West Seattle, Washington
30 Sunday
(Corps of Engineers photo, 2014)
Announced this morning:
The Seattle District, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, awarded a $3 million contract September 27 to Redside Construction based in Bainbridge Island to replace an existing seawall in West Seattle.
The project will replace the existing 500-foot-long seawall at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook, 4503 Beach Dr. SW, that was constructed in the 1920s and has experienced significant erosion and damage from storm events. We anticipate construction in mid-2020.
The new seawall will be a “soldier pile” (system of vertical piles spaced at a regular interval with material in between to create a wall) design, built a few feet seaward and a few feet higher than the existing seawall, and equipped with safety handrails that the current seawall lacks. This design will minimize the impact on the beach, address rising sea level concerns and create better contours for the restoration landscaping on the landward portion of the overlook area.
The Army Corps has partnered with Seattle Parks and Recreation to design and build this coastal storm damage reduction project under Section 103 of the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1962. Coastal storms and erosion continue to threaten public infrastructure located in and around the project footprint, including a 54-inch King County sewer main, a main public arterial, City park property, and other underground utilities.
The Seattle Parks project page is here; our coverage of a Q&A community meeting about the project back in July is here. Community comments were first solicited in 2014, when the project was estimated to cost $2.3 million.
(Pearl the harbor seal [front], with her pup Minnie Pearl [middle], sharing their favorite rock with another large adult seal)
The photo and update are from David Hutchinson for Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:
Seal Sitters is now entering what has historically been our busiest months. Harbor seal pups, born June-September in our area, and weaned after only 4-6 weeks, are now showing up on local beaches. Our Hotline received 2 calls late Thursday evening about pups hauling out at different West Seattle beaches. Thanks to Kelly and Amy for taking the time to call when they came upon these vulnerable, young seals. Unfortunately, back on August 29th, we also received a report from a Seattle Parks’ security officer at Alki Beach of a small pup that was frightened back into the water by a group of people. The majority of these pups are on their own and struggling to survive, with only 50% making it through their first year.
Please remember that all marine mammals are protected by federal law. If you see one on a beach, please keep back, keep other people and pets away and call your local NOAA-affiliated stranding network. In West Seattle, that would be Seal Sitters MMSN at 206-905-7325. If you are not in West Seattle, our Hotline operators can refer you to the appropriate group.
Just a reminder that dogs are not allowed on Seattle Parks’ beaches, off or on a leash.
(WSB photo from earlier this month)
The next two days are your last two chances of the summer to explore the shore during low-low tides. At 10:35 am Thursday and 11:22 am Friday, low tides will be out to -2.1 feet – the last daytime tides that low this year. Not quite as low as the minus-3-foot low tides earlier this summer but low enough for exploring! (If you can’t get out on the beach until the weekend, Saturday’s low-low tide is decent for beachwalking too – -1.5 feet at 12:09 pm.) New around here? A favorite low-tide-exploring spot is Constelltion Park/Richey Viewpoint along Beach Drive south of Alki Point. But tread lightly and take great care with any creatures you see!
The photo was sent by Victoria, a first responder for Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, who explains: “Seal Sitters received a call about this raft on Lowman Park beach. Not sure who the owner is but they may wish to come and claim it before the tide takes it back out into the water.” Next high tide is at 8:33 pm.
10:17 AM: Just in from King County Wastewater Treatment Division:
King County Wastewater Treatment Division is investigating a leaking pressure relief valve on the Barton Pump Station pipeline that travels through Lincoln Park located in West Seattle that resulted in a small sewer overflow.
Signs have been posted advising the public to avoid contact in the area located in the southern-most end of the park along the beach trail north of the Fauntleroy Ferry Dock. King County dispatched a crew to clean up the site and water quality testing will be done throughout the weekend. The overflow has been reported to health and regulatory agencies.
We have followup questions about the size/volume of the overflow and the stretch of shore affected, since there’s a stretch of private shoreline north of the dock, as well as little Cove Park, before you get to the south end of Lincoln Park. We’re also headed out to look for signage/work crews.
11:25 AM: No reply yet, but we did find a “stay out of the water” sign at Cove Park; photo added above.
1:03 PM: From KCWTD spokesperson Norm Mah: “The estimate is between 200-400 gallons, most of which was cleaned up by a vactor (vacuum) truck last night. Some of it was within the vault that houses the valves.”
As previewed in our daily highlight list, today’s low-low tide was the last one out to -3 feet (-3.1 to be precise) before summer ends. A few minutes after the 11:41 low-low-tide moment, we were out at Seacrest for a look at the exposed pier supports, and caught a Blue Angels flyby. As for a closer look at the sea life:
Though starfish have reappeared elsewhere, they weren’t in view here. (For comparison, see our 2009 view here.) One more low-low-tide view a bit to the northwest:
It takes a tide this low to show the remains of what used to be off Duwamish Head – which bustled a century-plus ago with docks, industry, even the legendary Luna Park amusement park. Meantime, if you couldn’t get out on the beach today, tomorrow’s almost as low, -2.9 feet at 12:27 pm Friday.
Construction of a new seawall at Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook is still about a year away.
But reps from Seattle Parks and the Army Corps of Engineers presented a briefing this past week so interested people would know how the project will proceed. About 30 people showed up for the briefing/Q&A at Alki Community Center.
It’s been more than five years in the planning – we first mentioned it in this 2014 report. The potential failure of the 500-foot-long stretch of seawall threatens other infrastructure including a 4 1/2-foot-wide sewer pipeline.
(WSB photo from 2018 ‘Da Grind’)
Continuing our ongoing previews of what’s ahead here in the heart of summer, there’s another reason to be at Alki next Saturday: The Seattle Outrigger Canoe Club‘s annual “Da Grind” races will be on for most of the day. Most of the racing is on a 12-mile course to Blake Island and back, but a four-mile course is used for the last round of the day. The schedule’s on the races’ official website, with racing starting at 9:30 am and lasting until awards are presented around 3:30 pm.
(Click for current “live” map of closures)
Thanks to everybody who called our attention to a state alert about sewage spills that briefly led to a warning to stay out of the water at multiple beaches including Alki. That “closure” is no longer in effect, according to a state update. But just so you know what happened:
The Washington Department of Ecology is investigating sewage treatment failures at King County’s two largest sewage treatment plants. The following is the latest information Ecology has on the unauthorized discharges at the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant and Renton Wastewater Treatment Plant.
Early this morning, the West Point Wastewater Treatment Plant released an estimated 3 million gallons of untreated sewage for approximately 27 minutes, after backup pumping systems failed during power disruptions at the plant. The system diverted incoming wastewater to an emergency outfall near North Beach in Discovery Park.
On July 18, there was a different power failure at the county’s Renton Wastewater Treatment Plant, resulting in potentially limited disinfection of treated wastewater. This limited disinfection lasted approximately 50 minutes. The Renton plant discharges into Puget Sound, about two miles offshore, northwest of Duwamish Head in Seattle.
Ecology is investigating both incidents as unauthorized discharges that would violate the state’s water quality permits for the facilities. The county reported the incidents to Ecology. Ecology anticipates taking necessary enforcement actions after its full investigation.
The release of sewage into Puget Sound has prompted local health departments to issue several beach closures. Ecology keeps a list of current beach closures online. We advise the public to check with their local health departments for beach closure updates.
If you scroll down this page, you’ll see the list in King County has been revised to ONLY Discovery Park beaches. Alki is OK.
11:50 AM: One by one, the canoe families are leaving Alki Beach, carrying their wooden canoes to the water and paddling off to the next stop, hosted by the Suquamish Tribe on the Kitsap Peninsula, ultimately headed for the Lummi Nation, this year’s hosts at journey’s end. (And yes, this is what the helicopter is circling Alki for; it’s a TV chopper.) More photos to come.
1:04 PM: The Duwamish Tribe has joined the Paddle to Lummi – after we left Alki, we found the Duwamish canoe launching from Don Armeni:
Back at the beach, Alki photographer David Hutchinson says all have left, just one canoe (flying the Chehalis flag) left on the beach. He sent this photo:
ADDED FRIDAY NIGHT: Carrying a canoe back to the water posed some challenges:
It was something to watch with admiration:
The departures continued:
Still adding!
12:33 PM: As previewed, tribal canoe families headed north on the Paddle to Lummi have begun arriving at Alki Beach for an overnight stay hosted by the Muckleshoot Tribe. Far fewer than last year since this is near the start of the northbound route, as opposed to last year, when it was toward the end of a southbound journey – about 15 are expected today, Muckleshoot cultural director Willard Bill Jr. told WSB.
The canoes will remain on the beach overnight, departing tomorrow, headed northwest to the next stop, hosted by the Suquamish Tribe. Updates to come!
1:46 PM; All here:
Buses still line the water side of Alki Ave. SW to transport the visitors to the Muckleshoot HQ in Auburn.
ADDED THURSDAY EVENING: More photos. The arrivals coincided with a very low low tide, so there was a considerable distance to haul the canoes up onto the beach.
Next three photos are by David Hutchinson, capturing some of the details of the canoes:
At the next stop in Suquamish, the canoe families will stop for two nights, Friday and Saturday.
(WSB photo, July 2018)
On Thursday, some of the canoe families participating in this year’s Intertribal Canoe Journey, the Paddle to Lummi, will stop at Alki Beach. We’ve confirmed with the Alki-hosting Muckleshoot Tribe‘s cultural director Willard Bill Jr. that they are expected to start arriving around noon on Thursday. Fewer canoes this year because the journey is northbound – he says they’re expecting about 15. They will then travel by land to the Muckleshoot Powwow Grounds in Auburn and depart Alki on Friday morning for the next stop – here’s a map of the stops before and after (those stopping here will have been with the Puyallup Tribe the night before, and headed to Suquamish the night after). Every year a different tribe/nation in the region hosts the celebration at the end of the journey route.
Thanks to David Hutchinson for the photo from Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, one of more than 100 places around the nation and world where people gathered tonight “to protest the inhumane conditions faced by migrants,” particularly detention and separation at the U.S. border. The movement is called Lights for Liberty, and the West Seattle vigil was one of at least half a dozen planned in the city tonight.
(2014 US Army Corps of Engineers photo of failing seawall)
One of West Seattle’s favorite spots for watching everything from orcas to sunsets has construction in its future. The long-planned seawall replacement for Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook on Beach Drive SW is getting closer, and Seattle Parks has an event planned next week for info and Q&A:
Seattle Parks and Recreation and the Army Corps of Engineers invite the community to an Open House on Tuesday, July 16, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Alki Community Center, 5817 SW Stevens St. This Open House is an opportunity for the community to learn about the Emma Schmitz Seawall Replacement project located at 4503 Beach Dr. SW in West Seattle.
The project will replace the existing 500-foot-long seawall constructed in the 1920s that has experienced significant erosion and damage from storm events. Please join us for a short presentation followed by an Open House.
The new seawall will be a “soldier pile” (system of vertical piles spaced at a regular interval with material in between to create a wall) design, built a few feet seaward and a few feet higher than the existing seawall, and equipped with safety handrails that the current seawall lacks. This design will minimize the impact on the beach, address rising seawater concerns and create better contours for the restoration landscaping on the landward portion of the overlook area. We anticipate construction in mid-2020.
The project website says this open house will include a “short presentation,” so it’s not strictly a drop-in open house.
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
2:19 PM: From the treacherous waters of Elliott Bay, the Seafair Pirates have arrived at Alki – landing shortly after 1 pm, aboard the trusty Prudhoe Bay (once again commandeered from West Seattle’s own Global Diving and Salvage, who surely know where to find Davy Jones’s Locker). This might be the only port o’ call where people run (wade) toward pirates instead of running from them:
(WSB photos by Patrick Sand from here down, unless credited otherwise)
Even if you missed the landing, the beach festival with vendors, kids’ rides, and treats continues until 5 pm:
ADDED 4:23 PM: More photos!
The tide was low, so the required wading was a little shallower than usual. On shore, a change – no roped-off area, so pirates and fans moved about at will:
Though they were of course wielding swords, we observed more smiles than shrieks:
The traditional welcome ceremony ensued:
The welcoming party included King County Executive Dow Constantine and Seafair royalty:
(Texted photo)
From left with the KCE are this year’s King Neptune, Rich Gray; Queen Alcyone, Kim Holcomb; and Miss Seafair, Andrea Diaz. (Read more about them here.) Meantime, we’re told the Pirates have left the Bathhouse in their landlubbing “vessel,” Moby Duck:
(Photo by David Hutchinson)
Two weeks from today, they will be back to “sail” down California Avenue SW in Moby Duck during the West Seattle Grand Parade (which starts at California/Lander at 11 am and heads southbound to The Junction).
(2016 photo by David Hutchinson)
One more warning – tomorrow’s the day to “keep a weather eye on the horizon” as the Seafair Pirates are expected to storm the shore at Alki Beach in early afternoon. Come early/stay late for general revelry including kids’ activities, vendors around the Bathhouse, and music. Seafair estimates the pirates will arrive between 1 and 2 pm, but the time can vary – last year it was around 1:40 pm. Current forecast, partly sunny. No road closures associated with the event but be ready for crowds, and if you will need to park, get there early.
Thanks to Jim Spraker for the photo of sea stars under the Fauntleroy ferry dock, seen on this low-low-tide day, with summer’s lowest tides this week (as previewed here). Tomorrow will be mega-low, too – out to -3.0 feet at 1:31 pm Friday.
(WSB file photo from Duwamish Head during a minus-three-foot low-low tide)
The lowest low tides of summer are coming up this week. It’ll be out to -3.0 feet at 11:14 am Tuesday, -3.4 at 11:58 am Wednesday and at 12:43 pm Thursday, and -3.0 at 1:31 pm Friday. Expert advice will be available for your (careful!) exploration, with Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists at Constellation and Lincoln Parks each day – see those times here. (The only other chance this year that you’ll get to visit the shore during a minus-three-feet-or-more low tide is August 1st.)
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The weekend began with a big volunteer show of support at Alki Beach. If only the trash they picked up hadn’t been left behind in the first place! The photos and report are from David Hutchinson with Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:
The “Sentinels of the Sound” Alki Beach cleanup Saturday morning was a great success. Over 80 volunteers showed up at the Alki Statue of Liberty before spreading out to remove litter from the beach and Park. When they returned, the material they collected was weighed and bagged for disposal. Seal Sitters would like to thank Seattle Parks & Recreation and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance for providing the cleanup supplies.
Seattle Parks and concerned Alki residents always work hard to keep the area clean but a good amount of litter was removed during the 2½ hour event. This included over 100 pounds of trash and hundreds of cigarette butts as well as a discarded insulin syringe.
Volunteers from the sponsoring groups, Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network, SR3 and Sno-King Marine Mammal Response, staffed display tables, talked with and answered questions from passersby.
Just a quick reminder, harbor seal pupping season is now underway in our area, so if you come across a vulnerable pup (or any marine mammal) on a West Seattle beach, please call Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325.
Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network and friends hope you will join them on Saturday:
This coming Saturday morning, June 29th, from 9:30 AM – noon, Seal Sitters, along with Sno-King Marine Mammal Response and SR3, will be sponsoring our annual beach cleanup at Alki. We will be meeting at the Alki Statue of Liberty (61st Ave SW & Alki Ave SW) [ Map ]. There will be a brief introduction by Kate Melges, highlighting her work with Greenpeace on ocean plastics and microfibers.
Supplies will be provided by Seattle Parks & Recreation and Puget Soundkeeper Alliance. For additional details, check this announcement on Seal Sitters’ Blubberblog: Sentinels of the Sound beach cleanup.
While we are requesting an RSVP to ensure we have enough supplies, please feel free to drop by to visit our display tables and help out. RSVP to SealSitters.Outreach (at) msn (dot) com
(WSB photo from 2018 Seafair Pirates Landing)
Two weeks from today – on Saturday, July 6th – the Seafair Pirates land on Alki Beach. As usual, they’re expected ashore in the early afternoon. And that’s just one of the big event dates Seafair has officially announced for this summer. Here are a few others with West Seattle impacts:
Monday, July 29th – Parade of Ships, with U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and Royal Canadian Navy ships sailing past West Seattle on their way to the downtown waterfront
Thursday-Sunday, August 1st-4th – U.S. Navy Blue Angels, rehearsing and then performing, taking off from and landing at nearby Boeing Field
Lots of other Seafair events elsewhere, of course – the full calendar is here (including local events that are sanctioned, and in some cases participated in, but not presented, by Seafair).
(Photo courtesy Seal Sitters)
Space is still available in Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network‘s June 15th volunteer training. Here’s the announcement:
Interested in protecting seals and other marine mammals? Seal Sitters’ first training of the year will be held on Saturday, June 15th, in the front meeting room of the Alki UCC from 10 AM – Noon. If you would like to volunteer, this training qualifies you for on-the-beach duty in our territory from Brace Point through the Duwamish River including Harbor Island. As a member of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, we respond to reports of any marine mammal on the beaches in those areas. Harbor Seal “pupping season” is now underway in Washington and runs from late June – September in our area.
An RSVP is required to attend. Please use this link for more details including instructions on how to RSVP.
As noted in our daily highlight list, it’s an excellent week for beach exploring – low-low tides at midday. Our photos show two views from Lowman Beach Park, looking south (above) and north, just before the -2.3-foot low-low tide at 11:37 am:
The tide’s out even further at the lowest point each of the next four days – -2.8 at 12:17 pm tomorrow, -3 at 1 pm Wednesday, -2.9 at 1:46 pm Thursday, and -2.4 at 2:45 pm Friday. If you’d like expert advice for your (careful) exploration, Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are at Constellation and Lincoln Parks today and daily through Thursday – see the times here.
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