warmy Flatty on Alki on August 22nd. We’ll ride, scoot, walk, or run to raise some money for Fred Hutch and their research into gastrointestinal cancers.
It’s a casual event, starting at 9 am on Saturday, August 22 – no preregistration required, just show up (though Maggie hopes you’ll donate via the fundraising page – even if you’re not going! (If you want to join an email list for updates, though, go here.)
12:32 PM: Thanks to Chris for the tip. Two lanes are blocked on the northbound 1st Ave. South Bridge after a crash. Avoid that route for a while.
12:40 PM: WSDOT says one of those lanes has reopened.
10 PM: We didn’t have any information on the collision circumstances at the time, but tonight the State Patrol has sent a news release saying it involved a bike rider hitting the gate on the pedestrian walkway and falling to the ground. The rider, who has not been identified, was described as intoxicated and not wearing a helmet. WSP says no other people or vehicles were involved.
THURSDAY UPDATE: The King County Medical Examiner’s Office says the rider was a 51-year-old woman who died from a “blunt-force head injury.”
11:53 AM: As noted in today’s event list, the City Council‘s regular weekly meeting is at 2 pm. Today’s agenda includes an expected vote on Councilmember Eddie Lin‘s proposal to limit land-use appeals that he says are delaying housing development. District 1 Councilmember Rob Saka has proposed an amendment that he says would “preserve the public’s ability to appeal certain determinations to the Seattle Hearing Examiner.” His news release this morning about his proposed Amendment B says this is what it would do:
The underlying bill will eliminate Hearing Examiner appeals for environmental determinations associated with Comprehensive Plan changes and development regulations, while retaining judicial and Growth Management Hearings Board review. The City’s analysis found 28 relevant administrative appeals over ten years; 19 were dismissed or withdrawn, while three resulted in some form of remand or reversal.
Rather than eliminating administrative (Type V) SEPA appeals entirely, Councilmember Saka’s amendment offers a more balanced alternative.
–Prioritizes housing: Requires the Hearing Examiner to prioritize appeals involving Comprehensive Plan amendments or development regulations that facilitate housing.
-Accelerates timelines: Reduces the standard timeline for resolving these appeals from 120 days to 90 days.
-Preserves independent review: Keeps independent, pre-decision review of the City’s environmental analysis.
–Safeguards public input: Maintains the public’s ability to identify legitimate deficiencies before major land use decisions become law.
If you want to comment on this or anything else before the council today, the agenda explains how to do that, either remotely or in person.
6:12 PM: In a marathon council meeting that’s not over yet, the council has just passed the bill, 5-4 (“no” votes were Hollingsworth, Juarez, Rivera, and Saka); Saka’s amendment failed, with his vote the only one in favor of it.
Thanks to Brooke for the photo of her “coffee buddy” bunny. Here’s our list of event notes/reminders/listings for today/tonight, mostly from the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
DSHS TRUCK AT SCC: As previewed and explained here, the state DSHS’s mobile truck will be at South Seattle College (6000 16th SW; WSB sponsor) 10 am-2 pm to accept applications for food and cash assistance.
POSTCARDS4DEMOCRACY: New postcard-writers as well as returnees are welcome at this weekly advocacy gathering, 10:30 am-noon at C & P Coffee (5612 California SW; WSB sponsor). Sign up here before you go, if this is your first time.
SPRAYPARK SEASON: Daily operations continue at the Highland Park Spraypark (1100 SW Cloverdale) – free, scheduled 11 am-8 pm daily.
ROTARY CLUB OF WEST SEATTLE: Noon at West Seattle Golf Course (4470 35th SW; WSB sponsor); today’s speaker is Ben Martin, who wrote a play about polio, a signature Rotary cause.
SOUTH PARK SPROUTS GARDEN CLUB: Explore the natural world at South Park Library (8604 8th Ave. S.), noon-1 pm, in Spanish and English.
KEEPING A NATURE JOURNAL: Today’s Summer Quest project is at High Point Library (3411 SW Raymond), noon.
WADING POOLS OPEN: With sunshine and warm weather, West Seattle’s regular wading-pool lineup will be open – noon to 7 pm at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way, upper park near the north lot) and at EC Hughes (2805 SW Holden).
COLMAN POOL: Noon-7 pm, daily sessions continue at the outdoor saltwater pool on the shore at Lincoln Park – see the schedule here. (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW)
FIRST BLUE ANGEL ARRIVAL: The #7 jet is scheduled to arrive at Boeing Field around 12:35 pm, with the other six due in tomorrow, in advance of this weekend’s Seafair Airshows.
CHESS CLUB: All levels! 1:30-3 pm, at the Center for Active Living (4217 SW Oregon).
OTHER EVENTS AT THE CENTER: Dozens every week! Go here for the full Center for Active Living calendar.
CITY COUNCIL MEETING: Regular weekly 2 pm meeting; here’s the agenda, which explains how to participate, in person or remotely.
DROP-IN WINE TASTING: 5-7 pm Tuesdays at Walter’s Wine Shop (4811 California SW) – $15 fee, $5 off with bottle purchases. French wine is in the spotlight tonight.
DEMONSTRATION FOR BLACK LIVES: Long-running weekly sign-waving on the corners at 16th/Holden. 5-6 pm. Signs available if you don’t have your own.
TUESDAY NIGHT SUPPER CLUB: Alki Kayak Tours and Mountain to Sound Outfitters (WSB sponsor) are presenting this weekly event for stand-up paddleboarders – details here – 5:30 pm. (1660 Harbor SW)
INTERFAITH FREEDOM VIGIL: Weekly, 5:30-6:30 pm at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza candlelight vigil open to all. (61st SW and Alki SW)
STORY TIME IN THE GARDEN: 6 pm at Delridge P-Patch (5078 25th SW), story time for kids, followed by a garden activity.
PLAY ALONG IN THE PARK: Last chance! 6 pm, fourth of four Tuesday nights during which you are invited to play with the West Seattle Community Orchestras at Lincoln Park (8011 Fauntleroy Way SW) – see our calendar listing for specific groups and times. You’re welcome to come be part of the audience, too – also free.
OPEN MIC: 6:30 pm signups, 7 pm music at the open mic hosted by Levi Said at Tim’s (16th SW and SW 98th) in White Center.
TRACK RUN WITH WEST SEATTLE RUNNER: Meet up by 6:15 pm at West Seattle Runner (2743 California SW; WSB sponsor) for WSR’s free weekly track run.
PAST, PRESENT, & ELSEWHERE: Album-listening sessions at Revelry Room (4547 California SW), every Tuesday night, 7-9 pm.
SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING: Weekly lessons at Fauntleroy Church (9140 California SW), 7 pm – lots of info in our ongoing calendar listing.
WOMEN’S MEDITATION CIRCLE: Weekly small-group meditation at Mama Be Well Healing Studio (4034-A California SW), 7 pm. Our calendar listing has info on registering before you go.
BINGO! Play free Tuesday night Belle of the Balls Bingo at The Skylark, 7 pm. (3803 Delridge Way SW)
TRIVIA X 4: Four Tuesday trivia venues – The Beer Junction (4711 California SW), Sporcle Pub Quiz with David at 7 pm and 8 pm … 7 pm at Ounces (3803 Delridge Way SW), free, hosted by Beat the Geek Trivia … 7 pm at Zeeks Pizza West Seattle (6459 California SW), hosted by Geeks Who Drink … 7 pm at Admiral Pub, free, prizes. (2306 California SW).
KARAOKE AT POGGIE TAVERN: 9 pm Tuesdays, until 1:30 am, your turn to sing! (4717 California SW)
Organizing an event, class, performance, gathering, etc.? Tell your West Seattle neighbors via our event calendar – just email info to westseattleblog@gmail.com – thank you!
This year’s Alki Beach Pride daylong festival is two and a half weeks away, on August 15. In advance, organizers and volunteers will again unfurl two huge flags on the beach this Saturday, and need 50 volunteers to help. Here’s how:
(Photo provided by Alki Beach Pride)
Date: Saturday, August 1st
Meet-up Time: 11:30 AM
Meet-up Location: Blue Moon Burgers AlkiOnce Dykes on Bikes arrive, we will head to the sand to wave our giant Pride flags and celebrate with a giant beach ball. We need at least 50 people to help wave the flags, so please join us! Afterward, we will gather for food and drinks at Blue Moon Burgers Alki.
No RSVP needed; just show up Saturday at 2504 Alki Avenue SW.
6:01 AM: Good morning. It’s Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
WEATHER + SUNRISE/SUNSET
The forecast says we’ll start with clouds and see sunshine later, high in the low 70s. Sunrise was at 5:42 am today; sunset will be at 8:48 pm.
(Monday sunset photo by Bob Burns)
TRANSIT TODAY
Metro buses – Regular weekday schedule; one stop change for the eastbound C Line in The Junction this week as curb-ramp work continues at California/Alaska.
West Seattle Water Taxi – Regular summer schedule, with extra Friday/Saturday/Sunday runs including later-night schedule Fridays and Saturdays.
Washington State Ferries – Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth route is on the regular three-boat schedule; check the alert page for updates.
BRIDGE TRAFFIC CAMERAS
Here are four bridge views from the SDOT map:
High Bridge – Here’s the main camera, followed by the Fauntleroy-end camera:
Low Bridge – Here’s the westward view. Also note, maritime-opening info is available via X (ex-Twitter):
1st Avenue South Bridge:
See a problem on the bridges/streets/paths/water? Please text or call our hotline (when you can do it safely, and after you’ve reported to authorities if they’re not already on scene) – 206-293-6302. Thank you!
| 0 COMMENTS