8/2 Gaper clam, K-21, orca habitat, Mt Baker changes, whitebarks, BC salmon farms, Samish Is conservation, saved orca

 Gaper/horse clam [Dana Brown (l), Dave Cowles]

The gaper clam lives in the shadows of giants
Jimmy Norris in Eyes Under Puget Sound writes "Nothing says 'summer' like digging for steamer clams in Puget Sound. But the Pacific Northwest is known for its B.O.U.S.s (Bivalves Of Unusual Size), and if you dig deep enough, you may unearth a monster instead of a manila. The gaper clam (a.k.a. horse, horseneck, Alaskan gaper, fat gaper, summer, otter, blue, and empire clam) is one such behemoth." (Dept of Ecology)

Orcas make their way to Salish Sea, but sick whale lags behind
All three families of the much-loved orcas – the J, K and L pods – were seen mingling, tail slapping and breaching on the west side of the San Juan Islands Tuesday night, a good sign after a long absence. The J pod hadn't been seen there for an unprecedented 108 days prior. The pods moved on quickly — a sign there was probably no food in the area. And we now know one of the whales did not join his family when they left. K-21 – also called Cappuccino – might be close to death. The 35-year-old orca was discovered in distress near Race Rocks in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, severely emaciated and with a collapsed dorsal fin. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Critical Habitat for Southern Resident Killer Whales 
NOAA Fisheries has revised the critical habitat designation for Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW; Orcinus orca). The final rule maintains the previously designated critical habitat in inland waters of Washington and expands it to include certain coastal waters off Washington, Oregon, and California. The revision adds to critical habitat approximately 15,910 square miles of marine waters between the 6.1-meter and 200-meter depth contours from the U.S.-Canada border to Point Sur, California. (NOAA)

Whatcom photos show these changes in Mount Baker’s ice and snow
Photographs taken recently by Whatcom County residents show dramatic changes on Mount Baker, illustrating the effects of both weather and climate change. Randy Small, who manages the Whatcom County Weather page on Twitter and Facebook, uploaded a pair of photos taken a month apart, showing how quickly the snow disappeared from Mount Baker this summer. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Pining for whitebarks: Researchers work across the Northwest to save ‘quintessential wilderness trees’
If you’ve ever backpacked in the Northwest’s mountaintops, you’ve likely spent some time among whitebark pines. These important trees are bringing together researchers across the West, who want to save them from a fatal fungus. Courtney Flatt reports. (OPB)

DFO report suggests alternatives to open-net salmon farms in B.C.
B.C. wild salmon advocates are calling on the federal government to expedite the transition away from open-net pen salmon farming, following a federal government report that outlined suggestions from stakeholders. On Thursday, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans released a report on the engagement process but it does not detail any plans to remove the fish farms, raising concerns from Watershed Watch Salmon Society that the government is stalling. The DFO has not returned a request for information on the next steps in the transition. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

From forest to beach: Skagit Land Trust shows off Samish Island property
From a forest featuring 100-year-old trees to pristine shoreline, the public got a look on Saturday at the Skagit Land Trust’s newly expanded Samish Island Conservation Area. About 100 people signed up for the open house, the land trust’s first large in-person event since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The open house included guided trail tours and chats with Skagit Land Trust staff members. The Samish Island Conservation Area now protects about 100 acres and about a half mile of shoreline, including 2,300 feet on Padilla Bay and 900 feet on Alice Bay. (Jacqueline Allison reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Killer whale stranded on island near B.C. coast rescued
A killer whale stranded on the shore of an Alaskan island near British Columbia was rescued thanks to the help of wildlife officials and the crew of a passing ship. Tom Yun reports. (CTV)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  214 AM PDT Mon Aug 2 2021   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 4 ft at 6 seconds. Haze. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 12 seconds building to 5 ft  at 7 seconds after midnight. Haze.

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