This morning our intrepid reporter, Scupper, caught a couple pics of the John C. Stennis heading out into the lingering smoky haze from the BC fires.
Recovering the plane off the shores of Beach Drive
August 1, 2017 by Leave a Comment
UPDATES POSTED BELOW.
A water craft has approached the plane that landed on Puget Sound just off the shore of 6000 Beach Drive yesterday afternoon.
We’re assuming the plane will be towed when tides are a bit higher. We are just coming off this morning’s 6:00 am low tide of 1.45 and the next predicted high tide of 8.71 just before 3:00 pm this afternoon.
It’s truly amazing that nobody, including the two men on board the plane, was injured during this emergency landing.
Additional coverage can be found here:
West Seattle Blog
Westside Seattle
Update 2:14 pm:
Cranes have arrived to help hoist the small plane.
Update 2:21 pm
The plane has been lifted from Puget Sound.
Update 2:50 pm:
The plane is now resting on the deck of the crane.
Community Meeting about Lowman Beach Park seawall next Wednesday, May 31, 2017
May 25, 2017 by Leave a Comment
NEWS RELEASE
Edward B. Murray, Mayor
Jesús Aguirre, Superintendent
For Immediate Release: May 25, 2017
Contact: Karen O’Connor, 206-233-7929
karen.o’connor@seattle.gov
Community invited to Lowman Beach Park seawall meeting
Seattle Parks and Recreation (SPR) invites the community to the Hall at Fauntleroy at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31 to learn about the Lowman Beach Park seawall and provide input on design options. The Hall at Fauntleroy is located at 9131 California Ave. SW.
Lowman Beach Park is a neighborhood park on the water located just north of Lincoln Park at 7017 Beach Dr. SW. At this meeting, SPR will present the project background, analysis of the coastal processes (wind, waves, tides, sediment transport/littoral drift) and design options, as well as gather community input.
The Lowman Beach Park seawall is failing and needs to be removed or replaced. As visitors to the park have seen, the existing seawall is slowly falling over towards the water. It is SPR’s goal to remove the remaining seawall and continue the shoreline restoration work that began when the south half of the seawall failed in the mid-1990s.
We hired Environmental Science Associates (ESA) as a design consultant to undertake a feasibility study to look at options for removing the seawall, taking into consideration both the habitat benefits of the seawall removal and the coastal engineering ramifications of that seawall removal. Given the design constraints of the project, it is likely that the existing tennis court will remain in place.
For more information, please visit https://www.seattle.gov/parks/find/parks/lowman-beach-park. If you have questions about the project, or if you need an interpreter or accommodations please contact David Graves, SPR Strategic Advisor, at david.graves@seattle.gov or 206-684-7048.
Coastal Flood Advisory early tomorrow morning
February 8, 2017 by Leave a Comment
From the National Weather Service:
Coastal Flood Advisory
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SEATTLE WA 742 PM PST WED FEB 8 2017 WAZ001-503-504-506-507-509>511-558-559-091145- /O.CON.KSEW.CF.Y.0002.170209T0900Z-170209T1700Z/ SAN JUAN COUNTY-WESTERN WHATCOM COUNTY-SOUTHWEST INTERIOR- WESTERN SKAGIT COUNTY-EVERETT AND VICINITY-TACOMA AREA- ADMIRALTY INLET AREA-HOOD CANAL AREA-SEATTLE AND VICINITY- BREMERTON AND VICINITY- 742 PM PST WED FEB 8 2017 ...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM PST THURSDAY... * COASTAL FLOODING...THE COMBINATION OF HIGH ASTRONOMICAL TIDES AND RELATIVELY LOW PRESSURE COULD PRODUCE MINOR FLOODING ALONG THE SHORELINES AROUND THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE EARLY THURSDAY MORNING. * SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS...PUGET SOUND...HOOD CANAL...THE ADMIRALTY INLET AREA...AND THE NORTHERN INLAND WATERS INCLUDING THE SAN JUAN ISLANDS. * TIMING...WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO EITHER SIDE OF HIGH TIDES. HIGH TIDES WILL GENERALLY OCCUR BETWEEN 4 AM AND 6 AM. * TIDE INFO...LOW PRESSURE SHOULD RESULT IN TIDAL ANOMALIES OF 1 TO 1.5 FEET ABOVE THE PREDICTED TIDES. * IMPACTS...MINOR FLOODING DUE TO TIDAL OVERFLOW. LOW LYING AREAS NEXT TO THE WATER COULD SEE MINOR FLOODING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY INDICATES THAT ONSHORE WINDS AND TIDES WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE FLOODING OF LOW AREAS ALONG THE SHORE.Our highest estimated tide, not factoring the coastal flooding is predicted to be 11.96 at 4:34 a.m. With the coast flooding, it's estimated we can add 1 to 1.5 feet to the tides.
Barking Dog Report: High Tides and Wind
December 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment
This morning we’re waking up to raucous waves crashing on the bulkhead with spray flying over…and we’re still a couple hours from high tide (as I write this post). We think there’s pretty strong odds that we may flood…hence the “barking dog report” to warn our neighbors who might flood in these conditions too.
Here’s what we’re basing the report on.
Let’s start with the tides:
Add the Puget Sound Marine forecast with a Gale Warning in effect until 4:00 pm.
555 AM PST TUE DEC 20 2016
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY SW WIND 25 TO 35 KT. WIND WAVES 5 TO 7 FT. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
Factor in a high tide of 12.18 at 10.08 this morning. Right now (7:30 am), we are at about 8 feet and we have water and spray splashing over.
NWS issues a Coastal Flood Advisory
December 19, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a coastal flooding advisory.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 11 AM PST THIS MORNING. *
COASTAL FLOODING…HIGH TIDES WILL BE ABOUT ONE FOOT BELOW WHAT NORMALLY CAUSES MINOR TIDAL OVERFLOW THIS MORNING. HOWEVER, A STRONG FRONTAL SYSTEM PASSING THROUGH THE AREA AROUND THE HIGH TIDE WILL PRODUCE WINDY CONDITIONS AND WAVES UP TO 5 FEET. THESE WAVES MAY OVERTOP SEAWALLS AROUND TODAYS MORNING HIGH TIDE.
* SOME AFFECTED LOCATIONS…SHORELINES OF PUGET SOUND…
* TIMING…TWO HOURS EITHER SIDE OF THIS MORNING`S HIGH TIDE THAT WILL OCCUR BETWEEN 8 AND 9 AM PST.
* TIDE INFO…HIGH TIDE FROM TACOMA NORTHWARD TO FRIDAY HARBOR IS AROUND 8 AM…. THE TIDES AT ALL LOCATIONS WILL BE ABOUT 1 FOOT BELOW WHERE MINOR TIDAL OVERFLOW NORMALLY OCCURS.
* IMPACTS…WAVES MAY OCCASIONALLY SEND SEA WATER OVER LOWER SEAWALLS AROUND THE HIGH TIDE THIS MORNING. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY INDICATES THAT ONSHORE WINDS AND TIDES WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE MINOR FLOODING OF LOW AREAS ALONG THE SHORE.
Puget Sound Marine forecast has a Gale Warning until 9:00 am this morning being reduced to a Gale Watch through Tuesday afternoon.
TODAY S WIND 25 TO 35 KT EARLY…EASING TO 15 TO 25 KT BY AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT…SUBSIDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN IN THE MORNING…THEN ISOLATED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT SE WIND TO 10 KT…BECOMING S 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS…BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT AFTER MIDNIGHT. RAIN.
TUE SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT…RISING TO 25 TO 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT. SHOWERS IN THE MORNING…THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
We do have extremely high tides right now with a 12.49 estimated at 9:24 this morning. Tuesday’s high tide is 12.18 around 10:00 am.
Wind Alert shows the stronger winds tapering down following the high tide and shows winds picking up again this evening and the wee hours on Tuesday.
Bulkhead Bashing
December 12, 2016 by 4 Comments
The December 2016 issue of Seattle Magazine has an article written by Maria Dolan on the effects of bulkheads on the environment. I’m not able to find a link to “A Shore Thing” at the time of posting this, or I’d be sharing it with you now. 🙂 If you’d like to read it now, it looks like you’ll have to pick up the December issue.
The photo is what first caught my eye since it features Beach Drive homes on bulkheads by Mee Kwa Mooks. This spot is not far from where the City has been talking about replacing the eroding seawall along Emma Schmitz Memorial Viewpoint. Our intrepid reporter, Scupper, wrote about the seawall almost three years ago…which has had band-aid repairs at most.
The article talks about how homeowners should consider removing their bulkheads. I would guess that for many of the homes along Beach Drive, this would not be a viable option, as most the homes don’t have enough land or are do not have a high enough bank to accommodate a shore.
It will be interesting to see what winds up happening to the deteriorating bulkhead along Emma Schmitz.
Highly anticipated Cyclone Donald not so HUGE
October 15, 2016 by Leave a Comment
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.
Meet Beach Naturalist
May 6, 2016 by 6 Comments
Want to learn more about the marine plants and animals off the shores of Beach Drive? Meet trained volunteers with the Seattle Aquarium this summer for their “Meet Beach Naturalist” program. “South Alki” is off Beach Drive south the light house – just watch for the signs. Here are the dates.
Reader asks about park bench replacement at Beach Drive & Jacobsen
March 11, 2016 by 3 Comments
A very popular rest stop at the south end of Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook took a tumble from corrosion back on February 23rd (shouldn’t have eaten that last bite). Neighbors and out-of-towners have enjoyed watching the scenery under the huge “Raptor Tree” that Eagle & Osprey often use to spy on prey. Love that tree!
Appears that the 2 legged benches are all failing at the weld just under the bench. There a few more with the same design near the drinking fountain that had caution tape applied immediately after the Jacobsen bench toppled . The tape has since come off and the older benches still stand… barely
The newer 4 legged butt rest looks like a much better design for being near the saltwater…
As far as replacement, we reported a few years back on plans to rebuild that entire section of the deteriorating seawall. No bench replacement or additions were to happen until the seawall issue gets solved. Construction was intended to start last Summer but the design work was never finalized. A response from the Army Corp of Engineers back in November 2015 didn’t show much progress.
Unfortunately I don’t have any updates at this point. We are still working through our feasibility phase process before we can move into final design.
I have a current email out to the Army Corp asking for any further progress & will update as soon as they respond. Meanwhile, the storms keep pounding it and the park department continues to backfill the erosion.
Picture above taken on the stormy morning of 3/10/16… photo below was furnished by a Beach Drive neighbor the very next morning. Park department workers mentioned that they really didn’t like parking their heavy equipment on the slumping strip of grass which precariously covers the 54″ sewer line carrying 50 million gallons of sewage per day!
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
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