1/5 Octopus, weather, sewage spill, toxic crabs, limiting science, forest peace

PHOTO: Georgette Dowma/NPL/Minden Pictures

 
Octopuses Are Eight-Armed Taskmasters
Even a crafty hunter like an octopus sometimes needs help. On tropical coral reefs around the world, the day octopus scours the seafloor in search of tiny mollusks and crustaceans that hide within calcified crevices. But every so often, this prey eludes the octopus’s many-armed grasp. Unfortunately for the fleeing prey, groups of fishes—sometimes four or five different species—might be lying in wait, ready to cut off its escape and leaving it within the octopus’s reach. Cameron Duke reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Western Washington weather Tuesday has it all: an 'atmospheric river,' flooding, wind, snow, mudslides and dangerous beach conditions  Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle Times) BC Storm: Wind, rainfall warnings in effect for Metro Vancouver  Stephanie Ip reports. (Vancouver Sun)

250,000 gallons of effluent flows into Puget Sound from Bainbridge Island treatment plant
About 250,000 gallons of partially treated effluent was sent into Puget Sound from Bainbridge Island's wastewater treatment plant over the weekend after heavy rainfall temporarily overwhelmed the facility's capacity. The overflow is the second such dump into the Eagle Harbor vicinity in about a week's time. As a result of this weekend's spill, a no-contact advisory will be issued for Eagle Harbor, the city said in an announcement Monday afternoon. Nathan Pilling reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Quinault Tribe recall 29 tons of Dungeness crab due to toxin
Nearly 29 tons of Dungeness crab is being voluntarily recalled by the Quinault Tribe. The recall affects live and uneviscerated Dungeness crab.  The crabs are being recalled due to possible elevated marine toxin levels. The toxin is called domoic acid, which can be harmful to people if the contaminated shellfish are consumed. The crab was caught by the tribe from Dec. 23-28 and sold to food processors in Washington. (Associated Press)

EPA finalizes rule to limit science behind public health safeguards
The Environmental Protection Agency has finalized a rule to limit what research it can use to craft public health protections, a move opponents argue is aimed at crippling the agency’s ability to more aggressively regulate the nation’s air and water. The “Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science” rule, which the administration began pursuing early in President Trump’s term, would require researchers to disclose the raw data involved in their public health studies before the agency could rely upon their conclusions. It will apply this new set of standards to “dose-response studies,” which evaluate how much a person’s exposure to a substance increases the risk of harm. Juliet Eilperin and Brady Dennis report. (Washington Post)

This website lets you listen to the sounds of a peaceful forest from your own home 
Despite best intentions, sometimes it’s harder to put on the rain boots and jackets and leave the abode, especially during a pandemic and a rainy season. But there are few better salves for the soul than the sounds of nature...But for all of us who can’t travel, can’t forest bathe and may be having trouble leaving the house at all, here is a low-commitment, low-energy option to get some of those good juices flowing. Tree.fm https://www.tree.fm/ has sounds from forests around the world recorded by people who live near them. Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle Times)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  207 AM PST Tue Jan 5 2021   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt rising to 20 to 30 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 16 ft at 16 seconds  subsiding to 14 ft at 15 seconds in the afternoon. Rain. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 20 to 30 kt becoming S 15 to 25 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. SW swell 18 ft at 13 seconds.  Rain in the evening then a chance of rain after midnight.

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