Barking Dog Report: Howling Winds and High Tides

February 6, 2008 by Leave a Comment

Istock_000002610704medium_1 The winds are certainly howling right now and so I just checked out forecast…as always, I hope I’m just yipping at much ado over nothing.

Our next high tide which is a 12.0 takes place at 5:50 tomorrow morning.

Seattle City Forecast for tomorrow:

THURSDAY…WINDY. MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH SHOWERS LIKELY. HIGHS IN THE MID TO UPPER 40S. SOUTHWEST WIND 25 TO 35 MPH IN THE MORNING WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 55 MPH…DECREASING TO 15 TO 25 MPH IN THE AFTERNOON.

Puget Sound Marine Forecast:

…GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM PST THURSDAY THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING…

TONIGHT…SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT…BUILDING TO 4 TO 6 FT. RAIN.

THU…SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT…EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT SUBSIDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

This is sounding ruff!

Filed Under: Puget Sound, Safety, Weather

Bulkheads, barges and saving homes from tear downs

February 6, 2008 by 1 Comment

A Beach Drive Blog reader asks:

…water is eroding the base of our bulkheads. Anyone know of a contractor that can check it out?

Another reader is looking for a barge service:

…that can bridge from the boat to my bulkhead, as it is on the sound and their is no dock.

Last tid bit is from a reader who offers to save homes from becoming a tear down, she…

might be able to save that little brown house from ending up in a land fill by moving it to a new location and sprucing it up.

Do you know of anyone who can help?

Filed Under: Puget Sound, Tear Downs

Seal playing games with a Kayaker

February 3, 2008 by Leave a Comment

While some of us are getting ready to watch "the big game", a local seal (we call Bob) plays his own game with a kayaker.

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When ever she would turn around, it seemed Bob would duck…a playful game of hide and seek.

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Filed Under: Puget Sound, Wildlife

Oh SHIP!

January 28, 2008 by 1 Comment

Late Sunday morning, my husband and I were just minding our own business when I looked out our window and noticed a large cargo ship very close in towards Beach Drive and moving very quickly (I was not able to catch a photo).   The views from the condos on Beach Drive and by the light house must have been amazing!    Dsc_0020

For the heck of it, we hopped in our car to see what was up.   We’ve never seen a fully loaded boat that size come in from Tacoma and make a bee line to Seattle.   Following the vessel we wound up discovering Jack Block Park.  We have driven the park many times, but have never checked it out until today.   

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From there, we ventured out to Harbor Island trying to avoid the remote control trains and to learn more about the Hyundai Republic (we wanted to be able to read the name on the boat).

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From Terminal 18 Park, we were able to clearly read the name of the ship that cruised by this morning.   We also learned that Harbor Island was once the largest man made island in the world.   According to the plaque at the park, it was started unknowingly by ships dropping their ballast overboard prior to 1895.   Dredging and earth from the Jackson and Dearborn street regrades was also used to create Harbor Island.

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A little research revealed that the Hyundai Republic was scheduled for arrival at the Port of Tacoma on January 25 and not at the Port of Seattle. 

Filed Under: Parks, Puget Sound

What’s that Duck?

January 21, 2008 by 5 Comments

Spotted this fella Saturday morning.   Do you know what type of duck it is?

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Filed Under: Puget Sound, Wildlife

Coast Guard Boats Blazing By

January 19, 2008 by 3 Comments

Hopefully it’s all about nothing…these two boats just flew by Mee Kwa Mooks.

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Filed Under: Puget Sound, Safety

Is it Time to Build Up Your Bulkhead?

January 19, 2008 by 9 Comments

This article in Friday’s Seattle PI states that under worse case scenario, the Puget Sound may be 2 feet higher by 2100 based on a report released Thursday by scientists with the University of Washington and state Department of Ecology:

"The calculations took multiple factors into account. In the plus column are the increased water coming from melting glaciers and ice caps, including the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, and the expansion of the oceans as they warm. Changes in wind patterns can push more water ashore, raising sea level. Geological factors, namely plate tectonics, can shove land masses upward or sink them. In general, the Northwest coast is slowly rising while as you move southeast, the land sinks.

Adding that together, the average scenario shows by 2050 no sea level rise for the northwest portion of the Olympic Peninsula, a 5-inch rise for the central and southern portion of the coast and a 6-inch rise for the Puget Sound region".

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At the very least, this could be a good time to inspect your bulkhead for possible damage to make sure it can weather our storms.   The last few have been close calls for our home…a few more inches of water coming over would have done it for us.   

Should a Beach Drive bulkhead fail, it could be detrimental to many nearby homes.

Who do you recommend for bulkhead repair or inspections?

Filed Under: Puget Sound

Seal of Approval

January 17, 2008 by Leave a Comment

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Is there anything cuter?  Okay…maybe Otters are close…I just have not been lucky enough to photograph one. 

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Filed Under: Puget Sound, Wildlife

Sound Scenes

January 15, 2008 by 4 Comments

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Compliments of Tuesday, January 15, 2008 and my camera!

Filed Under: Puget Sound, Wildlife

Bad Bad Bouy…another one on the loose

January 11, 2008 by Leave a Comment

This bouy is floating unattached along the 4700 area of Beach Drive about 75 feet off shore.  Is it yours?   It’s not the same one from a few days ago.  This one appears a little smaller.   Update:  the bouy is now passing Emma Schmitz Memorial Park and is quickly heading north.

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Filed Under: Lost and Found, Puget Sound
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