5/30 Porcelain crab, Ocean Cleanup, beachcombing, freedom molecules, Northern pike, Roundup, Mosher

Porcelain crab [Flickr]

Porcelain crab Petrolisthes eriomerus
Porcelain crabs are not true crabs, but belong to a group called anomurans, making them more closely related to hermit crabs and king crabs.   One easily observed distinction between true cabs and anomurans is that in anomurans, only 4 pairs of legs are normally visible where as in true crabs, 5 pairs can be seen. Porcelain crabs have a unique defense mechanism in which if they are threatened or disturbed, they may drop one of their appendages.   The lost limb will eventually grow back. (Mary Jo Adams/Sound Stewards)

The Ocean Cleanup is Ready to Try Again
Last September, The Ocean Cleanup deployed System 001 into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – marking the first-ever attempt to start cleaning it up. During the campaign, it was found that the system did not maintain a sufficient speed, allowing plastic to exit the system. Additionally, a stress concentration caused a fatigue fracture in the HDPE floater. The team has come up with solutions and could start testing them in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in June. The main improvement of the structural design was to simplify the HDPE pipe and allow minimal fluctuations in the wall thickness. (Marine Executive)

Why Ocean Shores Beachcombing Is a Blast
Collectors at this year’s beachcombing fair in a Washington town had something surprising to put on display.This year, there’s a startling new addition to the fair. Chunks of unexploded anti-aircraft ordnance from the Second World War have been washing up along the broad white-sand beaches of Ocean Shores and the surrounding area with sudden and unexplained frequency. The area was an important navy base during the war, and unused munitions were likely disposed of in the area after peace was declared. Some mysterious oceanographic or geological quirk has uncovered them now. Residents are less riled by these new “sea shells” than by their disposal: they’re collected into piles on the beach and destroyed by the US Army in large—and loud—explosions.Katrina Pyne and Amorina Kingdon report. (Hakai Magazine)

Bremerton City Council to revisit ban on plastic bags
The Bremerton City Council is once again considering a ban on single-use plastic bags, part of a statewide effort to reduce waste and promote the use of reusable bags. City officials pondered a plastic bag ban last year, but the discussion was put on hold while the Legislature debated a bill that would have banned single-use plastic bags statewide. The bill passed the Senate in March but never made it to the House floor for a vote. Now, the issue is before the city again. Kitsap County and the city of Port Orchard are also re-examining their bag ban ordinances. (Kitsap Sun)

US energy department rebrands gas exports 'molecules of freedom'
US energy officials appeared to rebrand natural gas produced in the country as "freedom gas", in a statement announcing an increase in exports. The US Department of Energy said the expansion of a Texas facility meant more "molecules of US freedom" could be produced and exported worldwide. The facility, based in Quintana, produces liquified natural gas (LNG). The move was a clear indication of US commitment to promoting clean energy, the statement said. (BBC)

The Fight Is On To Save Columbia River Salmon From A Toothy Invader: Northern Pike
The fight to save Columbia River salmon could hinge on a major battle taking place in the basin’s biggest reservoir. It pits biologists against a fish: The invasive northern pike. Northern pike are aggressive. They eat anything in their path – they’ve even been spotted chomping on ducks and bats. That’s bad news for soft-bellied fish, like rainbow trout. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

Safe Or Scary? The Shifting Reputation Of Glyphosate, AKA Roundup
Farmers have been using this chemical, often under the trade name Roundup, for about four decades now. But now it’s under fierce attack, accused of causing cancer. In three civil cases so far, U.S. juries have ordered Roundup’s inventor, Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, to pay enormous damages to cancer survivors. Thousands more lawsuits have been filed. For this chemical, and for Monsanto, it’s a stunning change in fortunes. Dan Charles reports. (NPR)

Looking Back — to a place called Mosher on the shore of Puget Sound
About 1891, after Alderwood Manor/Lynnwood pioneer Charles Breed had built a cabin and prepared his 80-acre Swamp Creek homestead for residence, he gathered his family together, and with all their earthly possessions—clothing, household goods, food and grain, tools, farm equipment, and even their cattle—Mr. Breed and his wife Lillie, together with their five children, boarded a steamer to begin traveling to their wilderness home in south Snohomish County. The steamer carrying the Breed family landed on the shore of Puget Sound at Mosher—a place from the past.  From there, the family headed up the steep hill to Ruby Ranch, their new home many rugged miles to the east. Betty Lou Gaeng writes. (My Edmonds News)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Thu May 30 2019   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft  at 16 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft  at 15 seconds.

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