West Seattle, Washington
26 Saturday
Thanks to Bob Spears for the photo of Norwegian Bliss as it headed out on this year’s first Seattle-to-Alaska cruise this afternoon. As previewed here Thursday, this is the first of 298 expected cruise-ship calls at Seattle’s three berths (two in Magnolia, one downtown) between now and mid-October. According to the season schedule, the second one is Monday, when Carnival Spirit sails from Pier 91. It carries up to 2,100+ passengers, about half the capacity of Norwegian Bliss.
(Norwegian Bliss arriving in April 2024 – photo by Lynn Hall)
The Port of Seattle sent a reminder today that cruise-ship season starts this Saturday (April 12) – here’s the full-season schedule, with the last scheduled cruise-ship call to be on October 19th. The port says it’s expecting 298 sailings with 1.9 million “revenue passengers, which comes out to more than 900,000 unique passengers.” The headline for today’s announcement (which you can read in full here) is that this is the first season with shore power available at all three of Seattle’s cruise-ship berths. (Update: We followed up to ask how many of the visiting ships are expected to use it. Port spokesperson Chris Guizlo told us 71 percent of the calls are shore-power-capable.) The berth closest to West Seattle is Pier 66 downtown, and that will host mostly Norwegian Cruise Line ships this season, including the one that starts the season on Saturday, Norwegian Bliss (also the first ship last year, as shown above). Among them will be a Seattle first-timer – the port notes, “This June, Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth will spend its first home port season in Seattle. The vessel will offer eleven sailings this season, with 7- to 11-day itineraries from June to September.”
Thanks to Chris Frankovich for the photo! Northbound off West Seattle right now, that’s American Constitution, operated by American Cruise Lines, which trackers show headed out from Tacoma this morning. Looks like you’ll see it around our area for a while, as its upcoming schedule starts with a cruise around Puget Sound and the San Juans, round trip from Seattle starting Saturday.
Thanks to Chris May for the photos of the Olympic-class state ferry M/V Chimacum being towed past Duwamish Head around 9 am today. It appeared to be bound for the Vigor shipyard on Harbor Island – where it was built less than a decade ago – and Washington State Ferries spokesperson Dana Warr confirms that’s indeed where Chimacum was being towed.
Warr told us, “This is part of its planned maintenance and Coast Guard-required inspections that must occur every several years. That includes a hull inspection and other things that can only be done when the vessel is in drydocks out of the water. It’s also getting some new paint.” It’s been on the Bainbridge/Seattle run.
(Photo by Javier Fosado)
9:24 AM: Thanks for the tips and photos! The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) has just passed West Seattle, northbound in Puget Sound.
(Photo by Chris May, from downtown)
It’s headed out on what might be its final deployment before leaving Puget Sound next year to relocate to Norfolk prior to decommissioning.
(Photo by Rick Cocker)
9:36 AM: If you look closely, you’ll note the sailors are out on deck, a detail pointed out by those with a closer view.
Multiple texters – including the one who sent that photo – told us about Washington State Ferries‘ M/V Tacoma under tow off Alki. No, it’s not another ferry breakdown. We checked with WSF, and spokesperson Dana Warr explained, “The Tacoma has been in drydock at Vigor Shipyard and today is moving to Eagle Harbor Maintenance Facility for continuation of planned preservation work. The vessel is expected to return to service late March or early April.”
4:29 PM: Thanks to Steven Rice for the photo! Seen from West Seattle late this morning, a submarine and NOAA ship Oscar Dyson, an “ultra-quiet fisheries survey vessel” currently at Terminal 46 downtown. (That’s West Point Lighthouse in the photo.)
ADDED THURSDAY MORNING: We sent a note to the Oscar Dyson’s general email address, asking about their Seattle visit, and Commander Emily Rose replied, “The ship is in Seattle for a few more days before heading back to Kodiak after completing some repairs in the Puget Sound area.”
5:34 PM: If you’re noticing the emergency-response boats off Beach Drive north of Lowman Beach, here’s what it’s about: SPD and Coast Guard crews are helping a sailboat that needs assistance. No injuries reported, so there’s no shoreside response at this point (aside from SPD, which has since cleared).
7:08 PM: Thanks to James Bratsanos for the photo added above.
Thanks to Kathleen Fueger for the photo of a U.S. Navy submarine in view as it passed Alki this morning. That’s the second submarine sighting in less than a week, though we don’t know if it’s the same one; the Navy told us they generally don’t comment on specific submarines’ movements, though they did offer an explanation of last week’s steam emission.
(Photo by Jeremy Barton)
Thanks for the tips and photos! Also seen on Alki this afternoon and getting a lot of attention, the SS Cape Intrepid. No, it’s not a U.S. Navy vessel – the Cape Intrepid is a U.S. Maritime Administration Ready Reserve ship that can support the Navy, and has been moored in Tacoma. Trackers say the Cape Intrepid is out on “sea trials” right now, passing the south end of Whidbey Island.
9:58 AM: Thanks for the tips and photo. A U.S. Navy submarine was in view off Alki Point a short time ago, with surface escorts. It’s not identified on the public tracking service we use, but a tugboat with it is tracking and continuing to head north.
10:05 AM: Another reader just sent the closer look we’ve added above. We have an inquiry out to USN Public Affairs to see if there’s anything they can tell us about the submarine.
1:12 PM: Lt. Zachary Anderson from Submarine Group 9 at Bangor didn’t identify the submarine, but regarding the attention-getting steam, he told us that “there are numerous routine submarine operations that may result in steam. The most likely is that the submarine was practicing using its diesel engine. When the boat does so steam and exhaust is released at the surface through its sail.”
The photo is from Timothy Oliver (thanks!), who just saw the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) from Alki Point, noting it’s his first time seeing one so close-up. The Nimitz is currently headed northbound in Puget Sound, according to VesselFinder.
2:48 PM: Thanks to Chris Frankovich for the photo! That Matson cargo ship (Manulani) is one of the vessels that have sounded horns in the past hour-plus as they navigated through sailboats participating in today’s Duwamish Head Race, organized by the Three Tree Point Yacht Club. While Chris’s photo showed a view from west-facing southwest West Seattle, VesselFinder shows about 20 racers currently off Alki.
ADDED 4:36 PM: Thanks to David Hutchinson for this closeup view of one of the participating boats:
10:13 AM: Thanks for the photos! (The one above is from Rick Cocker, the one below is uncredited.) That submarine was seen headed northbound a short time ago.
VesselFinder IDs it only as “U.S. submarine” and shows it already off North Seattle. Most submarines at Naval Base Kitsap are based on Hood Canal but Bremerton’s Puget Sound Naval Shipyard also hosts submarines in for maintenance or deactivation (the Kitsap Sun recently reported on two in the latter category).
3:56 PM: Commenter says it’s the USS Ohio, on sea trials after maintenance.
Thanks for the tip. Might be hard to see through the rain and murk, but the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) is inbound, passing Alki Point. It’s been out at sea for a week and a half. It’s been exactly four months since it changed homeports to Bremerton.
(Sunday photo by Andrew Vernon)
The U.S. Coast Guard is now handling the investigation of Sunday afternoon’s boat fire in Elliott Bay, so we asked them today if the cause has yet been determined. Short answer: No. Longer answer, from USCG public-affairs officer Lt. Chris Butters, no, and what’s left of the boat is still submerged: “The cause of the fire is still undetermined. Divers attempted to refloat the vessel with airbags, however, their efforts were unsuccessful due to the condition of the vessel. They will return tomorrow with a crane barge. It is located just offshore in Elliott Bay near the 32nd Ave Boat Ramp.” That’s on the Magnolia side. No one was hurt; authorities say only one person was on board, the person seen jumping into the water to escape the flames, before a nearby private vessel picked him up. The fire drew attention for miles around because the black smoke billowing from the boat was visible even inland.
Report from a reader on the water: Somebody in Fauntleroy with a green laser is pointing it at ferries again. Striking navigable vessels with a laser is a felony crime, not to mention a health and safety hazard. If you see anyone doing it, call 911.
Headed out after dusk, the aircraft carrier in Steve Rice‘s photo is the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), three weeks after its most-recent inbound sighting.
12:34 PM: Thanks for the photos, including the one above from Steven Rice – the USS Nimitz (CVN 68) is inbound, headed for Bremerton. According to this report, it left San Diego one week ago – the same day two other carriers departed.
ADDED 1 PM: This photo’s from Sid:
(Photo from commenter Svenry)
Thanks for the tip. The inbound aircraft carrier, just passing Alki Point, is the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), headed for Bremerton. We noted its outbound journey a month and a half ago.
With steady rain, you never know what’s going to float past on Puget Sound. RJB emailed from Beach Drive to report, Nice paddle board with attached paddle just swept by heading toward Emma Schmitz Overlook. Northbound.” No pic, but if you’re missing one, there’s where to start your search
11:17 PM SATURDAY: Thanks to Jamie Kinney for the video of transient orcas off Constellation Park late today. He explains, “I went down to Constellation Park to see the transient orcas that were reported via the Salish Wildlife Watch WhatsApp group. I saw these four transient orcas (a.k.a Bigg’s Killer Whales) pursue a harbor seal that was swimming directly toward us. The whales were approximately 100-150 feet away when I captured this video.” The video isn’t gory – in fact, Jamie believes the seal got away: “I have a photo of a seal catching its breath on the surface ~20 feet away from us after the orcas began to head back toward Vashon.” If it indeed got away, it’s lucky, as transient orcas are the ones that feed on other marine mammals such as seals and sea lions (while the endangered resident orcas prefer fish).
ADDED 9:07 AM SUNDAY: David Hutchinson sent photos, including one of the seal:
ADDED SUNDAY AFTERNOON: As mentioned in comments, Jamie Kinney also has a photo gallery from the event. He gave us permission to republish some, too – here are three that caught our eye:
Thanks to Jeremy Barton for the photo! Shortly after 5 pm, the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) sailed past West Seattle, northbound. It’s been a month and a half since the carrier arrived in Bremerton, its new homeport.
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