12/6 Ancient faces, north flooding, Omnicron, TM pipe, WA redistricting, Skagit dams, BC old-growth, Zim Kingston, dike building, ship lights, Skagit Center

 

The Ancients

Meeting the Ancients
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "We often meet unusual characters when we go kayaking. Sometimes they’re remarkable enough to transport me – at least in my imagination – to destinations half way around the world. So it was with the oddballs in the photo above, whom I chanced upon this past summer at the edge of Queen Charlotte Strait. Contemplating the long row of ‘carved’ faces lined up in stony silence, staring out to sea, I couldn’t help but feel like I was meeting the famous moai of Easter Island..."

Devastated after flooding, north Whatcom County moves into recovery mode
Well over 700 homes have been reported damaged in Whatcom County after the area endured three atmospheric rivers in less than three weeks. While cleanup is underway, the impacts on lives and livelihoods will continue for some time. (Salish Current) See also: Small batches, partnerships and goats: family dairies evolve to survive  Lauren Gallup reports. (Salish Current)

Omicron variant detected in three Washington state counties
Three cases of the omicron coronavirus variant have been detected in Washington state, according to health officials. The cases, the first detected in the state, were found in a man in his 30s from Thurston County, a man in his 20s from Pierce County, and a woman in her 20s from King County. Kate Walters reports. (KUOW)

Trans Mountain pipeline to restart Monday after shutdown during B.C. floods
The Trans Mountain pipeline is set to restart Monday after record-setting rainfall, devastating flooding and landslides last month prompted a three-week precautionary shutdown that led to fuel rationing in parts of B.C. Drivers who aren’t operating essential vehicles have been asked to limit their fuel purchases to 30 litres per visit to a gas station until Dec. 14. The restrictions are in place on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, as well as in the Lower Mainland from Vancouver to Hope, the Sea-to-Sky region, and the Sunshine Coast. (Canadian Press)

Voter redistricting maps by commission can go forth, WA Supreme Court says
In a surprise order Friday morning, the Washington Supreme Court declined to take on the job of drafting new congressional and legislative maps. Instead, the court declared that the state's Redistricting Commission had finished its work on time last month. Austin Jenkins reports. (KUOW)

Fish passage, dam removal studied as Seattle City Light aims to relicense three Skagit River dams
As Seattle City Light moves to extend its use of the dams for another 30 to 50 years, at stake is the cost and supply of cheap, carbon-neutral power from the dams — about 20% of the city supply; the fate of salmon and steelhead at risk of extinction; and treaty rights of tribes fishing the Skagit for thousands of years...Now tribes and other river users are pushing City Light to do more for salmon in this round of relicensing. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C. forests ministry says flooding, pandemic has affected First Nations consultations on old-growth deferrals
A 30-day deadline for B.C. First Nations to respond to a plan that calls for the deferral of old-growth logging in forests at risk of permanent biodiversity loss has passed while the province says the process has been affected by recent emergencies. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

It could take weeks to unload damaged containers from Zim Kingston cargo ship
Removing 60 containers ­damaged by fire and rough weather aboard the cargo ship Zim Kingston could take up to 12 days and involve multiple ­salvage contractors, and safety and regulatory agencies, says the Port of Nanaimo. The 260-metre Zim Kingston, which spilled 109 containers off Vancouver Island and saw other cargo catch fire in late October, left its anchorage at Constance Bank off Victoria on Friday, headed for Nanaimo with about 2,000 containers aboard. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Building higher dikes may be a losing battle, experts warn
Tough decisions lie ahead as climate change means "we're not going to be able to permanently exclude water from some of these areas." Glenda Luymes  reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Light from Ships Disorients, and Even Kills, Seabirds
Some of the most remote islands in the world provide habitat for large seabird colonies. But even these remote places aren’t safe from light pollution. Jenny Howard reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Skagit River Interpretive Center open for the season
The Skagit River Interpretive Center, located at Howard Miller Steelhead Park in Rockport, offers free one-and-a-half-hour guided nature walks Saturdays and Sundays through Jan. 30. Walks depart at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. from the center. Jacqueline Allison reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  249 AM PST Mon Dec 6 2021   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 3 ft  at 8 seconds. Rain in the morning then rain likely in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. A  chance of rain in the evening then a slight chance of rain after  midnight.

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