All about the West Seattle neighborhood around Beach Drive
We were driving along Alki this afternoon when we were surprised to see that the beautiful blue glass tree has been knocked down.
We have no idea why or how this happened…just saddened to see it in this state.
Hopefully it can be repaired and upright soon for all to enjoy.
Looked just like another beauty day on Beach Drive around 2:00
Things began to change up a bit at 3:00 on the horizon and you could see the water starting to churn up on the other side of the Sound due to easterly winds…
White caps starting to form just after 4:00 and the tide looks a hell of a lot higher than the tables suggest (11.9). I’m guessing that there’s a bit of coastal flooding adding to the height…
First burst of wind at 4:40 and finally seeing the rollers coming in from Tacoma at 5:00…
Almost 6:00 and only a few slurps over the bulkhead.Looks like we dodged a bullet as far as flooding is concerned on Beach Drive SW. Now it’s time to kick back & enjoy the show with a hot toddy.
We have very strong northerly winds this afternoon along with higher tides. King Tides officially started this afternoon and continue through the 27th for November.
Late this afternoon, the King County Ferry opted not to dock at Alki after two attempts. Video credits to Scupper.
Passengers were waiting on the Alki dock hoping they’ll get a refund for not being able to board.
Thanks to Michele, a friend of Beach Drive Blog for sending us these pics!
And this photo of the seas crashing up to what is typically a sandy beach with a park, picnic tables and fire pits. Quite spectacular!
Here’s some videos I captured of this afternoon along Alki. Please pardon my shaky hands.
This north of the volley ball pits with the kite surfer.
This is by 61st and Alki.
This is at the end of the park as it heads towards Alki point, looking back towards Seattle.
This person braved the waves (see the person in the mist to the right).
I’m so glad that I was able to witness this event and hope the home owners along Alki weathered this okay and are safe.
EDITORS NOTE: Please scroll to the bottom of this post for an update.
Some new controversy is brewing in regard to the rotten egg-like stench we reported along parts of Beach Drive SW. A neighbor in the 4600 block reportedly complained about the gaseous smell to a King County Wastewater representative and was told that the cause could possibly be related to a recent CSO (combined sewage overflow). At first flush, I would think they are referring to heavy rains we experienced on August 29th which pushed our monthly total far beyond the average.
Another concerned neighbor and I caught up with a KC Waste Water truck hanging out this morning at the base of Jacobson Street. The gentleman in the truck explained that he was tasked with installing sophisticated sensors at different points along the sewer line that would indicate any accidental sewage leaks. He went on to say that most complaints of the odor have been located between around LaRustica Restaurant and about the 5000 block of Beach Drive. Also checked out were the City of Seattle lines that run down Jacobson to the main county line. Where the two lines intersect create what’s called the SW Alaska Street Seattle Combined Outfall which dumps out into the sound when the Alki overflow treatment plant becomes overwhelmed.
Incidentally, this particular outflow rarely overflows according to report studies (.1% yearly 1987-2007) however it is not uncommon to have some leaky-poos just north at the 63rd St & Alki outflows.
The CSO Status website used by recreational divers and beachcombers has been experiencing technical difficulties and is not showing any real time data for the outflow stations in the immediate area.
King County West Point Treatment is encouraging all residents along the drive to report any stink zones with the exact time they occur. This will go along ways to get to the messy bottom of the mystery. 24 hour odor hotline 206-263-3801
A meeting had been setup between representatives of King County Waste Water Treatment, concerned homeowners and local media for this Friday but has been temporarily postponed.
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
UPDATE September 25, 2015: We received this email from a local resident:
Hi. Thought I would pass along some information about my morning’s experience regarding the odor on Beach Drive.
Last night when the odor intensified, I called the hotline you posted on the Blog (thanks for that information). This morning around 11:30 a King County representative came to measure the levels of hydrogen sulfide, the likely gas causing the odor. The couple of manholes out in front of the house had a zero reading for hydrogen sulfide. At our deck, water side, the reading was .02. At the bulk head, the reading was .14. The rep said this was definitely abnormal and KC continues to be perplexed as to the cause but is actively investigating.
He expected some public announcement next week on the status of the investigation.
Thanks again for the information on the Blog. Helps to inform and connect us all.
EDITORS NOTE: The following was submitted by Barb Morgen:
Parents of students a Alki Elementary will join 50 neighbors and community supporters in attending the “Stop Alki Cell Towers” Information Rally and Demonstration on Alki Beach, Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. Rally will end with kids throwing 12 cardboard cell tower replicas into a fire pit, as a way of saying they don’t want 12 new cell antenna transmitters to be built so close to their school.
It’s a plane, it’s a bug, no, it’s a powered paraglider cruising at low altitude off the shores of Beach Drive SW late this afternoon…
The flight path appeared to be north around Alki Point at around 3:50 PM then back south towards Lincoln Park and beyond!
Pretty darn cool if you ask me!
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
These spectacular photos were submitted by Alexa from today.
The Alki Community Council is jointly sponsoring the Seal Sitter’s clean up of Alki Beach Park this Saturday from 9:00 am to noon. For more information, or to rsvp for this event, click here.
With much of our industrial history only dating back a hundred years or so, the lowest tides of the season still show-off West Seattle’s colorful past. Today’s low tide of -3.7 was about as low as we’re going to see this year so I figured a walk around the point was in order. The first stop was checking out the pilings rearing their worn heads from the early 1900’s off of Weather Watch Park at Carroll Street SW.
Some of the only history I’ve been able to find about the old pier is the verbal account of Ada Hallberg published in the newsletter Footprints of the SSWHS
There was a pier at Carroll St. in the early 1900’s; it was a regular port of call for the little steamer Eagle, which carried passengers to several ports on the Sound, including this little village of South Alki. Villagers would gather here when the steamer docked to meet the passengers. It was a time that neighbors met to greet each other and to visit with each other whether they expected a passenger or not. It was a gathering place for people whose homes were a considerable distance from each other.
The only other evidence of a substantial pier existing at this location is from a USCG chart dated 1918. I have inquiries into the Log House Museum as well as the Puget Sound Maritime Museum for any vintage photos showing this location was a launch (40ft or less) for Mosquito fleet steamers. The steamer Eagle was reported to have burnt & sunk in it’s home port of Winslow in the Spring of 1903. Many blamed the misfortune on an improper christening! NOT THAT THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE FISHING HOLES but I can personally attest to the unusual deep underwater ravine located just off the park…
Next stop is some submerged pilings found on the south-end of Alki Beach. This was the southern stretch of several piers along Alki Beach…
Photo courtesy of BDB’s Rhonda Porter
This Seattle Archived photo 1936 shows the pier off in the distance.
Third stop is the site of the biggest, most bestest amusement park west of Chicago
A shot of the pier and support pilings of Luna Park & a protected niche for repairing halibut fishing boats
Fourth point of interest was the dawning of of Seattle’s first regular ferry service (outside the Mosquito fleet) near what is now Seacrest Park. An excerpt from History Link…
The company built a dock near today’s Seacrest Marina and began offering regular service to downtown Seattle on a steam-powered sidewheeler named the City of Seattle, the first bona fide ferry on Puget Sound, launched December 24, 1888. The crossing took eight minutes. One hundred and thirteen years, ten bridges, and tens of millions of dollars later, the City of Seattle still holds the record for the fastest trip between Seattle and West Seattle.
Finally, I wonder where these tracks and ramps led to…
Davy’s Locker perhaps???
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
Today’s celebration marking the 100th birthday of the Alki Light House began at the Log Museum at noon. The museum is featuring a new exhibit with items from the light house and has free cookies and coloring for the little ones.
The Alki Light House is set to open in a few minutes (1:00 pm) to start their celebration… stay tuned and be sure to check out Scupper’s photos taken from the Sound of the light house.
UPDATE 1:45 PM: The Alki Light House is doing tours and, as standard procedure, they limit how many people may enter at a time.
While you wait for turn to celebrate on the Alki Light House grounds, they have quizzes available or you can learn how to tie various knots.
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