9/10 Texada Is., J50, Navy sewage, BC pipe, Site C dam, Illabot Cr., maple deaths, Ocean Cleanup, BC sturgeon

Texada Island [Laurie MacBride]

Appreciation from a Distance
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Thirty mile-long Texada Island, the largest of BC’s Gulf Islands, lies in the middle of the Strait of Georgia. With a high elevation, it’s a dominant landmark for boaters crossing the Strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast. The island has a colourful history that includes whaling, mining, farming and at least a couple of significant shipwrecks. It had an opera house at the turn of the 20th century and during prohibition, produced and supplied illegal hootch to the US black market. Today it’s quieter and more focused on outdoor tourism, but no less interesting, I expect. I say “expect”, because Texada remains a bit of a mystery to me...." (read on)

Orca's condition not improving, deworming failed, say U.S. officials
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says an attempt to inject a sickly orca whale with an deworming medicine has failed. In an update on Saturday, NOAA confirmed the whale, designated J50, was seen swimming almost a kilometre behind the rest of her family, known as J-Pod. The organization says that her condition did not appear to be improving, nor did they succeed in dosing the whale with the dewormer. (CBC)

Navy reports 450,000-gallon sewage spill over two years in Bremerton
Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton's public works department has discovered yet another sewage spill that leaked an estimated 450,000 gallons of wastewater from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard into Sinclair Inlet during a two-year period. That breaks down to about 540 gallons each day. The Navy became aware of a potential sewage spill Wednesday morning, after a monthly water testing sample indicated a spike above normal levels for bacteria, said Cmdr. Ben Leppard, public works officer for Naval Base Kitsap. Julianne Stanford reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Indigenous groups have specific, measurable requests that could save pipeline 
Rerouting the pipeline expansion to avoid a First Nation’s aquifer and ensuring another First Nation will always be immediately notified of a pipeline spill are among the steps Ottawa could take to address Indigenous concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline. Mia Rabson reports. (Canadian Press)

Indigenous groups still want to buy stake in Trans Mountain 
Some First Nations and Metis communities are determined to purchase an equity stake in the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion despite a court ruling that halted construction and potentially set the project back for years.... Indigenous groups in Fort McMurray, Alta., say they still want to invest in the project and believe the ruling creates an opportunity for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government to get consultation right. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Injunction application hearing pitting treaty rights against Site C wraps in Vancouver
A three-week hearing on an injunction application led by the West Moberly First Nations wrapped in B.C. Supreme Court Friday, leaving Justice Warren Milman the task of deciding whether to put a stop to further Site C construction in northeastern B.C., pending a full trial on the matter. At the core of the case is West Moberly's argument that the multi-billion dollar B.C. Hydro dam will cause irreparable harm to its territory and way of life — rights protected under Treaty 8. (Canadian Press)

Illabot Creek restoration project wraps up
On a newly constructed bridge over Illabot Creek east of Rockport, county employees and other stakeholders marked Wednesday the completion of a fish habitat restoration project. The three-phase project has been in the making since 2001 when planning began. The project will restore habitat for several species, including threatened chinook salmon and steelhead trout. Illabot Creek, which meets the Skagit River between Rockport and Marblemount, received federal designation in 2014 under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The creek is known to support all five Pacific salmon species as well as the region’s steelhead. Julia-Grace Sanders reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Some of Washington’s biggest trees are dying and scientists don’t know why
Something is killing bigleaf maples — Washington’s biggest broadleaf tree — and scientists can’t stop it. They don’t even know what’s causing it. “We’ve looked for everything we can possibly think of and what people smarter than us can think of,” said Amy Ramsey, a forest pathologist with the state Department of Natural Resources. From British Columbia to California, stands of bigleaf maples are dying, leaving bald patches in the forest canopy or even denuded hillsides. Craig Sailor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Ocean Cleanup steams out to sea in test run to clean Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Amid a flotilla of boats, drones and helicopters, the Ocean Cleanup machine, a system of lengthy drifting trash traps, was slowly was towed through San Francisco Bay beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and out to the open ocean Saturday afternoon. The 2,000-foot long system was pulled by a large ship, bobbing in a bay full of sailboats, ferries and a few kayakers. The hope is that the vessel, the first of a planned fleet or 60 or more, can strain out the millions of pounds of plastic trash that collects in slow-moving ocean whirlpools called gyres, which can be hundreds of miles across.  Elizabeth Weise reports. (USA TODAY)

Alleged white sturgeon poaching from Fraser River angers conservationists, anglers
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) says it is investigating the alleged illegal removal of a huge endangered fish from the Fraser River near Chilliwack.... On Friday,  Aug. 31, the conservation service received calls to its poaching and polluters hotline line with a report that someone was illegally fishing a large white sturgeon at an area called Bowman's Point. The COS says witnesses reported to them that a man and his son had hooked a huge sturgeon and were struggling to reel it in when two other men in a boat approached, roped the fish, dragged it to shore and drove off with it. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

Longtime whale-watching boat making a return to Bellingham waters with new look
A longtime Bellingham whale-watching boat is getting a major makeover. The Island Caper was recently purchased and is being managed by a group called Pacific Northwest Cruises... The 110-foot boat was a fixture in local waters from the mid-1990s until owner Terry Buzzard died in 2016. Dave Gallagher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  258 AM PDT Mon Sep 10 2018   

TODAY  S wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 8 ft  at 10 seconds. Showers likely. 

TONIGHT  S wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening then showers likely after midnight.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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