Woman’s Body recovered off Emma Schmitz View Point

IMG_37217:05 am. A major response from the Seattle Fire Department is taking place right now for what is being called a “salt water rescue” off of SW Oregon Street and Beach Drive.

Scupper is on the scene. We should have more information soon.

UPDATE 7:06 AM: Very sad news, West Seattle Blog reports that a body has been recovered.

UPDATE: 7:17 AM: A Beach Drive neighbor out on a routine walk saw the body and went to another neighbors home for help and to call 9-1-1. The body was found at the lower section of Emma Schmitz by the south flight of stairs.

Scanners report that it is a woman. News crews are on the scene and the coroner is in route.
IMG_3725

UPDATE 8:39 AM: According to West Seattle Blog:

“SPD spokesperson Sgt. Sean Whitcomb has briefed us. This is NOT currently being investigated as a homicide, but is considered a “suspicious death,” so SPD is investigating with the Medical Examiner, which has a crew on scene. The woman is believed to be in her 50s but that is just a guess so far – apparently no ID on her…”

UPDATE 8:54 AM: Speculators on the scene believe the deceased woman, who is described as having a heavy build and grey hair, was not in the water for long. We are told that attempts were made to resuscitate her.

UPDATE January 11, 2015: The woman has been identified as Carolyn Arnold. No other information is known at this time.

LOST CAT: Have you seen Freckle?

UPDATE December 29, 2014: Freckles has been found and is reunited with her humans.
LOST CAT

Found: Keys

Keys Found: Constellation Park

Keyring found on pathway down to beach from seawall near Beach Drive and Alki intersection. Found Sunday morning, December 21, 2014. Automobile key for Honda. Contact terryblumer@gmail.com and describe rest of keyring to claim.

Christmas Ships cruising off the shores of Beach Drive

It was a perfect evening for the Christmas ships. The weather cooperated and we counted about 10 boats in total taking part in the cruise. What a treat to watch! We may catch another glimpse on Monday when the Argosy Christmas ships cruise to Manchester.

2014-12-13_1714 2014-12-13_1712_001 2014-12-13_1712 2014-12-13_1711 2014-12-13_1710
PS: Scupper says you may see BDB represented in the Christmas ship cruise next year. Ho ho ho!

License Plates Stolen last week

This is from the West Seattle Blog:

I live down on Beach Drive around Mee Kwa Mooks Park and I had my plates stolen and replaced last week. Through strange twists and turns, my plates were recovered by the Tukwila Police Department and the plates that were nicely put on my car were also stolen from a silver 2002 Honda from West Seattle. The really nice SPD officer who (responded) said they have seen more and more of these types of theft. He said when the thieves switch plates it buys them time since most people don’t check their plates very often (sometimes only once a year to change their tabs).

So just a heads up to your readers to check their plates! The Seattle PD has been investigating more and more of these and say if you discover your plates are incorrect to stop driving and immediately call the non-emergency line for help.

Barking Dog Report: HIGH WIND WATCH AND COASTAL FLOODING WATCH

Barking-Dog-ReportI’m crossing my fingers that the current forecasts I’m reading are exaggerating the predictions for Thursday. The coastal flooding is predicted to impact local high tides, causing a 14 ft on Wednesday morning around 8 am and a 14.5 ft on Thursday morning around 9 – 10 am.  Combine this with the high wind watch with possible gusts up to 65 mph and I smell trouble!

If you live on the water along Beach Drive, you might want to make sure you have pumps ready to go and take any actions needed to prepare for potential flooding. Be sure to continue to check the forecast as they do change…hopefully for the better!

Please share this information with your Beach Drive neighbors – they may not be aware of the pending storm.

National Weather Service

...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON PST
WEDNESDAY...
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT
THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A COASTAL
FLOOD ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO NOON PST
WEDNESDAY. A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH HAS ALSO BEEN ISSUED. THIS
COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT
THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON.

* IMPACTS...MINOR TIDAL OVERFLOW IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE MINOR
  FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS AROUND THE INLAND WATERS AROUND HIGH
  TIDE ON WEDNESDAY. MORE SERIOUS AND EXTENSIVE COASTAL FLOODING
  IS POSSIBLE ON THURSDAY IF A DEEP LOW THAT IS SHOWN BY MANY
  FORECAST MODELS COMES IN AROUND HIGH TIDE. THIS DEEP LOW WOULD
  PRODUCE A 1 TO 2 FOOT STORM SURGE ON TOP OF PREDICTED TIDE
  VALUES AND WOULD BE COMBINED WITH WAVES DEVELOPED BY STRONG
  WINDS.

* TIME OF HIGH TIDE...ABOUT 8 AM PST WEDNESDAY AND 9-10 AM PST
  THURSDAY.

* PREDICTED TIDE...AT SEATTLE ABOUT 14 FEET ON WEDNESDAY AND
  POSSIBLY AROUND 14.5 FEET ON THURSDAY. MINOR TIDAL OVERFLOW AT
  SEATTLE NORMALLY BEGINS AROUND 13.5 FEET AND SERIOUS COASTAL
  FLOODING TYPICALLY BEGINS AT 14.5 FEET. TIDAL ANOMALIES ARE
  EXPECTED TO BE SIMILAR AT OTHER LOCATIONS BETWEEN OLYMPIA AND
  POINT ROBERTS ALONG THE SHORES OF THE INLAND WATERS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY INDICATES THAT ONSHORE WINDS AND TIDES
WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE FLOODING OF LOW AREAS ALONG THE SHORE.

A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS FLOODING OR BEACH EROSION WILL OCCUR
IF WEATHER CONDITIONS DEVELOP AS PREDICTED. RESIDENTS AND LOCAL
OFFICIALS SHOULD MONITOR THE SITUATION CLOSELY AND BE PREPARED TO
TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IF A WARNING IS ISSUED.

Seattle City Forecast:

…HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING…

TONIGHT…RAIN IN THE EVENING…THEN SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. RAINFALL AMOUNTS A HALF INCH TO ONE INCH POSSIBLE. LOWS IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH. GUSTS TO 35 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

WEDNESDAY…BREEZY…RAIN. RAINFALL AMOUNTS A HALF INCH TO ONE INCH POSSIBLE. HIGHS NEAR 60. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT…RAIN AT TIMES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS A TENTH TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. LOWS NEAR 50. SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 MPH BECOMING EAST WITH GUSTS TO 25 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

THURSDAY…VERY WINDY. RAIN AT TIMES. RAINFALL AMOUNTS A TENTH TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. HIGHS IN THE LOWER TO MID 50S. NORTH WIND 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH INCREASING TO SOUTH 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 65 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

THURSDAY NIGHT…WINDY. SHOWERS LIKELY. RAINFALL AMOUNTS A TENTH TO A QUARTER OF AN INCH POSSIBLE. LOWS IN THE MID 40S. SOUTHWEST WIND 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 40 MPH DECREASING TO 10 TO 15 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.

NWS Forecast for Thursday currently has gusts up to 70 MPH!!!

  • Thursday: Rain. High near 54. Windy, with a north northeast wind 6 to 11 mph becoming south 36 to 46 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 70 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
  • Thursday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45. Windy. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Here’s a snap shot of the pending tides – please remember this is NOT reflecting the coastal flooding which causes the tides to be higher than originally predicted.

2014-12-09_1644

UPDATE: 4:58 PM to add the Puget Sound Marine Forecast:

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH  WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON  STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY  EVENING  

 WED  S WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. RAIN.  
WED NIGHT  S WIND 15 TO 25 KT...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES  2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. RAIN IN THE  EVENING...THEN RAIN LIKELY AFTER MIDNIGHT.  
THU  N WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING S 35 TO 45 KT. STORM FORCE  WINDS ARE POSSIBLE. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS BUILDING TO 5 TO 8 FT.  
THU NIGHT  SW WIND 35 TO 45 KT EARLY...EASING TO 5 TO 15 KT.  STORM FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE EVENING. WIND WAVES 6 TO 8  FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS.

A “barking dog report” means that we are very closely watching the sound and preparing to possibly flood. It may or may not happen (hopefully not!!). Consider us your neighbor’s barking dog who’s barking at potential trouble. Stay safe my friends!

Tires Stolen off Car at 6000 Beach Drive

This just in from one of our neighbors:

tireSometime in the early hours of Friday, December 5, one or more jerks stole three wheels from our car. (They were in the process of taking the fourth, but for whatever reason they didn’t finish the job). The crime occurred in the 6000 block of Beach Drive SW, and a police report has been filed. I know this is highly unlikely, but if you see or hear of 3 wheels for sale, please let me know. The tires are 235/45ZR17 on 17-inch wheels. I have attached a picture of our car after the event, and the one remaining wheel.

We completely understand how our neighbor feels. A few years ago, we had three tires stolen off of our Honda Fit. The creeps, I mean crooks, left our car laying on it’s suspension with just the one tire remaining. I assume somebody drove by causing them to leave the scene.

Please keep your eyes out for these wheels!

 

Beach Burn Ban LIFTED

2014-12-02_1706Yesterday we published the notice from the City of Seattle about the burn ban restricting bonfires…today, they have lifted said burn ban. That didn’t last long!

Rejoice around the bonfires with the Christmas ships, merry neighbors!

For immediate release                                                     

December 2, 2014

Contact:          David Takami 206-684-7241

david.takami@seattle.gov

Burn ban lifted: Beach fires can resume

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency today lifted the burn ban for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

For Seattle Parks and Recreation, this means that beach fires at Alki Beach Park, 1702 Alki Ave. SW, and Golden Gardens Park, 8498 Seaview Ave. NW, can resume. Bonfires scheduled for on-shore Christmas Ship events can also resume.

The rules for beach fires are as follows:

  • Light fires ONLY in designated fire pits, which are available on a first-come, first-serve basis
  • Burn only clean firewood like bare, clean dry cordwood (chemically treated wood like lumber releases a strong-smelling, dirty smoke into the air and burning pallets can leave nails and debris on the beach)
  • Douse your fire completely with water (NOT sand) before leaving
  • Don’t remove anything from the park
  • Dispose of trash and ashes in the containers provided for each
  • Be considerate of others – no amplified music
  • Alcohol is not permitted in Seattle parks

For more information on burn bans please visit the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency at http://www.pscleanair.org/airq/status.asp

 

 

 

 

Are you missing a yellow kayak?

We received this email today:

Found a kayak floating (nearly submerged) Wednesday 11/26 along Beach Drive – pulled to shore and emptied.
Would like to find the owner to return. 

If you are missing a yellow kayak, please comment below and we’ll connect you with the person who has it.

No Bonfires for the Christmas Ships this Year

2014-12-01_1035UPDATE 12/2/2014: The burn ban has been lifted.  Hoorah!

Apparently the Grinch IS green and eco-friendly. This just in from the City of Seattle:

NEWS RELEASE

Ed Murray, Mayor

Christopher Williams, Acting Superintendent

                                                           

For immediate release

December 1, 2014

Contact:  David Takami 206-684-7241 david.takami@seattle.gov

 

Burn ban in effect: Beach fires prohibited at Golden Gardens Park and Alki Beach Park

The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency (PSCAA) has issued a burn ban for King, Kitsap, Pierce and Snohomish counties.

For Seattle Parks and Recreation, this means that beach fires at Alki Beach Park, 1702 Alki Ave. SW, and Golden Gardens Park, 8498 Seaview Ave. NW, are prohibited until the PSCAA lifts the ban. Bonfires lit for on-shore Christmas Ship events will also be affected.

The ban, due to stagnant weather conditions and rising air pollution, was issued on November 30, 2014, and will be in effect until further notice. The purpose of a burn ban is to reduce the amount of pollution that is creating unhealthy air.

Violation of the ban can result in a $1,000 fine from the PSCAA.

For more information on burn ban please visit the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency at http://www.pscleanair.org/airq/status.aspx.

The Christmas Ships will be at Alki and cruising past Beach Drive to Lowman Beach on December 13, 2014.