West Seattle, Washington
07 Monday
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.
Thanks for the photo and tip! Just one week after its previous inbound trip to Bremerton, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) headed out again this afternoon. MarineTraffic.com shows it currently sailing past the west shore of south Whidbey Island. The Nimitz is scheduled for decommissioning in 2026, and a related contract was recently announced.
Thanks to Kersti Muul for tips that transient killer whales are in the area again today. A short time ago, she texted that “T65A5, the lone guy, is close to Alki Point SB,” which potentially means at least one whale in view from west-facing West Seattle. Let us know if you see any!
Someone called 911 a short time ago about a paddleboarder possibly in trouble more than a quarter-mile out in the bay, as seen from 54th/Alki. According to SFD, which sent one engine and a fireboat, a U.S. Coast Guard vessel just made contact with the paddleboarder, who was reported to be “fine … just reading a book,” they told dispatch.
Thanks for the tips (and thanks to Don Brubeck for the photo). Right around sunset, the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) was in view off West Seattle, headed back to Bremerton. We don’t have a record of when it headed out – no sighting reports. But as noted when we mentioned its previous inbound sailing a month ago, the Navy has initiated the process to decommission it in 2026.
Prime time for getting out on the water is nowhere near over. Alki Kayak Tours (WSB sponsor) has launched fall hours, and wants you to know about your options for tours, rentals, and classes:
September is here, but there’s still plenty of paddling to enjoy! Late summer/early fall is one of the best times to explore the Pacific Northwest waters with vibrant fall colors and increased wildlife sightings. Starting today, Alki Kayak Tours’ fall hours will be in effect (weather permitting):
Sea Kayak Tours (7 days a week by reservation)
•Alki Lighthouse Tour: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
•Elliott Bay Tour: 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
•Sunset Tour: Departs 2 hours before sunsetHourly rentals by reservation, Friday through Monday from 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Check our calendar for available classes and lessons.
Happy fall and happy paddling with Alki Kayak Tours!
AKT is headquartered at Seacrest (1660 Harbor SW).
The Northwest Open Water Swimming Association has three swimmers planning marathon swims in the area this week, starting with one happening right now:
HAPPENING NOW: Above is a screenshot of the tracker showing where Chelsea Lee was moments ago – at 10:45 am – in her attempt to complete what’s known as the Bert Thomas Swim, almost 19 miles from Old Town Dock in Tacoma to Point Williams by Colman Pool in West Seattle. NOWSA’s Amanda Winans explains, “Chelsea trains at Alki Beach and has also completed the Amy Hiland Swim in 2022, from Bremerton to the Alki Lighthouse.” Amanda is the official observer on the support boat for this swim and is one of two other swimmers who’ve done this swim since its namesake in 1956; the other is Andrew Malinak, who is also aboard the support boat as pilot. Chelsea started in the 6 am hour this morning and if successful will reach Point Williams in mid-afternoon. (Update: As of 2:20 pm, they are projecting 3 pm-ish. Second update: Tracker indicates she finished in just over 9 hours! Third update: Amanda sent the photo and reports, “Chelsea finished in about 9 hours, 3 min, at 3:07 pm at Colman Pool. She got to finish it off in style and go down the Colman Pool slide! Photo is by Stephanie Zimmerman.)
Amanda also tells us about two other marathon swims planned this week:
FRIDAY: Wendy Van De Sompele of Vashon Island – who you might know as aquatic director at Colman Pool – plans to swim from Alki Point to West Point, six miles. If successful, Amanda says, Wendy will be the first person to complete 5 out of the 6 swims in the Puget Sound Lighthouse Series. She plans to start her swim from Alki Point at 10 am Friday (August 23).
SUNDAY: This is a round trip, also from Alki Point, Amanda explains:
An all-female relay, supported by a female pilot and a female observer (local marathon swimmer Stephanie Zimmerman) will swim an unprecedented route for NOWSA from Alki Point Lighthouse, around Blake Island, and back to the lighthouse. Melissa Kegler, a Triple Crown marathon swimmer (English Channel, Catalina Channel, around Manhattan Island) spearheads the relay, which includes women covering all decades from 30-70: Becky Smith, Carol Horowitz, Guila Muir, Emily White, and Shea DeWald. They are all “Notorious Alki Swimmers” who you will find swimming regularly from the Alki Bathhouse, and Carol, Emily, and Shea are West Seattle residents. Boat support will be provided by Seastr PNW, an organization dedicated to inclusive access to waterborne activities for people who have been historically excluded from the maritime industry and water sports. They will be starting from the Alki Lighthouse at 8 am, and returning back sometime in the afternoon.
Both of those swims will use the same online tracker as today – find it here.
Thanks to the anonymous reader who sent that photo of the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) as it passed West Seattle, headed for Bremerton, this past hour. It’ll be homeported there while getting work done at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard; for almost a decade, it’s been homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. The carrier was last seen here in 2013, when it was headed for San Diego.
6:34 PM: Thanks for the texted tip! MarineTraffic.com confirms that’s the USS Nimitz (CVN 68), southbound toward Alki Point right now. Four weeks have passed since the Bremerton-based aircraft carrier headed out.
7:44 PM: Added a photo, texted by a reader who was on the Bremerton ferry when it passed Nimitz. (Thank you!)
P.S. A search for recent news about the Nimitz reveals the Navy has initiated the “deactivation” process, looking ahead to decommissioning it in 2026.
(Photo by Theresa Arbow-O’Connor)
Thanks to everyone who sent photos of today’s sunrise over downtown, with fishing boats out on the bay. It’s the first of four consecutive days in which inner Elliott Bay is open to Chinook salmon fishing, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, which is posting fishing-season updates here. This next photo, taken, a bit later, is from Brian Moore:
Brian says the Don Armeni Boat Ramp parking lot “was full by 5:00,” so apparently this was an exception to Parks’ earlier statement about the 6:00 am lot-opening time. (Update: Don Armeni’s website says it’s opening daily at 4 am through Monday.) According to WDFW, fishing is supposed to end (corrected) by noon Monday.
(Photo by Gary Jones – USS Sampson passing Alki)
12:32 PM: As noted in our daily event list, today’s the day for Seafair‘s downsized Parade of Ships, this year featuring one U.S. Navy destroyer and several U.S. Coast Guard boats. The official “parade” is along the downtown waterfront, but the participating ships sail eastward along Alki and the rest of West Seattle’s north-facing shoreline along the way, so we’re watching from Luna/Anchor Park, as the ships approach Alki Point for their eastward turn. In addition to the ship announced this morning by the U.S. Navy, USS Sampson (DDG 102), online tracking identifies the USCG participants as including Terrapin, Osprey, Sea Lion, buoy tender Henry Blake, and newly commissioned David Duren. (Seattle fireboat Leschi is heading out to greet them.)
(Photo by Javier Fosado – SFD fireboat Leschi with USS Sampson)
The Sampson and some of the USCG vessels will be open for tours on the downtown waterfront Wednesday-Sunday; see the schedule here.
12:54 PM: Now passing Duwamish Head, with the Sampson leading the way.
1:39 PM: The ships have moved on to downtown.
2:42 PM: Here are our pics with a closer look:
(WSB photos unless otherwise credited)
As we’ve been chronicling since the weekend, the Duwamish Tribe‘s canoe family is joining this year’s scaled-down regional Tribal Journey – but had to change plans today because of stormy weather. Instead of paddling from Suquamish and landing at Alki on the way to tonight’s Tribal Journey stop in Des Moines, the Duwamish canoe launched this afternoon from Don Armeni Boat Ramp.
Though this year’s Canoe Journey focus is on youth paddlers, the participating canoe families are bringing paddlers of all ages, with the elders serving as menors. Among those on the Duwamish canoe is one of the tribe’s longtime board members, Ken Workman, a descendant of Chief Sealth:
After tonight’s stop at Saltwater State Park (Alki was not an official stop this year, but the Duwamish were going to make a ceremonial visit), canoe families head to Tacoma tomorrow.
The Puyallup Tribe is this year’s Canoe Journey host. A different tribe hosts each year.
The first of this summer’s two major human-powered-boat racing events at Alki is happening tomorrow! Dozens of outrigger-canoe paddlers from around the region are expected for the annual “Da Grind” races, hosted by the Seattle Outrigger Canoe Club. The event will last much of the day, starting with registration at 7 am and continuing until awards are presented around 3:30 pm. Paddlers will race on one of two courses – 4 miles (along Alki) or 12 miles (out to Blake Island and back); see the maps on the race page.
P.S. The other major human-powered boat racing event is Sound Rowers’ Great Cross-Sound Race, coming up August 24.
Thanks to Mark Daughhetee for the photo of tall ship Lady Washington off Alki today! Two months ago, another reader caught it headed southbound for a stay in Tacoma; today it’s in transit from Port Orchard to Everett. The 35-year-old replica of an 18th-century sailing ship is homeported in Aberdeen but sails around the region (and beyond) offering day/evening sailing trips and tours (see its schedule here).
(Courtesy Mark B. Bauschke Photography)
Thanks to everybody who asked, and sent images, of the U.S. Coast Guard operation off Alki this past hour. We called District 13 Public Affairs to ask; they told us it was a “rescue demonstration.”
(Video sent by Eli Barlag)
(Photo sent by Thomas Bach)
Early warning that you’ll also see USCG non-emergency activity over and off Alki on July 30th – that’s the date for this year’s Seafair Parade of Ships, and the USCG will be participating along with the US Navy and Canadian Navy.
(Added: Photo by D, via X/Twitter)
Thanks to Andrea for the tip! As confirmed by MarineTraffic.com, the Bremerton-based aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) is northbound in Puget Sound right now, sailing across the mouth of Elliott Bay.
Thanks to Gary Jones for the photo! The historic former Coast Guard Cutter Comanche passed West Seattle today, northbound from its home in Tacoma, headed for South Lake Union, where it’s scheduled for an open house at Lake Union Park. It’s owned by a foundation that’s been raising money to restore it; the ship’s history is on this website – it’s 80 years old and served as a tug after its decommissioning in 1980.
Thanks to Robin for the photo! She and others mentioned the tall ship Lady Washington passing West Seattle this afternoon. The Aberdeen-homeported ship was heading to Tacoma, where it’ll be offering day sails and dockside tours for several weeks starting Thursday. The Lady Washington is a replica of an 18th-century ship of the same name, built in 1989 (here’s the history), and has been featured in movies including episodes of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “Star Trek” series.
Thanks to Logan for the photo. Several people have asked about the gathering of boats in Elliott Bay (and trailers at Don Armeni Boat Ramp). It’s the one-day, four-hour spot-shrimp season, according to the Department of Fish and Wildlife website – 9 am to 1 pm. There may be an encore during the same hours May 30 “if quota remains,” WDFW says. Spot shrimp, aka prawns, are described as the largest shrimp in Puget Sound; they can grow to up to nine inches long.
Thanks to Mary for the photo taken before the morning clouds cleared. As discussed here, the reason for the concentration of boats off west-facing West Seattle is that recreational fishing season is open for lingcod.
An alert from the King County Sheriff’s Office:
Heads up! Today until 3 PM we are conducting joint training with the King County Water Taxi in Elliott Bay. If you see Guardian One & an increased police presence, there is no cause for alarm.
Guardian One is the KCSO helicopter, which is also used by other law-enforcement agencies including Seattle Police.
Just in from Kersti Muul: “Male elephant seal off Weather Watch Park. Pretty close in.” If you’re not familiar with it, Weather Watch is the beachfront pocket park at Beach Drive/SW Carroll (across from La Rustica). You can see what elephant seals look like in this sighting report from 2021.
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