11/17 Auklet, BC LNG, BC COVID, Trump's ANWR, West Ballenas Is, rising tide, Hwy 20, goat cull

Rhinoceros auklet [Tokumi/Creative Commons]

 
Rhinoceros auklet Cerorhinca monocerata
Rhinoceros auklets are actually not members of the taxonomic group of birds known as auklets—rather, they are closely related to puffins. They’re found on the open sea and coastlines of the northern Pacific Ocean, from Baja California to the Aleutian Islands in North America and in small areas of Japan, North Korea and Russia. Rhinoceros auklets are mostly pelagic, which means they live on the open ocean and return to shore only for breeding. During breeding season, they nest in colonies, digging shallow burrows into the soil or finding naturally occurring cavities along rocky shorelines. (Seattle Aquarium)

$18-billion LNG project projected to meet mid-decade start despite COVID-19 delays
The $18-billion project will liquefy natural gas from northeast B.C. in a plant at Kitimat in northwest B.C., where it will be loaded onto ships and transported to Asian markets. It is the only project that moved ahead to the construction phase among several that had been proposed in B.C. to tap into growing demand for energy in Asia and diversify from reliance on export to the U.S. The major players backing the project include Shell, Malaysian state-owned Petronas, state-owned PetroChina, Mitsubishi in Japan and South Korea’s KOGAS. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

COVID-19 claims 9 more lives, as B.C. announces record 1,959 new cases over the weekend
B.C. has confirmed another 1,959 cases of COVID-19 over the last three days and nine more deaths from the disease as the number of patients in hospital continues to reach record highs...The numbers reported Monday represent the largest weekend total for new cases to date. The vast majority continue to be in the Lower Mainland, with 1,361 or 69 per cent of the new cases in the Fraser Health region, and 455 or 23 per cent in Vancouver Coastal Health. People who live in those regions are currently subject to strict public health orders that include a prohibition on socializing with anyone outside of their household. Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC)

Trump officials rush to auction off rights to Arctic National Wildlife Refuge before Biden can block it
The Trump administration on Monday called for oil companies to pick spots where they'd like to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, launching a leasing process it aims to finish just before President-elect Joe Biden takes office. Juliet Eilperin reports. (Washington Post)

BC Parks Foundation successfully raises $1.7M for purchase of West Ballenas Island
The BC Parks Foundation has officially raised enough money to purchase West Ballenas Island. Foundation CEO Andrew Day said they reached their goal of $1.7 million through community support. Located just east of Parksville in the Salish Sea, West Ballenas Island is home to rare plants, threatened species and various marine life. South Ballenas Island remains Crown land held by the Government of Canada. Mandy Moraes reports. (Parksville Qualicum Beach News)

The Rising Tide Underfoot
Changing sea levels are pushing groundwater into new and problematic places. Grace Mitchell Tada reports. (Hakai Magazine)

North Cascades Highway closes for season
Heavy snowfall has closed Highway 20 through the North Cascades for the season. The announcement was made Monday morning by the state Department of Transportation. The westside closure is at milepost 134 (Ross Dam Trailhead) and the eastside closure is at milepost 171 (Silver Star Gate), according to a news release. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Goats culled from park
Demanding terrain, hazardous air conditions from wildfire smoke and torrential rain, snow and wind impacted Olympic National Park’s ground-based mountain goat lethal-removal program. A total of 31 mountain goats were killed by 99 well-qualified volunteers organized in groups of three to six people during three rounds of operations conducted Sept. 9-19, Sept. 22-Oct. 2 and Oct. 5-16, according to the park. Ten mountain goats were removed in the first round, 18 were culled in the second round and three were removed in the final round. Michael Carman reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  254 AM PST Tue Nov 17 2020   
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  E wind 25 to 35 kt becoming S 20 to 30 kt in the  afternoon. Combined seas 11 to 12 ft with a dominant period of  11 seconds building to 17 to 18 ft with a dominant period of  13 seconds in the afternoon. Rain in the morning then a chance of  rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SE after midnight. Wind  waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 12 ft at 11 seconds. Rain likely in the  evening then rain 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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