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West Seattle scene: Canoe-building at Lowman Beach
July 6, 2011 2:10 am
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

These past few brilliantly sunny/warm afternoons, if you visited Lowman Beach north of Lincoln Park, you might have seen Tom hard at work on his canoe. We heard about him from Karl Sutter, who has been watching Tom’s progress. Karl shared the first two photos, explaining that Tom had already been out in his carved canoe – but was adding an outrigger:

Then we stopped by on the 4th of July afternoon, for a firsthand look:

The original canoe even works with a 4-to-6-horsepower motor, and at last report, he was looking for an additional one.

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West Seattle weekend scene: Eagles on the beach
July 3, 2011 12:17 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife


(Click image for a larger view)
Making a very public West Seattle appearance on the eve of the most patriotic of holidays, it’s our national symbol, the bald eagle, times two, on a stretch of Alki sand revealed as the tide goes out (it’ll be -2.0 at 1:56 pm). Thanks to Debra Salazar Herbst for sharing the photo!

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One week away: Seafair Pirates Landing – and pancakes – on Alki
July 2, 2011 10:39 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   Fun stuff to do | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from 2008 Seafair Pirates Landing on Alki)
While the biggest West Seattle event next weekend is Summer Fest in The Junction (3 days starting Friday), we know a few (thousand) folks will likely duck over to Alki next Saturday to provide a welcoming party for everyone’s favorite marauders, the Seafair Pirates. Saturday, July 9th, is indeed the annual Seafair Pirates Landing, and we hear that there might even be a Moby Duck sighting (you’ll recall their beloved landborne “ship” ran into hard times last fall). The landing itself is between 11:30 am and 12:30 pm, per the Pirates’ page – but here’s a good reason to get to the beach long before then (besides securing yourself a better parking/viewing spot): From 7 am till 10 am that same morning, the annual Pirates and Pancakes breakfast fundraiser will be happening at Alki Bathhouse, right in the landing zone. $5 gets you pancakes and coffee or juice, and it’s a benefit for Sports in Schools, which is sponsoring WSB this week to promote the event.

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On festival’s eve, Port of Seattle opens Jack Block Park shoreline
June 24, 2011 8:38 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photos by Patrick Sand)
By Tracy Record
West Seattle Blog editor

A long-closed West Seattle beach is open tonight, awash in colorful paddling boats and gear, and exhibitors’ tents, ready for the first-ever Northwest Paddling Festival this weekend. On the festival’s eve, the Port of Seattle‘s official opening of the once-industrial-pollution-tainted Jack Block Park shoreline was celebrated with, not a ribbon-cutting, but a ribbon-untying:

Among those participating, West Seattle paddlesports advocate Greg Whittaker at left, proprietor of Alki Kayak Tours and Mountain to Sound Outfitters and a driving force behind the festival, with Port of Seattle Commissioner Gael Tarleton to his left – with others including the park’s namesake, longtime commissioner Jack Block (Sr.), who was also one of the speakers before the dedication:

Block, who served on the commission 1974-2001, noted that it was a “20-year project” and that he had said a while back, “I hope I live long enough to see this project dedicated.” So tonight, he said triumphantly, “I made it!”

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Second ‘Hands Across the Sand’ on Alki Beach this Saturday
June 22, 2011 11:05 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(WSB photo from 2010 ‘Hands Across the Sand’)
Once again this year, “Hands Across the Sand” demonstrations are planned on shorelines around the country, including Alki Beach, where we photographed the inaugural local event a year ago. The Sierra Club says it’s intended “to champion clean energy solutions that will move us beyond oil — and protect our coastal economies and marine wildlife.” Alki’s “Hands Across the Sand” is scheduled for noon this Saturday, just east of Alki Bathhouse; more here.

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West Seattle ‘red’ water followup: What the state says
June 21, 2011 2:13 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   Seen at sea | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(Monday photo courtesy GW)
The state Ecology Department is talking today about the reddish “bloom” seen in some Puget Sound waters, including ours (here’s yesterday’s WSB report/photos). From their news release (we’ve added an aerial photo they posted to Flickr):

Scientists from the Department of Ecology’s marine monitoring program in a routine overflight of Puget Sound have spotted an extensive reddish bloom in Puget Sound that they suspect is harmless.

It is not the so-called “red tide” that refers to paralytic shellfish poisoning.

The bloom extends from Kingston to Des Moines, and across the Central Basin from Seattle to Bainbridge Island.

Today, they collected water samples they predict will confirm that the bloom is Noctiluca (pronounced “nock-ti-lukah”), a harmless single-celled micro-organism that bioluminesces and occurs normally at this time of year. This kind of plankton does not photosynthesize, but gets its red color from the phytoplankton it eats, a type of nutrition called heterotrophy.

This type of bloom shows up as large, red-brown, even orange “tomato-soup-like” streaks along current and tidal convergence lines, according to Dr. Christopher Krembs of Ecology’s marine monitoring program.

Krembs said the bloom is also accumulating along shores and beaches.

“We are reasonably certain this is Noctiluca, so there is no public health threat,” Krembs said. “As the sun warms the water, the water stratifies, holding the tiny plankton near the surface where they flourish.” …

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West Seattle scenes: Can you solve these low-tide mysteries?
June 18, 2011 10:01 pm
|      23 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Eve sent these two photos taken during Friday’s low-low tide, wondering if anyone knows what they are – the first, she said, looked “like plastic” but clearly wasn’t (we also recall seeing the formation in another low-tide photo we had received but not published); the next, she said, looked almost “like red tide”:

Thanks in advance, beach expert(s) who will solve the mystery!

10:24 PM UPDATE: Thanks to everyone who has solved the FIRST mystery in the comment section – second one is still a open case.

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West Seattle scenes: Colorful sights revealed at low tide
June 17, 2011 12:50 am
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Thanks to Jim Clark for sharing Thursday low-tide scenes from south of Alki Point. One more low-low tide awaits, today (Friday) at 12:36 pm (-2.6 feet)

Tides won’t be this low again till late October – and then, it’ll be in the post-midnight wee hours, requiring most likely a light and a coat if you insist on exploring!

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West Seattle weekend scene: Also from Alki …
June 12, 2011 6:51 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Before we have to get back to all the seriousness, as the new week looms, yet more weekend whimsy: Stacy shared the photo, explaining, “Sunny Sunday fun on Alki today.”

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Sun-basking by day, salsa by night: Summer arrives on Alki
June 4, 2011 10:21 pm
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Statue of Liberty Plaza morphed into a dance floor tonight on Alki, as a long-awaited salsa-dancing celebration finally arrived, to unbelievably perfect weather. Thanks to Debra Herbst for sharing a photo of the fun. (If you missed it, mark your calendar for two weeks from tonight, the second of four Salsa on Alki events scheduled this summer – here’s the Facebook event page.) Earlier, the beach itself grew more crowded as the day moved on toward an eventual high temperature just two degrees short of 80:

That photo is courtesy of David Hutchinson, who also reports that Harbor and Alki Avenues took on the traditional summertime backup, too – he says he was stuck in traffic for 20 minutes just getting between the West Seattle Bridge and Seacrest Pier, so from there, he detoured up to the Admiral District to make it home to Alki without too much further delay. Tomorrow is expected to be a lot like today – sunny, 70s.

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West Seattle scene: Eastside comes west for low tide
June 2, 2011 2:59 pm
|    Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Eastside comes west for low tide
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

As the school year wanes, the school-bus visits to Alki and vicinity increase, for low-tide field trips. Just before noon today, we spotted those six Issaquah School District buses south of Alki Point – they’re way off to the right in our beach photo:

Today’s tide wasn’t nearly as low as last full moon, but still low enough for good exploration, -2.0 – and tomorrow just past 12:30 pm, it’ll be a bit lower, -2.2. But this month’s lowest tides aren’t for two more weeks – June 14-16, we’ll see minus-three-foot tides again. (Here’s our favorite chart.)

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Renton students join Alki Council/Seal Sitters for beach cleanup
May 27, 2011 1:14 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Beach cleanups aren’t just a matter of aesthetics – it could be a matter of life and death for wildlife. That’s why the Alki Community Council and Seal Sitters have a series of volunteer cleanups under way, and David Hutchinson shares photos as well as a report on the latest one, just hours ago:

The second beach clean-up of the season, sponsored by the Alki Community Council and Seal Sitters, took place this morning. Twenty-one volunteers from the Renton High School Choir, led by choir director Lizabeth Diaz, removed litter from the area around the picnic tables in Alki Park, along the beach, and by the fire rings.

These events also provide an educational opportunity for the volunteers. Robin Lindsey, one of the founders of Seal Sitters, briefed the students on local marine mammals and the negative impact of litter and pollutants when they get into the marine environment.

These activities are coordinated through Colleen Hackett of Seattle Parks & Recreation. If you want additional information on how you can become involved, contact Larry Carpenter, of the Alki Community Council, at 206-938-0887.

And of course, it should go without saying .. don’t leave beach trash behind in the first place. Just in case the cans fill up on a long weekend like this, if you’re going to the beach, bring a bag so you can “pack (trash) out” if you need to.

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Followup: Alki Beach cleanup just the first of many
May 16, 2011 10:37 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

Tonight, an update from the Alki Community Council on the beach cleanup we checked in on this morning:

The Alki Community Council and Seal Sitters would like to thank those who turned out this morning to help clean Alki Beach.

The day started with a briefing by Kristin Wilkinson [above], NOAA Marine Mammal Stranding Expert, on the impact that our litter and trash has on marine life when it gets into Puget Sound. Colleen Hackett, Parks Volunteer Programs Coordinator, then gave us our assignments for the morning. The 29 volunteers, led by a large group from AmeriCorps, picked up trash from the west end of the Park through 54th Place SW. Enough time was available to assist Parks by removing the sand, brought in by this past winter’s storms, from the steps along Alki Avenue.

The Council hopes to coordinate with Seattle Parks & Recreation, local businesses, and community members in an effort to minimize the problem of litter on Alki this coming summer season.

We want to thank Pioneer Coffee, Tully’s, and Starbucks, for their donation of coffee to get our volunteers off to a good start. Thanks to Robin Lindsey, of Seal Sitters, for arranging the talk by Kristin Wilkinson, and also to Larry Carpenter, of the ACC, for coordinating this event with Parks. If you want additional information on how you can become involved, contact Larry at 206-938-0887.

You’re also welcome at the ACC’s next monthly meeting, this Thursday at 7 at Alki UCC Church (6112 SW Hinds).

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Happening now: Clean up Alki Beach, to help wildlife
May 16, 2011 9:54 am
|    Comments Off on Happening now: Clean up Alki Beach, to help wildlife
 |   Environment | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

They gathered at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza right at 9 am – and if you have time to spare between now and noon, they would be happy to have your help too! Volunteers from the Alki Community Council, Seal Sitters and AmeriCorps are part of the effort, aimed at not just a nicer-looking beach, but making sure trash doesn’t get into the water (or elsewhere) to harm wildlife. More information here about who’s supporting the cleanup; if you can spare some time, head over and join in.

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Join Alki Community Council, Seal Sitters for beach cleanup Monday
May 13, 2011 11:16 am
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

From the Alki Community Council – a chance to lend a hand (or two) this Monday, 9 am-noon:

With the coming of warmer weather, litter seems to sprout from our beaches and parks. This is going to be a particularly bad year, due to the impact of Seattle Parks & Recreation’s recent budget cutbacks on park maintenance. Working together as a community, we can all make a contribution in the effort to keep our parks litter free.

In cooperation with AmeriCorps volunteers, the Alki Community Council and Seal Sitters are co-sponsoring a cleanup of Alki Beach. If you have some free time on Monday morning, you are invited to participate. The litter on our beaches makes its way into Puget Sound and has a negative impact on marine life. Beginning at 9:00 am, Kristin Wilkinson, NOAA NW Stranding Expert, will be briefing us on the hazards that our misplaced trash creates.

Be sure and check the Seal Sitters Blubberblog for more details and a photo of the stomach contents of the Gray Whale that stranded and died on a West Seattle Beach in April of 2010.

We want to thank Pioneer Coffee, Tully’s, and Starbucks for providing coffee. Seattle Parks & Recreation will be supplying the necessary tools and trash bags.

The Alki Community Council has an ongoing volunteer program with Seattle Parks & Recreation. The ACC “Friends of Alki Beach” are responsible for picking up litter in Alki Park between 59th Ave SW and 63rd Ave SW. If you would like more information on this program or the cleanup event on Monday, please contact Larry Carpenter at 206-938-0887.

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West Seattle scene: Volleyball on the beach at sunset
May 5, 2011 3:32 am
|    Comments Off on West Seattle scene: Volleyball on the beach at sunset
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | WS & Sports

On Alki Beach, you can sit and watch the sunset … or you can play and watch the sunset! WSB contributor Stephanie Chacharon shared a scene from the season’s first Wednesday night games involving teams from Underdog Sports Leagues (WSB sponsor), which has “early summer” Monday games too.

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West Seattle scene: Over Alki Point Lighthouse
April 27, 2011 10:38 pm
|      6 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news


Remember the warm sunshine back on Saturday? And the movie shoot with Alki standing in for a Florida backdrop? Here’s one more Alki scene from Saturday – West Seattle aerial photographer/pilot Long Bach Nguyen just sent this Alki Point Lighthouse aerial, inviting us to share it with you, and given the fact the weather’s done a 180 since then, it’s a welcome sight. (Click the photo, or this link, to see a larger version.)

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Tropical Alki: ‘Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas’ movie crew brings palms
April 23, 2011 1:16 pm
|      11 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

The sun, the sand, the surf, the palms, the … snow-capped mountains!

As previewed here yesterday, the crew of the movie “Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas” indeed showed up today to shoot at Alki Beach – and brought the perfect props to fulfill what they’d told neighbors, that Alki would be doubling for Florida. Pull back the shot a little, of course, and the palm’s pot is revealed:

And somebody had to cart ’em around:

The crew was packing up by late morning:

Notices handed out to neighbors said they’re expecting to be back Monday; they’ve been shooting elsewhere around the city/region too, with Leavenworth playing the role of “Christmastown, Washington” – here’s a “rough cut” clip we found online:

Our story from yesterday explains what they’re doing in Seattle and why Florida figures into the plot.

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Movie crew coming to Alki – which is standing in for Florida!
April 22, 2011 12:41 pm
|      10 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | WS culture/arts

Thinking an unannounced festival or fun run was perhaps on the way, we had asked SDOT about those “no parking” signs in the Alki Bathhouse vicinity, but they had nothing on their special-events list. A note just out of the WSB inbox explains the signs: Alki photographer extraordinaire David Hutchinson e-mailed to say nearby residents have received a notice explaining that “Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas” will shoot exteriors in the area tomorrow and Monday. Quoting the notice, “We will be using the beach as a backdrop for Florida.” (The movie’s iMDB summary shines a little light on why.) Beach Drive Blog had reported previously on the crew’s plans to shoot in that area too.

1 PM P.S.: After rooting around for more information about the movie – we’ve added a clip above with some explanatory behind-the-scenes info (found here, where some “rough cut” clips also have been posted), including soundbites from directing/producing team members such as Jennifer Roth, just announced today as the recipient of the 6th annual Seattle Mayor’s Award for Outstanding Achievement in Film.

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Now, a photo break … West Seattle’s spring really is here!
March 23, 2011 2:20 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

On this third full day of spring 2011, the season has unquestionably arrived. Bright sunshine, relatively warm temperatures (60!) and a modestly low tide (-1.2) are combining for a definite winter-is-over feeling right now. Our photo was taken looking east from Luna (Anchor) Park on Harbor Avenue a short time ago.

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Rare sighting on West Seattle shores: Elephant seal
March 12, 2011 11:48 am
|      25 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Robin Lindsey from Seal Sitters says they’ve been enjoying a rare sighting — an elephant seal on a private beach in West Seattle. It’s actually her second visit in the past month or so, Robin explains, while sharing the photo above:

Abby was molting on this same stretch of beach in early February for several days, but finally returned to the water after a huge windstorm one night. Seal Sitters received a call yesterday afternoon from a waterfront homeowner that the huge seal (estimated to be around 350-400 lbs) was on her beach. We rarely see elephant seals around West Seattle, but there has been some breeding activity at Race Rocks off Victoria, BC, over the past number of years. There have been occasional elephant seal pups molting onshore near Port Gamble and Port Townsend. Since we are seeing them more often.

You can see video of Abby on the Seal Sitters “blubberblog” – just go here.

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Volunteers needed! Your chance to give the low-tide lowdown
March 7, 2011 1:01 pm
|      4 COMMENTS
 |   How to help | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news

(January 2011 photo shared by Lisa)
Just about everyone loves walking our beautiful beaches at low tide. Are you ready to help beach visitors learn more about what they’re seeing – as well as how to make sure they don’t cause unintended harm? The Seattle Aquarium‘s volunteer Beach Naturalist program – which stations volunteers on area beaches (including two in West Seattle) during summertime low tides – is looking for help. Here’s the official announcement just out of the WSB inbox:

Care about beaches? Good with people? Sign up to be a volunteer beach naturalist at a Seattle-area beach this summer. Naturalists will attend a program orientation on Tuesday April 12, and receive training from marine and interpretative experts on four weekday evenings (April 19, May 3, 10 and 17) and three weekend days (April 23, May 7 and 21). Once trained, volunteers spend three summer days educating visitors about beach ecology and beach etiquette at Carkeek Park, Constellation Park (South Alki), Des Moines Beach Park, Golden Gardens, Lincoln Park, Olympic Sculpture Park Beach, Redondo Beach, Richmond Beach or Seahurst Park. To sign up or get more information, please email beachnaturalist@seattleaquarium.org or call (206) 386.4365.

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West Seattle scenes from a spring-is-approaching Saturday
March 5, 2011 8:28 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Seen around town | West Seattle beaches | West Seattle news | Wildlife

Thanks to everyone who continues to share wonderful photographs – particularly of our wildlife, plant life, and other scenery, as well as news events big and small, breaking and not (here’s how to share something, any time) – Top photo, Danny McMillin caught one of West Seattle’s eagles lifting off from a madrona snag on Alki Point today. Next, the sunny scene at Alki this afternoon, photographed by JayDee, who observes that warmth-deprived West Seattleites seemed like crocuses, popping out once the sun appeared:

And from Trileigh, tonight’s golden sunset, viewed from the Lincoln Park bluff:

More in queue for tomorrow already … more photos and more nice weather (at least by afternoon, says the forecast).

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