5/20 Mt. St. Helens, whale collision, Shell drill, tidal turbine, toxic algae, Enbridge pipe, seafloor lab, bird sanctuary

PHOTO: Associated Press

In case you missed this on Saturday and 33 years ago: Saturday is the 33rd anniversary of the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens that killed 57 people, knocked down a forest and filled the sky and rivers with volcanic ash. The mountain in southwest Washington may be the best known volcano in the state, but it's not the only one or the most dangerous. Remembering Mount St. Helens blast 33 years later

A Campbell River man underwent facial surgery Friday after a whale breached and collided with his boat, prompting marine life researchers to warn boaters to be on the lookout for increasing numbers of humpback whales around Vancouver Island. The whale breached in front of the man’s Grady-White fibreglass boat and the impact cracked the hull and sent him through the windshield. Judith Lavoie reports. Man undergoes facial surgery after humpback whale breaches, collides with his boat

The Coast Guard will kick off hearings Monday on how a Royal Dutch Shell PLC drill barge used for Arctic Ocean exploratory drilling ended up aground off a remote Alaska island. The Kulluk was under tow and bound from the Aleutian Islands' Dutch Harbor to a Seattle shipyard when it ran into rough Gulf of Alaska water. It broke from its towing vessel, and after four days of futile attempted hookups, ran aground New Year's Eve in shallow water off Sitkalidak Island, near Kodiak Island. Damage to the ship led to Shell's decision not to drill in Arctic waters in 2013. Dan Joling reports. Coast Guard to take testimony on Shell grounding

An Irish company that builds tidal-power turbines is exploring the possibility of locating a plant in Western Washington -- possibly in Everett. Representatives of OpenHydro of Dublin visited Everett last week to discuss their technology with political and business leaders from Snohomish County, the region and the state. The Snohomish County Public Utility District has applied with the federal government for a license to start an experimental tidal-power project in Admiralty Inlet between Fort Casey State Park and Port Townsend. Bill Sheets reports. Everett potential site for tidal-power turbine plant

Anderson Lake is closed to fishing and other recreation. High levels of the potent nerve toxin anatoxin-a were detected in water samples taken from Anderson Lake on Monday.... Upon the county’s recommendation, State Parks Ranger Mike Zimmerman, closed the lake to fishing, boating and swimming. People also are urged to keep pets out of the water. Anderson Lake closed because of high toxin level

Enbridge’s Northern Gateway oil pipeline has failed to meet the British Columbia government’s five conditions for approving the project, the government stated Friday. In an email response to The Sun over demands from aboriginal groups opposed to the project who want to meet Premier Christy Clark, the ministry of aboriginal relations and reconciliation said the project has not met the province’s standard. Gordon Hamilton reports. Province says Northern Gateway still fails to meet its five conditions

Scientists are eager for access to information from a quarter-billion dollar lab at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean that they hope will teach them about climate change, earthquakes and even the origins of life on Earth and other planets. The $239 million National Science Foundation project will install video cameras, seismic monitors and other gauges along a volcano in deep waters off the Pacific Northwest coast, giving researchers the ability to monitor activity 2 miles below the ocean surface. The project could potentially warn of earthquakes that would threaten the Seattle area, according to scientists. Donna Gordon Blankinship reports. Scientists excited about new lab at bottom of Pacific Ocean  

People are invited to learn the latest details about a proposed wildlife sanctuary at Wednesday's Parks Board meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Snohomish Boys & Girls Club, 402 Second St., Snohomish. The board is expected to make a recommendation to the City Council on the sanctuary steering committee's plan or ask for changes. The public can also make recommendations. The wildlife viewing area also has a proposed name: Snohomish Riverview Sanctuary. Alejandro Dominguez reports. Bird sanctuary in works at Snohomish wetland  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 246 AM PDT MON MAY 20 2013
TODAY
SW WIND 10 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 7 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NW WIND 10 TO 15 KT...BECOMING W TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 7 SECONDS. RAIN.

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