All about the West Seattle neighborhood around Beach Drive
Hot off the PDF press! The Seattle Police Department has released their community newsletter. You get your copy by clicking here.
This issue addresses:
In our continuing coverage regarding the foul Beach Drive bouquet, A small community meeting with representatives from King County Waste Water just adjourned from the sidewalk of 4700 Beach Drive SW. Armed with a color 4 page report regarding the soundness of their sewer, King County says it wasn’t them!
Four leakage sensors were setup inside man-holes along the circa 1957 main line that runs along the drive…
With no solid evidence supporting sewage runoff as our culprit, the meeting turned into a “now what” conversation. An ecologist from the county recommended that neighbors start a permit process asap with Washington Fish & Wildlife for dealing with the next round of rotting sea lettuce. The permits apparently last five years. If NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is correct, we could be literally blown out of our houses next summer! An article issued by King 5 back in July reported NOAA’s prediction for Seattle’s chances of continued warming…
SEATTLE – There’s a 90 percent chance El Nino will continue through this coming winter and an 80 percent chance it will extend to early spring 2016, the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center reported Thursday.
The stench has been no stranger to the Fauntleroy Cove area where residents took action to remove the seaweed. The Seattle Times reported…
When the problem last emerged in 1990, state officials attacked it by corralling the seaweed in nets and hauling it out into the sound, where it was dumped. They did this for three years at a cost of about $10,000 a year, then stopped. The problem abated until this summer, when average temperatures were three to four degrees above normal and the Puget Sound area saw more sunshine than usual.
A few residents present at the meeting showed interest in moving forward to find a solution. Maybe consulting with other neighborhoods that have or are currently dealing with this issue would be a good start. We did learn that Dumas Bay click here for their study & Shilshole Pt. were also plugging their collective noses and working on solutions.
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
I’ve been fascinated for years about the maritime history of Weather Watch Park. A plaque at the park describes how a long pier serviced passengers via the infamous Puget Sound Mosquito Fleet . In a blog post from 2013, we researched city/county archives & local museums looking for any photos or maps that would clearly establish the piers existence. There wasn’t much there except verbal accounts from a long time resident and a few vintage NOAA charts with a dark line jutting out.
I recently gave it another shot by emailing the Seattle Public Library’s at ASKspl.org (thanks Suky!). Within a day or so, I received an email with this 1917 Sanborn Atlas which clearly shows the area landmarks…
A close up look not only shows the named pier but also a small Public Comfort Station at the head of the dock! Following east along Carroll Street, you can see the old locations of the Alki Congregational Church & the Fire Dept/Hall across the north side of the street.
I just love this stuff.
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
This is just in from a Beach Drive neighbor, Mary:
West Seattle has a real treasure a short distance away from Beach Drive’s odoriferous low tides: The Arboretum at South Seattle College’s north end. Leaves there are beginning to turn reds and yellows. Amble the winding paths through pleasant-smelling shrubbery (e.g., Golden Elaeagnus). The award-winning dwarf conifer collection also begins changing colors this fall. Free guided tours Oct. 10.
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.
A small craft advisory has been issued for Puget Sound through tonight. With gusts predicted around 30 mph and waves up to 3 to 5 feet, the weather and waves should be spectacular.
From the Puget Sound Marine Forecast:
TODAY S WIND 15 TO 25 KT…RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. A CHANCE OF RAIN.
TONIGHT SW WIND 15 TO 25 KT…BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. RAIN AT TIMES IN THE EVENING.
From Wind Alert is showing potential gusts of 30 to 34 mph from 2pm to 5pm today.
High tide is predicted to be 9.5 at 11:00 am. As you can see from the chart above, we could have gusts of 25 at that time. Low tide is a 6.52 at 4:32 pm and then rising back to a 9.14 around 10:00 pm.
Don’t blame it on the dog or over clean the cat box. This mornings low tides and the lack of a good breeze is making it nearly unbearable around Beach Drive. Rotting seaweed or sea lettuce is busy emitting hydrogen sulfide into the air we breath.
The term “Fauntleroy stench” was coined back in the late 1980’s when the the cove and other areas around the sound experienced this same rotten egg sensation. The Seattle Times wrote an article about it during the hot summer 1998 when Fauntleroy residents were complaining of headaches and nausea due to the strong odors.
In small amounts, the gas can burn the eyes, nose and throat, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In moderate amounts, it can bring on headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and respiratory problems.
Contrary to what you might think, opening windows and doors while running fans is the best way to purge the scourge from your home.
Some experts believe that a mild winter combined with a prolonged hot summer is the yummy recipe to bring the stench. If that’s the case, next year could be a real duesey! I just think it smells like Labor Day.
Scupper, reporting for Beach Drive Blog
Beach Drive neighbors Kathy Ludwick & Dan Callan asked to share this on the blog:
Someone on our beautiful Puget Sound waterfront has been practicing their golf swing out over the beach. This is the third time we have collected them over the past year.
We have lived on this beach for 20+ years and have never seen this problem until now. As you can see from the two balls in the center of the photo, with time & tidal action they do fall apart. Which means more plastic in our oceans. Whoever is doing this, please stop. It’s not a harmless pastime in terms of the health of the Sound.
Thank you,
Kathy Ludwick & Dan Callan
It looks like a boat (guessing it’s a 18 foot Boston Whaler) has taken on water from today’s wind storm. This photo was submitted from a Beach Drive reader.
It’s listing a bit to port side, submerging the outboard motor.
There is a blue canvas on this white boat which is tied to a buoy. Best estimates is that the buoy and boat are by the 5400 to 6000 block of Beach Drive, in the cove north of Lincoln Park.
The Coast Guard has been called.
The weather forecast for tomorrow is concerning enough for us to pull anchor on our boats to move them to more protected areas. Here’s what we’re looking at that’s causing us to take this action:
We have a gale warning in effect through Sunday evening.
This is from the Puget Sound Marine Forecast:
SAT SOUTH WIND 10 TO 15 KT…BECOMING S 25 TO 35 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT…BUILDING TO 4 TO 6 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
SAT NIGHT S WIND 10 TO 20 KT…EASING TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT…SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. SHOWERS IN THE EVENING…THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SEATTLE HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 11 AM TO 5 PM PDT SATURDAY. * TIMING…MIDDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AFTERNOON. * WINDS…SOUTH WIND 15 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 45 MPH. * IMPACTS…DOWNED LIMBS AND LOCAL POWER OUTAGES. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 35 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT…ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. USE EXTRA CAUTION.
SATURDAY NIGHT…BREEZY. SHOWERS IN THE EVENING…THEN MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT. LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL POSSIBLE IN THE EVENING. RAINFALL AMOUNTS A HALF INCH TO ONE INCH POSSIBLE. LOWS IN THE 50S. SOUTH WIND 15 TO 25 MPH DECREASING TO AROUND 10 MPH AFTER MIDNIGHT.
Tides will be rising from a -1.02 at 11:05 am tomorrow to an 11.73 at 5:47 pm tomorrow – just in time for the wind! From NOAA:
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