West Seattle, Washington
05 Friday
If you enjoy exploring the beach at low tide, this is your week. The chart shows low-low tides through Friday. Today at 11:44 am, it’ll be out to -2.9 feet; Tuesday at 12:27 pm, -3.5 feet; Wednesday at 1:13 pm, -3.7 feet; Thursday at 2:03 pm, -3.4 feet; and Friday at 2:56 pm, -2.6 feet. The Seattle Aquarium‘s volunteer beach naturalists don’t start their seasonal schedule for a few more weeks, so you’ll have to explore on your own, but please remember to tread lightly, as the low-low tides expose animals and plants that spend most of the year underwater. You can also appreciate the revealed shoreline by observing from overlooks/sidewalks/trails including Duwamish Head, Constellation Park, Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook, and Lincoln Park. If you can’t get out this week (or if the weather gets in the way, which it might on Wednesday), next month will bring even-lower low tides – three days at or below -4.0, starting June 14th.
Many hardy, good-hearted volunteers are showing up for community cleanups – and tonight we have a followup on one of the bigger recent events, The photos and report were sent to us today by organizers of the Alki cleanup led by SR3 and Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network:
On Friday, April 15, more than 100 volunteers joined Seal Sitters and SR3 for an early Earth Day celebration on the 1-year anniversary of the SR3 Marine Wildlife Hospital. Staff from the Seattle Seahawks, Delta Airlines and Forum Social House,came out to help gather over 90 pounds of trash that might otherwise have ended up in the ocean.
Supplies for the pickup were provided by Seattle Parks & Recreation and Puget SoundKeeper Alliance. Seattle Seahawk DeShawn Shead awarded SR3 Executive Director Casey Mclean the Delta Community Captain award to recognize the great work SR3 does for our community.
To learn more about SR3 or get involved, go to sealifer3.org. To learn more about Seal Sitters or get involved go to sealsitters.org.
More opportunities to join in a community cleanup are coming up – watch for our next story!
(Photos by Jon McAllister)
The photos show Terri McAllister‘s surprise discovery at Alki. You have to look very closely to see what they really are! Terri emailed us to report:
Just a tip to wear shoes at the beach in spring. At Alki beach this morning, by the bathhouse, we came across some crab zoea. Tiny little spiny buggers managed to get our bare feet and hands whenever we touched the sand. It feels like glass or an itchy pinch. A bunch stuck to our beach blanket and we got some rad photos with a magnifying glass.
No wildlife authorities are available for us to consult today for further enlightenment on this sighting – but it’s an extra reminder to tread lightly on the shore!
2:20 PM: Thanks to Mike Munson for another progress-report photo from the Lowman Beach Park project – this time, a full view of the shore with the crumbling section of seawall removed. Mike reports, “Looks like the Lowman Beach Park project is close to finished. A natural beach has returned where the old sea wall was, the pile of stored logs has been spread out over the beach, and two small concrete slab have been poured above the beach. They are for benches, said the man removing the concrete forms there today.” We last checked on the project a month ago, as nighttime work wrapped up, and are checking again with Parks now to see if they have an estimated completion date.
3:11 PM: Project manager Janice Liang tells WSB, “The project is at near completion, as we have already completed key millstones on beach grading, Pelly Creek and seawall installation. We are now wrapping up the project with landscape and restoration work including irrigation, seeding, planting, and fencing at the north property line. Due to lead time on fencing fabrication, anticipated park opening in late May.”
Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network and SR3 are planning a major beach cleanup for Friday, April 15th – open to everyone, since it’s spring-break week for many students. Here’s the announcement:
Volunteers needed! SR3 (Seattle Response + Rehab + Research) and Seal Sitters are hosting a cleanup of Alki Beach at 10:00 am on Friday, April 15, in honor of Earth Day and to celebrate the first anniversary of the SR3 Marine Wildlife Hospital, the SeaLife Rescue Center. Show your love for all of the creatures that depend upon our beaches & learn about the important work being done by SR3 & Seal Sitters.
Please dress for Seattle spring weather and bring appropriate footwear (waterproof is recommended.) In consideration of the environmental impact of single-use bottles, water will not be provided, so please bring whatever water and refreshments you’ll need.
Equipment (gloves, hand sanitizer, bags, buckets, grabbers) will be available, but please bring your own if you have them! Please RSVP here. Meet at Statue of Liberty Plaza, Alki Ave SW at 61st Ave SW.
All ages welcome!
That’s what the beachfront SW 98th street end south of Brace Point [map] is supposed to look like after Seattle Public Utilities finishes a pump-station upgrade that’s expected to go into construction next year. SPU is circulating word to the neighborhood that the project is now at 90 percent design; it’s a popular spot for sea-life watchers, so it’s of wider interest. The SPU facility there is officially Pump Station 71, and it’s part of the system that pumps sewage and stormwater to treatment plants further north. Along with upgrades to the pump station’s functionality, SPU says:
As part of this effort, we’ll be making some improvements to the shoreline street end as well. Some of the improvements include:
• Removing the guardrail and extending the useable street end 20+ feet to the east.
• Replacing the current bench as well as creating a pad for wheelchair access.
• Installing beach logs and adding native plants and new trees to enhance the natural area in the street end.
Construction will last at least six months and “could start as early as spring 2023,” SPU says.
Alki Beach is quiet today. But now that it’s spring, the busy season isn’t far off. A discussion at last week’s Alki Community Council meeting touched on perennial summer concerns, some of which were addressed last year by closing the park earlier, so we asked Seattle Parks whether that’s planned again this year. Spokesperson Rachel Schulkin says yes, they’re planning a 10 pm closing time this summer too. The exact launch date hasn’t been determined yet – sometime in May – nor have the implementation details. (Seattle Police have already said they’re planning emphasis patrols at the beach again this year.) Last year the early closing time was put in place in early July, days after a deadly shooting, and continued until mid-September.
Thanks to Mike Munson for the latest look at progress on the Lowman Beach Park shore-restoration project. What you’re seeing above is the small section of seawall that’s been replaced rather than removed at the north edge of the park. Today was the scheduled end of the latest extension of the timeframe for nighttime work, so we asked Seattle Parks for a status report. Here’s the response from spokesperson Karen O’Connor:
Today was the last date for night work with the Noise Variance Permit. The contractor (was expected to) work until 7 PM at the latest and there will not be an extension of the night work Noise Variance Permit. We have the in-water work window extended to 2/28, Monday of next week. This allows the contractor to work below high water line. All the work will be done during the daytime.
In terms of project update, the contractor has completed the seawall installation. Some beach grading will need to be completed this week to backfill around the seawall. The Contractor is on track of completing in-water work before the 2/28 deadline. They will finish the Pelly Creek section early next week, which is above high tide line, and lawn restoration and landscape will occur in the coming weeks.
When complete, the project will have removed the old crumbling seawall and restored that section of the shore, as was done years ago with the south shore of the park. The old tennis court has been removed and will not be replaced; while Seattle Parks has said it would consider the idea of a smaller sport court, such as pickleball, elsewhere in the park, it would have to be community-funded, and no campaign for that has surfaced so far.
A texter sent that photo a few days ago and wondered if the Lowman Beach Park shore-restoration work was really going to meet its deadline for completing in-water work. The answer – no – arrived in this update from Seattle Parks:
In January, Seattle Parks and Recreation and McClung Construction completed preparation and shoring for the seawall installation for the Lowman Beach Park seawall and beach restoration project in West Seattle. Unfortunately, one of the seawall precast panels was the wrong dimension and was unable to be installed. The team has been working around the clock to refabricate and recast this one panel segment. Once the new panel is delivered to the site, the contractor will resume installation of all panels starting on February 9, 2022, and be completed by February 23. This work must be performed at night to take advantage of the low tides.
The original permit for in-water work expired on February 15, however, we were granted a maximum two week extension by the Department of Fish and Wildlife and must have work completed by February 28.
Two work windows at low tides still needed to complete:
Resume installing the precast wall panels – This is expected to take another three to four nights of work.
Completion of Pelly Creek – This is expected to take another two or three nights of work. We were previously planning to complete this on the week of February 7-11 during normal working hours, however, it can only be completed after the seawall panels are installed. To meet the February 28 deadline for beach grading the contractor may need to work extended hours.
The contractor has obtained another Temporary Noise Variance Permit (6881011-NV) issued by Seattle Department of Construction and Inspection (SDCI). The permit states work can occur between 7 PM and 7 AM starting Wednesday, February 09, 2022 at 7 PM and stopping no later than Wednesday, February 23 at 7 AM.
Although the permit allows for 14 nights of work, the contractor expects to work a maximum of eight nighttime shifts. The contractor will do what is feasible to mitigate the inconvenience by keeping the noise levels down as much as possible, disabling backup alarms, and avoiding high-impact work.
Thank you to the neighbors for their patience and cooperation during the Lowman Beach Park seawall and beach restoration project.
The CleanUpSEA coalition has an invitation for you, to start what’s expected to be a rainless weekend:
Join Jess at her monthly 10 am cleanup from Alki Beach to Constellation Park, and neighboring streets in between — the first Saturday of every month!
We’ll meet outside 2452 Alki Ave SW (brick apartment building across from new bathrooms on the beach) and spread out from there. We have pickup sticks & buckets you can use, or bring your own.
Friendly doggies and supervised children of all ages are welcome. Please, no dogs on the beach. Dress for the weather and bring gloves if you’d like your hands covered.
Early Riser? Meet Erik & Garet at 7 am every Saturday to clean up starting at the Statue of Liberty.
No RSVP needed – just show up!
Suddenly getting a flurry of questions about a big Seattle Fire presence at Constellation Park south of Alki Point. Thanks to the texter who sent these photos.
They report the crews there told them it was a drill – which is what we suspected since there’s nothing on the real-time incident log – and we’ve just confirmed that with SFD spokesperson Kristin Tinsley – diving drill, to be specific.
(December photo by James Tilley)
They did it in December, and Seattle Aquarium volunteer beach naturalists are returning for another nighttime low-tide beach walk at Constellation Park south of Alki Point. They’ll be at the beach next Saturday (January 29th), 7-9 pm. The tide won’t be out quite as far it was during the December beach walk, but far enough for (careful) exploration: -2.4 feet at 8:39 pm. No need to pre-register – just show up.
Thanks to Mike Munson for the photo of a delivery today at Lowman Beach Park. His photo and an area resident’s report of bright lights overnight last night are reminders that night work on the shore-restoration project continues, as previewed in a Seattle Parks announcement two weeks ago. We asked Parks today what’s happening now; spokesperson Karen O’Connor replied, “The night work started last week. The Contractor was working on shoring and preparation around the area for the new precast seawall. This week, a few more night shifts will occur to set precast wall and cap in place.” They’re working during late-night low-low tides. If anyone in the area has questions about the night work, she said, they can email lowmanbeach@seattle.gov.
P.S. A brief update on the project is also planned during Wednesday night’s quarterly Morgan Community Association meeting, 7 pm online – viewing/participation info is in our calendar listing.
That’s a harbor seal photographed during a visit to Alki (yes, with a long lens) by David Hutchinson with Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network. We asked him about other seal reports we’d heard this week, and he said a busier-than-usual season continues:
Every year is different, but traditionally the winter months see a tapering off in the number of Seal Sitters’ responses. Yesterday was an exception, with 4 calls to our Hotline about young harbor seal pups hauled out on West Seattle beaches.
The first was at Lincoln Park and after a period of time, it was decided to call in support from our partner, SR3 (Sealife Response, Rehabilitation and Research). Veterinary staff arrived, did a health assessment, and after consulting with Seal Sitters it was decided that the pup was in need of additional medical diagnostics and treatment. The pup was transported to their marine mammal hospital in Des Moines. SR3 responds at the request of marine mammal stranding network members, not from the general public, so if you come across a seal the first step is to call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline.
The other 3 calls concerned pups at different locations along Alki Ave, one of which was scared into the water by people and a dog coming too close while the reporting party was still talking with the Hotline. Harbor seals and other marine mammals are protected by federal law, and just a reminder that dogs are not allowed on Seattle Parks’ beaches. It is normal for these animals to rest on the beach, with young vulnerable pups not realizing the dangers of coming ashore in a dense urban area. The photo is of one of these Alki pups, where a protective perimeter was set up and staffed by volunteers who provided information to passersby.
If you come across a marine mammal, alive or dead on a West Seattle Beach, please keep back, ask others to do the same, and call the Seal Sitters’ Hotline at 206-905-7325.
If this helps you remember that number – it’s also 206-905-SEAL.
Weather conditions gave this morning’s “king tide” a turbocharge – almost two feet higher than the predicted high tide. Thanks to everyone who sent images of the result – first, above and below, video from Nils von Veh at Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza.
Holli Margell was at Alki too and sent these views:
Further east at Alki, Michelle Riggen-Ransom‘s photo shows the sea swamping the sand:
And Elizabeth Butler sent photos from the Fauntleroy shore:
Tomorrow’s high tide, expected to hit 12.5 feet just after 9:30 am, is likely to be closer to what’s predicted, since the weather has calmed.
Thanks for the photos! Another “king tide” high tide this morning just after 8 am … just under 13 feet officially, with tomorrow’s high tide only a bit lower, just before 9 am. The National Weather Service has a Coastal Flood Advisory in effect for 8 am-noon tomorrow – but is only expecting “minor” flooding, like the Alki-seawall slopover that the photos show:
All this at the start of a day that also has set a rainfall record – an inch and a half through about 6 pm.
(December photo, by Mike Munson)
Three and a half months after work to remove the crumbling Lowman Beach Park seawall began, Seattle Parks says night work is ahead so the project can stay on schedule. Here’s the announcement:
Seattle Parks and Recreation and McClung Construction have reached a milestone with the Lowman Beach Park seawall and beach restoration project. Two main components of this project are complete: demolition of the existing failed concrete seawall, as well as drilling and installation of the steel piles that provide structural support for the new seawall.
The next critical phase of work involves installation of the new precast concrete seawall. This work will occur between January 11 – 24, 2022 and must be performed at night to take advantage of the low tides. The installation of the precast concrete seawall must occur before February 15 when the in-water work window that protects fish and shellfish habitats closes. The time limitation for work is a requirement of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the workable low tides in January and February occur outside normal working hours.
Two night work windows at low tides will occur for:
-Preparing for the permanent installation of new seawall segments which will require up to four nights of work, however, could possibly be completed in one or two nights.
-Installing the precast wall panels, which is expected to take another three to four work nights.
Our Temporary Noise Variance Permit is currently approved for work between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. starting Tuesday, January 11, 2022, and must be completed by Monday, January 24 at 7 a.m. Although the permit allows for 14 nights of work, we expect to work a maximum of eight nighttime shifts.
McClung Construction will do what is feasible to minimize noise levels as much as possible.
Thank you to the neighbors for their patience and cooperation during the Lowman Beach Park seawall and beach restoration project.
Project background is here.
If you’re up before sunrise this Tuesday and Wednesday and on the water or shore, you’ll see the year’s highest predicted high tides – 13.1 feet at 6:57 am Tuesday and 7:38 am Wednesday. After that, high tide won’t reach 13 feet again until Christmas and the day after. One caveat – we could see something higher at some point during the year, because weather conditions can push them above predicted levels (as explained here). You’ll notice on the chart that the new moon is bringing an extreme low tide too – -3.8 feet at 10:29 pm tonight.
(WSB photos/video unless other credited)
Imagining yourself in the tropics is one way to make it through the annual New Year’s Day Polar Bear Swim at Alki Beach. Another is to consider that – today, anyway – the water was a lot warmer than the air: 47 degrees and 25 degrees, respectively. Despite the subfreezing air, hundreds were ready to go when organizer Mark Ufkes counted them down at 10 am:
(Photo by Scott Nelson)
While running into the water and immediately running out is the prevalent participation level, some lingered:
This was the first en-masse “swim” since 2020, when the air and water both were warmer – both 50 degrees, we noted that day.
ADDED SATURDAY NIGHT: Thanks to Robert Spears for these photos:
(January 1, 2018, photo by Robert Spears)
For everybody who’s asked about the plan for New Year’s Day 2022 Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim – this is just in from organizer Mark Ufkes:
We go in the water at 10:00 am sharp, so don’t be late. According to Washington State regulations; three simple requirements:
Adults must be vaccinated and boostered for Covid 19.
Everyone must wear a mask.
You and your group must be Covid-free, be in good health, and distance yourselves 6 feet from others while on the beach.For over 15 years, the Alki Beach Polar Bear Swim has been about “washing away the complexities of the previous year and bathing in the unlimited possibilities that the New Year provides”. All while pushing us all out of our comfort zone. Prior to Covid, we had over 700+ swimmers. In 2022, we need this event more than ever.
So, go over the three simple requirements listed above. Bring a large, warm towel, a coat to put on after you get out of the water, good water shoes, and your hopes and dreams for a spectacular 2022. Holding hands and wearing bright colors as you go into the water also seems to help.
I wear Goodwill pink every year, to celebrate the day in the not-too-distant future when over 50% of our Members of Congress will be women and/or People of Color. Imagine the message that would send to the world and how much more empathy we will have in our national governance.
When you arrive, you’ll see the gathering madness across from Duke’s. Stay in your group of family and friends, spread out down quarter-mile Alki Beach, and allow six feet between your group and your Polar Bear neighbors to your left and right.
Just before 10:00 am, you will hear the megaphone countdown begin; 10, 9, 8 . . . At “one “ in the countdown, we all run, screaming like the children we are, into 47-degree Puget Sound. The water will be warmer than the air this year, so it will be much more pleasant that one might expect. The mild insanity is really quite fun, and we are in and out of the water so fast that we barely get goosebumps. And like everything in life, your attitude, and belief in yourself, will keep you warm and successful.
We’ve received multiple reports about this, and more are likely to see it since today’s sunshine is likely to bring out more beach walkers: A dead white-tailed deer is on the beach at Constellation Park, and it’s been reported to authorities. Deer sightings, dead or alive, are not common around here. Last deer report we had was in 2019, on Pigeon Point; in 2016, we chronicled weeks of sightings of a deer that WSB readers dubbed “Westley.”
10:15 AM: Last week we mentioned a dead, decomposing sea lion that had been seen floating in West Seattle waters and then turned up on the beach at Lincoln Park. It’s still there, and we’re still getting calls about it. Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network says it’s so large that Seattle Parks will need heavy equipment to remove it. We’ve been trying to find out about Parks’ plan and finally heard back late last night: A crew was planning to go out today to assess the situation and figure out what to do. They promised to let us know what the crew decides, so we hope to have an update later.
12:41 PM: Parks says the crew determined it’s too big to remove with the equipment they have in the area so “they are asking our Heavy Equipment crews to help. However, the renderer will not be able to get out until Thursday because of other commitments and tides.” (“The renderer” is for carcass disposition, as was also done with a dead seal at Alki last week.)
That’s the Steller sea lion who showed up on West Seattle’s shore Wednesday, during a day when a dead California sea lion also drew a lot of attention. David Hutchinson of Seal Sitters Marine Mammal Stranding Network sent this update (with photos) on their Wednesday responses:
Even though Harbor-seal pupping season is winding down, Seal Sitters had a very busy day yesterday. It started in the morning with a Harbor seal on the beach along the Alki promenade. Juvenile and adult Harbor seals are typically very skittish and choose quiet unoccupied beaches to hang out. After a brief rest, this seal returned to Puget Sound. Next came a report of a sea lion on the rocks along the shore of Elliott Bay near Duwamish Head. Sadly the day ended with a response to a California sea lion carcass that was washing ashore at Lincoln Park.
The sea lion on the rocks was of particular interest, as it turned out to be a live Steller sea lion, which we don’t see very often locally. It’s also very unusual to see any sea lion actually on the shore of West Seattle. I’m sure you’ve noticed all the California sea lions that prefer the tie-up buoys in Elliott Bay. Adult Steller sea lions are huge animals as you can see from the photo below [taken some years back] showing one surrounded by a number of California sea lions.
Yesterday’s Steller has some health issues and Seal Sitters will continue to monitor his condition if he keeps frequenting our local beaches. It’s important to remember that sea lions can be aggressive if ill or injured and can move fast on land. Do not approach if you come across one. To learn more about Steller sea lions check out the following link to NOAA’s fact sheet: fisheries.noaa.gov/species/steller-sea-lion
We want to thank all of you who reported these animals to the Seal Sitters’ Hotline yesterday including reports of the sea lion carcass at Lincoln Park. Seal Sitters depends on the public to let us know the location of any marine mammal you might come across on West Seattle beaches (alive or dead). We can then quickly get a volunteer on site to assess the situation. As a member of NOAA’s West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Seal Sitters is authorized to request specialized assistance if necessary from our partners, SR3 (SeaLife Response Rehabilitation and Research, WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife), and World Vets. Our hotline (206-905-7325) is staffed by volunteer operators from 8 AM – 8 PM, 7 days a week. If calling outside those hours, please leave a detailed message.
| 8 COMMENTS