Barking Dog Report: Wind and Waves Friday

Well… it’s looking like this could be a “Barking Dog Report” with possible gusts reaching 50mph tomorrow according to the current Wind Alert forecast (as of 2:53 pm 11/3/22).


High tide is around 3:02pm Friday at 11.76 feet.

The current marine forecast, from 8:54am this morning has wind waves up to 5 feet tomorrow. We should have an updated forecast soon and I will update this post.

…stay tuned!

Mark your calendars! Fauntleroy Fine Art and Holiday Gift Show

Come check out the Fauntleroy Fine Art and Holdiay Gift Show. Doors open at 5:00 pm Friday at the Fauntleroy Church UCC.

Yours truly will have prints and some original paintings for sale. Stop by and say hello!

I hope to see you there!

Potential Barking Dog Report: Stormy Weather Ahead

Seasoned readers of Beach Drive Blog know that a “barking dog report” is issued when we think there is a strong possibility of stormy weather about to happen that typically includes waves breeching seawalls. We call it a “barking dog report” because it could be similar to a neighbor’s dog that bark might actually be indicating danger or it could be just something the dog thought it saw (a big nothing). This Thursday is looking like it could be one of those days where dogs will be howling with the wind.

Check out the current forecast from Wind Alert showing gusts in the upper 30s to (almost) mid-40s!

The Marine Forecast is predicting waves up to 7 feet for Thursday!
THU: S wind 25 to 35 kt rising to 30 to 40 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 5 to 7 ft.

On Thursday, high tides are 11.58 feet at 7:21 AM (gusts of 39 mph predicted above) AND 11.26 FEET AT 6:02 PM (gust of 38 mph). Yikes!!

Alot can happen between now and Thursday with the weather. Stay tuned…

PS: As I’m writing this (12:18 pm on Tuesday, October 25, 2022), the winds are picking up quite a bit. We do have a small craft advisory in effect until 8:00 pm tonight. The Puget Sound marine forecast states we could see wind waves build to 3-5 feet this afternoon. Fingers crossed that it hits when tides are lower…our next high tide today is a 11.40 feet at 5:32 PM. According to Wind Alert, we could see gusts in the low-30s…so we could see some splashing but I don’t believe it will be near what we may see on Thursday.

This is all a good reminder to be prepared for the fall and winter storms. 🙂 Take care neighbors!

 

What’s with the big white boat off Emma Schmitz Memorial View Point?


We believe that this is a UW research boat, The Thomas G. Thompson, to investigate methane gas that’s bubble plumes.

“In mapping the bubble plumes, it became clear that large numbers were aligned along geologic fault zones, primarily the ones running east and west, known as the Seattle, Tacoma and South Whidbey faults. Others lined up with smaller north-south faults, but the greatest number of bubble plumes occurred where the faults intersected, such as off Alki Point in West Seattle.”

Scenes of Violence in Emma Schmitz Memorial Overlook

There was a “Scenes of Violence” response at Beach Drive and SW Snoqualmie St. There is a huge response and there appears to be a covered body. Neighbors report possibly hearing a gunshot around 4:00 am.


Update: it appears to have been a suicide.

You can dial 988 if you or someone you know need crisis support.

  • Thoughts of suicide.
  • Mental health crises.
  • Substance use crises.
  • Any other kind of emotional distress.

Small Plane Makes Emergency Landing in Puget Sound

Yesterday late afternoon, a pilot was forced to make an emergency landing off the shores of Alki. You may have noticed the Cesna flying lower than usual coming from around Blake Island and heading towards Alki.

According to the pilot from the audio in the video (flight simulator), the oil pressure was low.

It’s amazing that neither the pilot or anyone else was seriously injured (or worse) considering how many people are enjoying Puget Sound during this heat wave. The pilot was able to walk away following this “successful” landing.

Here is another video of the landing from @Mihai_Melonari via Twitter

 

Attempted break-ins and trespassing last week

Last Friday, a couple Beach Drive neighbors near Mee Kwa Mooks Park encountered a woman who was mentally not well. She broke into a small boat that was covered on a property and really made a mess of it… I’ll spare you the details. Half-naked, she locked herself in a porta-potty for hours and the police were unable to do anything about it. She left behind a backpack with stolen property which has since been returned to the owners.

Not to long before this event, we had a neighbor ask what can be done about people who are staying along Beach Drive in their campers, cars or camping in Mee Kwa Mooks Park. Lisa Herbold’s office recommends:

There are three ways to file a complaint regarding the concerns like garbage removal, needles, or to report an unauthorized encampment (either tent encampment or RVs)

  1. online: Service Request Form
  2. mobile: Find It, Fix It mobile app
  3. phone: 206-684-2489 (CITY)

I want to make sure that you understand the types of responses that may (or may not) result when you file a complaint.

Here are some possible resources for people who are experiencing homelessness or crisis in Seattle.

Of course, if you are in danger or if a crime is being committed, call 9-1-1.

Crows

This morning, neighbors (via Nextdoor) are reporting several sightings of dead crows. This has been reported to the Department of Health and Animal Control and it’s possible it could be a West Nile outbreak.

Should you come across a dead crow, it should be reported to the Department of Fish & Wildlife at Report Wildlife Observations (arcgis.com)

West Nile Virus can be passed to humans and birds by mosquitos. It’s a good time to make sure there is no standing water where mosquitos can hatch….and who likes to try sleeping on a warm summer night with the sweet hum of a mosquito circling above.

Another neighbor reminds us that it’s crow fledgling season and they’re just learning to fly. Fledglings are about the size of a full-grown crow right now. She asks that drivers give them extra space and don’t assume that they’ll be able to fly away as your car approaches.

 

Several Parks along Beach Drive closed due to sewer overflow

Seattle Public Utilities has closed a couple of beaches along Beach Drive due to a sewer issue near Cormorant Cove.This is from Seattle Public Utilities post on NextDoor:

Dear Neighbors,

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) responded to a sewer overflow due to a broken side sewer located along Beach Dr near Cormorant Cove. As a result, beaches in the area are currently closed to water activities, including Cormorant Cove Parklet, Charles Richey Sr. Viewpoint at Alki beach, and the Andover Place street end beach access. Staff will sample the water and work with Public Health-Seattle & King County to determine when the area can be safely reopened. SPU will provide an update when we have more information. Seattle Public Utilities is working with the property owner to ensure a timely repair of the side sewer. If you find flooding or sewer backups, please report them to the SPU 24/7 Operations Response Center at (206) 386-1800. To learn more about our Spill Response Program, please visit: https://www.seattle.gov/utilities/protecting-our-environment/community-programs/pollution-control/spill-response – Seattle Public Utilities

Low Tides today and tomorrow


Today’s low tide of -4.00 feet took place at 11:06 a.m.
Tomorrow, we’ll witness another -4.00 tide at 11:54 a.m.