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FOLLOWUP: Beach Naturalist program’s future still a mystery, but clues are surfacing
March 17, 2025 11:56 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(File photo, Lincoln Park)

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

With only about 2 months before the traditional start of the Beach Naturalist program at Lincoln Park, Constellation Park, and other beaches around the region, the Seattle Aquarium tells WSB there are “no new updates” about their plans to revise the popular low-tide program. But clues are starting to surface.

As we reported last month, the program is on “pause” and being reconfigured, following layoffs due to the Seattle Aquarium’s reported budget shortfall. The Aquarium says the program, which has included full-time and part-time seasonal staff overseeing hundreds of volunteers, will “look different” but has been slow to share details. While Aquarium staff works to “reimagine” the popular program, some of the seasonal staff who were laid off are talking about organizing their own program.

The Aquarium has organized and trained Beach Naturalists for more than 20 years, assigning staff and volunteers to beaches from Dash Point to Shoreline, both during daytime and occasional evening mega-low tides. It has attracted a dedicated group of volunteers, many of whom are on the same beaches year after year, and who are passionate about the way the program makes the Aquarium’s educational outreach available to anyone who can go to the beach, even if tickets to the Aquarium itself may be out of reach financially. The Aquarium has also paused its Cedar River Salmon Journey program, which relies on volunteers at the Ballard Locks and other locations to teach about the migration and life cycle of salmon. The pause in the two programs has left all of those volunteers largely in limbo for the last few months.

Now a “listening session” is planned by the Aquarium for volunteers of both programs next week. An email to volunteers sent a week ago indicated the program is intended to become a collaboration between the Aquarium and several other marine-focused educational groups. A followup email sent last evening makes mention of the potential for a much scaled-back program, with just a handful of low-tide events a year. That email also stated that the volunteer trainings that are usually scheduled in March will not happen at all this year. The Aquarium did not answer questions about the specifics when asked.

Some of the staff laid off in January feel they can’t wait indefinitely to hear about plans that they think are unlikely to include them. “None of us expect to be rehired,” says Bill Rogers, one of the 20 part-time seasonal staff known as “beach captains” who managed volunteers in the field. Knowing that the beach captains were laid off signals what Rogers expects will be a big change to the program, so he and others are now organizing to bring together those who are interested in making sure there are as many naturalists at beaches on as many days as possible during the very low tides. It would also provide an opportunity for volunteers and former staff who feel blindsided by the way the changes to the program are being handled and are upset enough they wouldn’t go back if invited. Rogers noted, “It hurt a lot of people personally.”

Exactly what shape a new naturalist program might take is uncertain. A formal work meeting in early April with interested volunteers may help focus both structure and mission. “Will it be a group or a club? We have to work that out,” says Rogers, who was looking forward to his 13th season as beach captain and 15th in the program, “The plan is to still be involved.”

As for the Seattle Aquarium, it’s also dealing with the impending arrival of a new CEO and the first operational year of its Ocean Pavilion, part of a $160 million project.

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PHOTOS: Alki’s Special Olympics-benefiting Polar Plunge 2025, with costumes and food trucks
March 8, 2025 12:14 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

FIRST REPORT, 12:14 PM: This afternoon, Special Olympics of Washington is making a splash at Alki with this year’s Polar Plunge fundraiser.

(WSB photos)

The plunging starts in an hour or so – but right now, 10 food trucks are lined up near Alki Bathhouse as part of the celebration:

Here’s who we saw there (links added):

Tabassum
Theo’s Gyros
Ryan’s Rez-ipes
Cheese Pit
Whateke
Sam Choy’s Poké to the Max
Big Boys
Sugar and Spoon
Kathmandu Momocha
Goodbelly

We’ll have coverage of the plunging later! The trucks are expected to stay until 4-ish; the event has a beer garden too.

ADDED, SECOND REPORT: Photographer Dave Gershgorn was there for WSB as teams showed off their contests – and then plunged! Biggest fundraisers were Erik Johnson’s Nearly Nekkid Norwegians:

Biggest team, the Judgy Plungers (from Amazon’s legal department):

Lots of spirited plungers went into the water in waves:

Some were in no rush to get back out:

Others showed off on the sand:

These two found a moment for a pause:

This was the third of five Polar Plunges that are raising money for Special Olympics of Washington around the state – the final two are in Anacortes next Saturday, and the Tri-Cities a week after that.

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About the SFD responses along Beach Drive
March 4, 2025 7:10 pm
|      0 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

If you’re in the area of the 3500 block of Beach Drive SW and wondering why multiple SFD and SPD responders have shown up – there’s a large piece of debris that’s apparently been reported as a possible “capsized boat,” but multiple responders have now told dispatch it’s a “large piece of foam,” likely broken away from a dock. (This hasn’t triggered a large response – one engine logged at a time – but it’s enough to spark some curiosity.)

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Beach naturalist program will be back, Seattle Aquarium says, but with changes
March 2, 2025 12:33 pm
|      18 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(File photo)

By Anne Higuera
Reporting for West Seattle Blog

“It’s not cancelled.”

That’s the word from the Seattle Aquarium, which confirmed to WSB that its popular Beach Naturalist program will be back at select Puget Sound waterfront parks this summer, albeit with changes. Staff that worked on the program were among a dozen Aquarium employees laid off last month to address a budget shortfall, and the program has been on “pause” since then, spurring fears from volunteers and others that the program would be shuttered. Some contacted WSB with their concerns, so we looked into it.

For 20+ years, the naturalist program has trained hundreds of volunteers to meet park users at the tideline to safely observe and learn about starfish, sea slugs, and other aquatic life that becomes visible as the tide recedes. Lincoln Park and Constellation Park in West Seattle have been among the consistent locations over the years, with school field trips and other groups joining the throngs of park visitors to see the lowest tides of the year and on other selected days.

Aquarium spokesperson Tim Kuniholm describes the program as a “beloved tradition” that is valued for its connections to the community, but also one that will benefit from some changes that are “long overdue.” He says the Aquarium team assessing the program is, among other things, looking at new connections “working with community partners in more diverse communities.” Specifics are not yet available, though Kuniholm confirmed, “It will look different.”

(File photo)

Typically, volunteer training starts in March, but that is also on pause until the program details are finalized. The Aquarium is expecting to have more to share soon about how the program will operate in 2025. The beach naturalists have traditionally been out during the lowest daytime tides of the warm months (last year, the events started in May), with a few nighttime low-tide events too.

If you have comments about the program, the Seattle Aquarium is a nonprofit, overseen by a board of directors whose membership and contact info is here.

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WEST SEATTLE SHORES: Highest (predicted) tide of the year Sunday
January 30, 2025 11:35 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(File photo from past ‘king tide,’ by David Hutchinson at Alki)

While most are focusing on the possibility of snow this weekend (no alerts yet!), it’s also of note that Sunday will be one of three days this year with the highest predicted high tide – 12.9 feet – one of the so-called “king tides.” That’s what’s expected at 7:42 am Sunday (February 2), as well as on the mornings of December 6-7. Will that truly be the year’s highest tide? Shore-watchers know that atmospheric conditions can affect what actually happens; you can track the actual water levels via this page, which you can always find linked from the WSB West Seattle Weather page.

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WEST SEATTLE WILDLIFE: More low-low-tide sights
January 13, 2025 9:15 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Another round of nighttime low-low tides has accompanied the full moon, and Rosalie Miller has shared photos of the wildlife she saw on the shore at Charles Richey Sr. Viewpoint/Constellation Park (along the north end of Beach Drive SW). Above, a Pacific Octopus; below, a Monterey Dorid:

A Shag-rug Nudibranch:

And a Northern Leopard Dorid:

Still time to get to the beach for tonight’s lowest tide, -2.4 feet at 10:28 pm.

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FOLLOWUP: See how first-ever Alki event factored into regional International Coastal Cleanup success
January 12, 2025 10:18 am
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photo, September 21)

Back in September, dozens of volunteers gathered at Alki for an International Coastal Cleanup event. There are certainly everyday cleanup heroes working in our area year-round – like A Cleaner Alki – but the September event was the first time regional organizations held their flagship event here, and now Puget Soundkeeper has released a report on the regional results:

In an exceptional display of community commitment, more than 741 volunteers removed 2,600 pounds of debris during International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) events across the Puget Sound from August through December 2024. Across 13 cleanup events from Seattle to the San Juan Islands, volunteers collectively tackled the growing impact of litter and plastic pollution, making an impact on the health of Puget Sound.

Since its inception in 1986, the International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) movement has been a global initiative by the Ocean Conservancy to document and remove debris from beaches and waterways globally. Every year, Puget Soundkeeper serves as the regional coordinator for ICC events across Puget Sound and works alongside several partner organizations who make these efforts possible.

“In a time where it seems like there’s a lot of negative news spreading over social media, it’s truly inspiring to see so many volunteers and people come out to commit their time and energy toward making our waterways safer and healthier for future generation,” said Tanya Balaji, the Stewardship and Education Manager at Puget Soundkeeper.

2024 was a special year for the ICC movement as for the first time in history, the Ocean Conservancy hosted its flagship ICC event in Seattle and more than 200 volunteers gathered at Alki Beach on September 21st to celebrate the movement. “Despite 2024’s cleanups showing the power of collective action, it highlights the importance of advocating and fighting for legislation that targets pollution at its sources,” added Balaji. For more information about our 2024 ICC report, click here.

Puget Soundkeeper Alliance remains committed to continuing our cleanup efforts while advocating for policies that prevent pollution at its source, including working on the 2025 Recycling Reform Act. Moreover, Puget Soundkeeper Alliance, alongside its partner organizations across the state, will also continue organizing ICC events throughout the Fall of 2025.

Though the total weight wasn’t huge, as our September 21 coverage showed, volunteers were encouraged to look for small debris, which post the most harm to marine life from potential ingestion and other risks. The full report, including the list of top types of debris, and how to report what you might find year-round, is embedded at the bottom of this page. Best way you can help reduce the need for this? Use less plastic. Even if you think you’re disposing of it properly, it has a nasty way of ending up as pollution just the same.

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ON THE BEACH: Tidepool with Seattle Parks on Tuesday night
January 4, 2025 9:02 pm
|    Comments Off on ON THE BEACH: Tidepool with Seattle Parks on Tuesday night
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(Photo by Rosalie Miller – sea star during recent nighttime low tide)

It won’t be a low-low tide but if you’d like to head out on a West Seattle beach with an environmental educator, Seattle Parks is offering the opportunity this Tuesday night (January 7) at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook. Their event is set for 7 to 9 pm – meet at Me-Kwa-Mooks (4430 Beach Drive SW), across the street. Registration is required in advance, and there’s a fee – here’s where to sign up.

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VIDEO: Two kinds of flames at Alki Beach gathering for final night of Hanukkah
January 1, 2025 7:45 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle religion

(Photo by David Hutchinson)

By dusk tonight, all candles on the Torah Learning Center of West Seattle‘s giant menorah at Alki Beach were lit. On the last of Hanukkah’s eight nights, it took Rabbi Eli Duban two tries to get the flames to take – facing toward the south finally worked.

(WSB photos/video from here by Tracy Record)

The rabbi noted that the Hanukkah story shows that even a “small light can dispel a great darkness.”

More than 50 people gathered for the waterfront ceremony organized by Ilana Duban, with music, crafts, and donuts.

After the menorah-lighting, everyone was invited to stay for a “fire show” – a performer dancing with small torches on the promenade.

The Torah Learning Center sponsored other Hanukkah-related activities in the days and weeks leading up to tonight’s gathering, including a story hour and a crafts event.

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VIDEO, PHOTOS: Immersive start to the new year with West Seattle New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim 2025 at Alki Beach
January 1, 2025 3:01 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(Aerial photo by Sly Stewart)

It was as much shrieking as swimming when more than a thousand people ran into and out of Puget Sound along Alki Beach this morning during the 2025 edition of the West Seattle New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim. Here’s our video of what it looked and sounded like, starting with organizer Mark Ufkes leading the countdown through his trusty megaphone:

(WSB video by Tracy Record)
But if you haven’t done the Polar Bear Swim before, these participants’ faces might tell you more of the story:

(This WSB photo and next five are by Dave Gershgorn)

Many participants “swam” in groups – we found athletes from the Chief Sealth International High School girls’ gymnastic team under a canopy pre-swim with coach Chris Troupe – and a portable heater:

(This WSB photo and next two are by Lora Radford)

And of course organizer Mark went in too, as he always does, and was all smiles afterward:

Not everyone just ran in and ran out, though! Some had to stop and pose in the 49-degree water (nine degrees warmer than the air):

(This WSB photo and next two are by Dave Gershgorn)

And some went for total immersion:

(WSB photo by Dave Gershgorn)

P.S. Special Olympics of Washington is bringing its (unrelated except in spirit) Polar Plunge fundraiser back to Alki this year – set your calendar for March 8.

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WEST SEATTLE NEW YEAR’S EVE: What you might see on the beach tonight
December 31, 2024 6:03 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

One more way to spend your New Year’s Eve … exploring the beach at the -2.5-foot 11:13 pm low-low tide!

Rosalie Miller sent photos of what she encountered on the beach at last night’s similarly low tide – a kelp crab, red rock crab, and mottled star.

If you go out exploring, tread lightly!

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REMINDER: Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim is on for New Year’s Day 2025, eleven days away!
December 21, 2024 2:33 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Holidays | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(File photo by Robert Spears)

We brought you first word in November that the annual Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim was on again for January 1, 2025, after covering an Alki Community Council meeting at which organizer Mark Ufkes was one of the guests. Today, for anyone who missed that first announcement, Mark has just sent this reminder:

Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim
New Years Day – January 1, 2025, in front of Duke’s West Seattle
Make sure that you are in good health if you participate.

We go into the water at 10:00 am sharp; after a group countdown from 10, 9, 8 . . . There will be a huge crowd (well over 1,000 last year), so plan accordingly. Line up and down the beach. Spread out. Holding hands with someone you love makes going into the water much easier. Trust me on this. Once the countdown begins, get ready to run. And keep your kids close.

Wear good water shoes, bring a large towel and a warm sweater to put on after you get out of the water. And remember, the water will be warmer than the air, making the experience much more pleasant.

In that brief moment, as you run into the water, you will be surrounded by joy and laughter from the huge crowd. The entire beach is filled with cheering, abundance and happiness. It’s really quite amazing. And the crowd watching us from the sidewalk will be cheering too, with a touch of envy, for not joining us.

So, wash away the complexities of 2024, and your fears too. And as you come out of the water, you will bask in the unlimited possibilities that life offers to each of us in the New Year.

Whatever it is that you want in life, go for it. That is what the New Year, and our great nation, is telling us. Enjoy life and go for it.

Everyone has a GREAT time. You will too.

Sincerely,

Mark Ufkes and Lois Schipper (20-year Alki Polar Bear veterans)

While the beach across from Duke’s is where you’ll find Mark and his megaphone, you can find a spot pretty much anywhere on the sand to be part of the crowd running in and out.

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STORM AFTERMATH: Missing a kayak?
December 18, 2024 6:15 pm
|    Comments Off on STORM AFTERMATH: Missing a kayak?
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Sent by Michael:

Found on our beach south of ferry landing.

If it’s yours, email us and we’ll connect you,

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PHOTOS: ‘King tide’ swamps Alki Beach
December 18, 2024 8:43 am
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

Thanks for the photos! Wind and other atmospheric conditions pushed this morning’s “king tide” up onto the beach and boardwalk at Alki. The first three photos are from David Hutchinson.

Alki Bathhouse and Statue of Liberty Plaza had been sandbagged in anticipation of this possibility. The next photo was texted anonymously, from further east along the sand:

This NOAA page (linked on the WSB West Seattle Weather page any time you want to find it) shows the high tide water level was actually about a foot and a half higher than the basic projection.

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WEST SEATTLE SHORES: Full moon, tidal extremes
December 14, 2024 9:58 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Another beautiful photo in a day full of them – thank you to the sender! The moon will be officially full just after 1 am our time. We’re mentioning that because as usual, the full moon brings tidal extremes. A texter noticed flashlight beams on the shore; we note that tonight’s low-low tide, hitting right this moment, is -3.4 feet, same as it’ll be tomorrow night shortly before 11 pm, and between the two, high tide will be 12.6 feet before 6 am, with even-higher high tides the next three mornings (here’s the chart).

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ALKI HOLIDAY LIGHTS: Organizers want your opinions
November 25, 2024 7:11 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Holidays | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

That’s part of the colorful display – also including seawall luminarias – the Alki Community Council created as part of its first-ever Alki Holiday Lights celebration Saturday night, before and after the Christmas Ship’s visit to the beach (WSB coverage here). The event also included business participation, plus the Log House Museum, and a food drive. One of the ACC organizers, Zak, tells WSB, “I made a survey to gather feedback on this first annual event. Hoping to have 2025 be bigger and better. Would love to have more attendees fill it out and hear what we did well or could improve on.” If you were there and can offer some feedback, here’s how!

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WEST SEATTLE SCENES: Tidal extremes
November 16, 2024 6:20 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Thanks to Don Brubeck for the photo! Sandbags ring Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza just in case the first round of fall/winter “king tides” slops up onto the plaza, as high-tide waters have done in the past (2022, for example). They’ll peak at 12.6 feet just before 7:30 am Monday (providing no meteorological factor pushes the tides higher). The flip side of king tides: Mega-low tides, and we’re expecting another one tonight, -3.5 feet just before 11 pm, even lower than the one that inspired last night’s beach-naturalists event at Constellation Park:

Thanks to Marty Westerman for that photo as beach visitors explored the shore on Friday night. Commenter Camille offered this view of exposed sealife under a blacklight:

The next wave of king tides/mega-low tides accompanies the December 15 full moon, including 12.8-foot high tides on December 16-17.

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TONIGHT: Explore nighttime low-low tide in West Seattle with beach naturalists
November 15, 2024 4:29 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(February 2023 photo sent by Sara)

Thanks to Midi for the heads-up on this, which wasn’t in our calendar: With a low-low tide of -3.1 feet expected at 10:17 pm, Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists will be out at Constellation Park (63rd/Beach Drive), 8-10 pm. Here’s their advice:

We recommend bringing a bright flashlight or headlamp, layering up to stay warm and wearing sturdy boots or shoes that have a good grip and can get wet. To help care for our marine environment, make sure to walk with gentle steps (there is life beneath your feet!) and observe animals where they are (that is their home!).

The event is free, all ages. Look for the naturalists’ canopy. (They won’t be there tomorrow night, but the tide will be even lower – out to -3.5 feet at 10:59 pm.

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VIDEO: Small but powerful lesson you can learn from Alki Beach’s International Coastal Cleanup Day event
September 21, 2024 8:59 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photos/video unless otherwise credited)

Before grabbing pickers and bags, that throng of International Coastal Cleanup Day volunteers gathered for a group photo just west of Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza. As previewed here earlier this week, Ocean Conservancy partnered with Puget Soundkeeper to host this local event as part of the international observance, the first time an International Coastal Cleanup Day flagship event has been held at Alki Beach Park. And they learned before heading out onto the sand and the streets that every little bit helps, literally. First they got the big picture from Ocean Conservancy’s Nick Mallos, vice president of conservation for ocean plastics, about today’s worldwide effort:

Puget Soundkeeper’s executive director Sean Dixon got into the specifics of what was most important to look for while cleaning – a lesson you can apply to even a simple informal cleanup while you’re at the beach (or out at sea): In short, look for small plastic pieces, which can end up not just in the water, but also inside fish, marine mammals, and seabirds:

Going for the small stuff, as was encouraged, the hundred-plus volunteers collected 142 pounds in about two hours of work on Alki.

(This photo and next by Patty Chambers, courtesy Ocean Conservancy)

If you’d like to join the cleanup movement – or are already active – you don’t have to wait for the next event; Ocean Conservancy also offers the Clean Swell app, where you can contribute to what OC says is “the world’s largest repository of marine debris data and is used to inform scientists, conservation groups, governments, and industry leaders about ocean trash and support plastic pollution prevention and advocacy efforts.” Meantime, one more simple thing you can do is use less plastic – today’s volunteers got a souvenir that’ll help with that:

This year’s International Coastal Cleanup Day worldwide stats aren’t tallied yet but these numbers from last year are eye-opening.

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YOU CAN HELP: Be part of the international beach cleanup movement Saturday
September 17, 2024 4:13 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(Beach cleanup in Alaska – photo courtesy Ocean Conservancy)

West Seattle already has a strong cleanup community (A Cleaner Alki is testament to that), and this Saturday an international cleanup effort, coast to coast and pole to pole, is leading an event here and inviting you to participate. From the announcement we received today:

Ocean Conservancy, a national environmental NGO headquartered in Washington, D.C., and with offices in Bellingham and other coastal cities across the country, is partnering with Puget Soundkeeper to bring its flagship International Coastal Cleanup® (ICC) event to Seattle. Volunteers are invited to join the world’s largest beach and waterway cleanup movement at Statue of Liberty Plaza at Alki Beach on September 21, 2024. Breakfast, lunch, and cleanup supplies will be provided. (Register here.)

“Over a garbage truck’s worth of plastics – much of it single-use – enters the ocean every minute, where they accumulate year after year,” said Ocean Conservancy’s Senior Director of Conservation Cleanups, Allison Schutes. “While it’s critical that we turn off the tap of plastics flowing into the environment through prevention measures, we also need to clean up what’s already out there. Every piece of plastic collected and recorded as part of the International Coastal Cleanup informs important research and advocacy and makes a tangible difference for our ocean and the creatures that call it home.”

“We’re incredibly proud to be partnering with Ocean Conservancy on this flagship cleanup at one of the most iconic beaches in the Pacific Northwest,” said Sean Dixon, Executive Director of Puget Soundkeeper, which is celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2024. “This year’s event will bring families, neighbors, activists, and community champions out to help safeguard this vital ecosystem. Plastics in our environment are superhighways transporting toxic chemicals into the food web and, especially during salmon migrations, are a literal poison pill for our already endangered and threatened fisheries. Every little piece of trash collected helps save a salmon.”

Partners in Washington state have been participating in Ocean Conservancy’s ICC for 36 years. Since 2019, in the Puget Sound area alone, nearly 9,000 volunteers have removed close to 200,000 individual pieces of trash, weighing a whopping 75,000 pounds. Meanwhile, Washington state has been at the forefront of plastics policy. The state has banned plastic foam foodware, including clamshell containers, plates and cups, as well as single-use foam coolers and packing peanuts; and last year, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law legislation designed to reduce single-use water bottles, other plastic packaging, and plastic foam docks. …

Globally, since the first ICC in 1986, over 18 million volunteers have joined local cleanup efforts big and small to remove over 385 million pounds of trash from beaches and waterways, making it the largest beach and waterway cleanup in the world. At last year’s ICC, over 486,000 volunteers collected nearly 8 million pounds of trash globally, including nearly 2 million cigarette butts, over 1.3 million beverage bottles, and over 850,000 bottle caps. Ocean Conservancy is expecting an even larger turnout in 2024.

Every year, more than 11 million metric tons of plastic waste are estimated to enter the ocean, impacting more than 1,300 species of marine life, including seabirds, sea turtles and marine mammals. Plastics never fully breakdown in the environment and instead, break into smaller and smaller pieces called microplastics. Microplastics are being found everywhere scientists look, from the depths of the Mariana trench to mountain tops, and even our dinner tables, showing up in proteins, salt, and even drinking water.

The cleanup is set for 9 am-noon Saturday (September 21); you can register here.

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FOLLOWUP: Memorial vigil planned at Alki Beach for Aysenur Ezgi Eygi
September 10, 2024 12:09 pm
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Thanks to everyone who sent the link. A memorial vigil for Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, who grew up in West Seattle, is planned for Wednesday night at Alki Beach. She is the 26-year-old recent UW graduate – and former West Seattle HS (yearbook photo at right), Madison MS, and Alki Elementary student – shot and killed by Israeli soldiers during a protest in the West Bank last Friday. The memorial announcement posted on social media says that Alki was one of her favorite places and invites people to gather 6:30 pm-9 pm Wednesday on the beach across from Blue Moon Burgers (57th SW and Alki SW). Meantime, the Associated Press reports today that the Israeli military says Ms. Eygi was likely shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by its soldiers, also reporting that her family released a statement saying in part “we are deeply offended by the suggestion that her killing by a trained sniper was in any way unintentional.” They have called for the U.S. to launch its own investigation.

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REMINDER: 3 more weeks for earlier closing at Alki Beach
September 1, 2024 8:46 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(Tonight’s sunset, photographed by James Bratsanos)

Reminder that the earlier closing time for Alki Beach Park (and Golden Gardens in Ballard) is ending later this year than last year. As announced in May, the 10:30 pm closing time will remain in effect through Sunday, September 22nd; after that, closing time goes back to 11:30 pm, and beach-fire season ends. Last year, it all ended after Labor Day. The city continues to call this a “pilot,” though this is the fourth year they’ve had an earlier closing time for Alki

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READER REPORT: Sailboat aground at Lincoln Park
August 20, 2024 12:24 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks

Sent by Tom Trulin, who often has eyes on Lincoln Park:

Sailboat is aground in kelp bed today as the tide is going out. It’s north end of Lincoln Park. It is anchored but the heavy winds made it move toward shore. Maybe the owner will see it today in the blog and move it at high tide.

Low tide was just half an hour ago; next high tide is just before 7 pm.

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