Salish Sea News and Weather: July 2023

Monday, July 31, 2023

7/31 Kinnikinnick, Pebble Mine, tribal canoe journey, ocean temperatures, smelling, entangled humpback, BC big tree, Lk Babine salmon

Kinnikinnick [Ben Legler]

Kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Kinnikinnick can be found from the coast to the subalpine zone and on both sides of the Cascade crest. Look for it on sandy slopes, exposed rocky banks, dry subalpine meadows, and coniferous forests. Kinnikinnick has many names, most referring to its fruits. Arctostaphylos (Greek) and uva-ursi (Latin) both mean "bear grapes." And what about the name kinnikinnick itself? It's an Algonquian word referring to the dried leaves' use in smoking mixtures. Sarah Gage writes. (Northwest Native Plant Society)

A Last-Gasp Effort to Resurrect a Mine in Bristol Bay
The state of Alaska has taken its case directly to the U.S. Supreme Court in an 11th hour effort to resurrect a giant, open pit copper and gold mine, proposed for a location in western Alaska that flanks two of Bristol Bay’s renowned salmon spawning watersheds. Joel Connelly writes. (Post Alley)

After four years, tribal canoes journey Salish Sea once more
A sea of people waited on the shores Sunday afternoon to welcome about a hundred canoes to Muckleshoot. The canoe families traveled from villages spanning Warm Springs, Ore., to Alaska, converging at stops along the shores of the outer coast and Salish Sea to share community, songs, meals and stories. It was the first journey since 2019 — since the pandemic began — and for many, a needed return to the water. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

Ocean temperatures are off the charts. Here’s where they’re highest.
The Earth’s oceans have never been warmer. Every day since late March, the world’s average sea surface temperature has been well above the previous highest mark for that day. And there will be ripple effects: Marine heat waves are affecting about 44 percent of the global ocean, whereas only 10 percent is typical, and they can have “significant impacts on marine life as well as coastal communities and economies,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Tim Meko and Dan Stillman report. (Washington Post)

Can You Smell Me Now? How ’Bout Now?
Ocean acidification is going to do all sorts of weird things to animals’ sensory perception. Ethan Freedman reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Entangled humpback whale reported off Vancouver Island
The whale was first reported on July 22 off the coast of Lennard Lighthouse. Since then, members of the society and Fisheries and Oceans Canada have struggled to relocate the humpback. Alexandra Mehl reports. (Times Colonist)

B.C. big tree hunter documents grandest old-growth tree he's ever seen
TJ Watt says Western red cedar near Tofino is a 46-metre-tall leviathan of a biodiverse ecosystem. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

To Protect Stressed Salmon, a First Nation Closes a Popular Fishing Spot
The Lake Babine Nation says it acted unilaterally after years of trying to bring the DFO to the table. Amanda Follett Hosgood reports. (The Tyee)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 230 AM PDT Mon Jul 31 2023
TODAY NW wind to 10 kt becoming W 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 10 seconds.
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 9 seconds.

--
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Friday, July 28, 2023

7/28 Red delicious, kelp survey, cruise-ship slowdown, gray whales, Meta and Google, week in review

Red Delicious

Red Delicious is a type of apple with a red exterior and sweet taste that was first recognized in Madison County, Iowa, in 1872. Today, the name Red Delicious comprises more than 50 cultivars. It was the most produced cultivar in the United States from 1968 to 2018, when it was surpassed by Gala. Wikipedia

The forest under the surface of Puget Sound is declining. This team seeks clues as to why
Heidi Wilken looks out from her crew’s small motorboat to the rocky shore of Owen Beach, watching as they float beyond a nearby fallen tree...Today, her work begins 30 feet underwater. Wilken is the lead dive safety officer at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, and this summer, she’s working with her team to complete their first kelp surveys at two new sites in Tacoma. Olivia Palmer reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Cruise-ship slowdowns mean shorter passenger stays
A new regulation requiring ships to slow down to reduce their carbon emissions means cruise-ship passengers are spending less time in Victoria. Louise Dickson reports. (Times Colonist)

West Coast gray whale population still declining, but begins to show signs of recovery
The North Pacific gray whale population is down 46% in the last seven years, but healthier mothers and more calves could be signs of a rebound. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Washington State Standard)

Staring Down Meta and Google: Newsrooms Weigh the Threats
A report from the trenches on the Online News Act and what a backlash ban on Canadian news could mean. Sarah Krichel reports. (The Tyee)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 7/28/23: Duchamp!, climate planning, glacier blood, WA drought, hot water dams, BC Ferries, Billy's ship, AK crab fishery, gray whales.

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 252 AM PDT Fri Jul 28 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 6 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W swell 2 ft at 6 seconds.
SAT W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain.
SAT NIGHT W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 2 ft or less after midnight. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds.
SUN SW wind to 10 kt becoming W 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 7 seconds.

Thursday, July 27, 2023

7/27 Red spaghetti, Billy Frank, Jr. ship, moving Tokitae, FL waters, crab fishery, BC 'chief ecologist,' BC nature

Red Spaghetti [Seaweeds of the Pacific NW]

Red Spaghetti Gracilariopsis sjoestedtii
Small, disc-shaped holdfast with round, noodle-like branches. Grows attached to small rocks or buried in the sand. Found British Columbia to Mexico.

Navy names ship after prominent Nisqually tribe member
The United States Navy is naming a new Navajo-Class Ship after Nisqually tribal member, environmental activist and treaty rights advocate Billy Frank Jr. Frank served as chair of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for more than 30 years and received many honors for his work, including the Martin Luther King Jr. Distinguished Service Award and the Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism. Frank passed away in 2014. Jack Belcher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Timeline for Tokitae move unrealistic, state officials say
Ambitious plans to move the orca Tokitae — a 22-foot Southern Resident killer whale in captivity in Miami for more than 50 years — to an undisclosed location in north Puget Sound by the end of the year are not realistic, officials responsible for permits and logistics say...After months of work and studies, plans to transport Tokitae are no closer to coming to fruition without permits, which must be issued by an array of both federal and state officials. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

South Florida waters hit hot tub level and may have set world record for warmest seawater
The water temperature around the tip of Florida has hit triple digits — hot tub levels — two days in a row. Meteorologists say it could be the hottest seawater ever measured, although some questions about the reading remain. Scientists are already seeing devastating effects from prolonged hot water surrounding Florida — coral bleaching and even the death of some corals in what had been one of the Florida Keys’ most resilient reefs. Climate change has set temperature records across the globe this month. Seth Borenstein reports. (Associated Press)

How Ocean Warming Is Killing a Prime Alaska Crab Fishery
For the Aleut community of St. Paul, Alaska, the loss of snow crabs is rippling through the economy and raising concerns about the future. Andrew S. Lewis reports. (Yale Environment 360/Hakai Magazine)

B.C. is weighing the merits of appointing a ‘chief ecologist,’ internal docs show
As species disappear and ecosystems collapse, the new role could help keep B.C. accountable on forthcoming biodiversity laws and policies. Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (The Narwhal)

Nature to the North
David B. Williams visited our Canadian neighbor and rhapsodizes about swarms of eagles, Douglas fir stumps, and ochre sea stars. (Street Smart Naturalist)

Have you read the Salish Current? Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 255 AM PDT Thu Jul 27 2023
TODAY Light wind becoming W 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W swell 3 ft at 7 seconds.

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

7/26 Red coralline algae, 'rights of nature,' Cherry Pt herring, BC spotted owl, wastewater, BC Ferries, speaking for trees

Red coralline algae
[Monterey Bay Aquarium]

Red coralline algae Corallinales
Red coralline algae can be found in most marine habitats. Articulated corallines grow mostly in low intertidal and subtidal coastal areas. Crustose corallines have been found in depths up to 500 feet (152 m). Since these algae deposit calcium carbonate (limestone) in most of their cell walls, red corallines have the appearance and rough texture of coral. Grazing on these calcified algae would be like eating marble, so most hungry herbivores feed elsewhere. (Monterey Bay Aquarium)

The dynamics of the ‘rights of nature’ issue
The “rights of nature” issue is a dynamic balance among the rights of voiceless forms of life, the idea of “ownership,” the common welfare, and human happiness in nature and grief for its loss. Bill Appel writes. (Salish Current)

Missing Cherry Point herring spawn is personal to local biologist
Retired fisheries biologist Mike MacKay, 70, began documenting herring populations and spawning around Cherry Point for Lummi Nation Natural Resources in 1977, first as a passenger in a small Cessna-style plane and later as a pilot. This year, for the first time, MacKay didn’t see any herring spawn in the waters of the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve in April and May. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

B.C. to feds: don’t issue emergency order to save the endangered spotted owl
An internal government document reveals how B.C., citing ‘significant impacts’ on forest sector jobs and provincial revenue, aims to prevent Ottawa from stepping in to save a species on the cusp of Canadian extinction. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Turning Wastewater Into Irrigation Water, Fertilizer
Researchers in the Oregon State University College of Engineering are developing technology to convert wastewater into a product that would simultaneously irrigate and fertilize crops. (Corvallis Advocate)

What's behind the summer travel chaos at B.C. Ferries?
This summer, getting on a ferry has felt like scoring tickets to the hottest concert in town, as B.C. Ferries has been plagued by technical difficulties with its vessels, last-minute cancellations, staffing shortages and confusion about the availability of reservations online. Michelle Ghoussoub reports. (CBC)

To speak for trees, Snohomish County activists arm themselves with data
A climate-driven campaign seeks County Council support for conservation, despite diminished timber industry and tax loss concerns. \Julie Titone reports. (Everett Herald)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 255 AM PDT Wed Jul 26 2023
TODAY Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 7 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 6 seconds.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

7/25 'Red tide,' WA drought, sue the dams, Mt Baker glacier, biodiversity, 'Tread,' orca moms, humpback

'Red tide' [Encyclopedia of Puget Sound]

'Red tide'
Harmful algal blooms (HABs) occur when hazardous phytoplankton or other algae quickly grow and accumulate in a particular aquatic location. Often, biotoxins from HABs move through the food chain when they are concentrated in filter-feeding bivalves or consumed by planktivorous fish. These prey are readily ingested by marine mammals, birds and humans. As a result, significant animal die-offs or food-borne human illnesses are commonly associated with these events. (Encyclopedia of Puget Sound)

Washington declares drought emergency in 12 counties
With much of Washington parched from a warm and dry spring, state officials on Monday announced a drought emergency for watersheds in a dozen counties. Counties with watersheds affected by the drought emergency are spread around the state. They include: Benton, Clallam, Columbia, Jefferson, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Skagit, Snohomish, Walla Walla, Whatcom, and Yakima. Bill Lucia reports. (Washington State Standard)

Groups plan to sue to remove Snake River dams over hot water troubles for salmon
The Columbia Riverkeeper, Idaho Rivers United, Idaho Conservation League and the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association formally notified the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers of their intent to sue because the Snake River dams are making the river too hot for sockeye salmon and the dams should be removed. When water temperatures spike above 68 degrees, adult salmon start to run into real trouble. But dam advocates say the move will make climate change – and hot waters – worse. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

Looking back: point-in-time climate effects on Mount Baker
As summer temperatures rise over time, Mount Baker's shrinking glaciers reveal the impact. Alan Fritzberg writes. (Salish Current)

Can the biodiversity crisis be reversed?
Wildlife numbers are plunging worldwide. From toxic waste to invasive species, deforestation to rising temperatures, threats to the survival of our planet’s millions of plants and animals are causing scientists to warn of a sixth extinction. It’s estimated that roughly a third of the world’s species have become endangered or gone extinct in the past 500 years. And as the climate crisis continues to escalate, many more will be forced to adapt. (Crosscut)

Researchers learn gender of 1-year-old killer whale in Puget Sound
Whale watchers aboard a Puget Sound Express whale watching vessel out of Edmonds got a surprise Monday in the form of an unexpected gender reveal. Kyla Bivens, a naturalist on board the "Swiftsure," was able to snap a photo of the underside of a 1-year-old Bigg's killer whale that showed the calf was a boy. That’s the first time the gender of "Tread" or TO46B1's second living child has been documented, said Erin Gless, the executive director of Pacific Whale Watch Association. Christine Clarridge reports. (Axios)

How does a male orca stay out of trouble? With a lot of help from mom
What do female orcas do when they're finished having babies? Protect their adult sons from ill-advised fights, for one. A new study has found that male southern resident killer whales are less likely to get scraped up by other whales when they have their post-menopausal mothers by their sides. Sheena Goodyear reports. (CBC)

Humpback nearly struck off Quadra Island
Jenefer Smalley and the 12 guests aboard her whale-watching boat held their collective breath as a speeding boater came within a few metres of colliding with a humpback whale last month. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 247 AM PDT Tue Jul 25 2023
TODAY SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds building to 6 ft at 8 seconds in the afternoon. A chance of showers.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 7 seconds. A slight chance of showers.

Monday, July 24, 2023

7/24 Red sea urchin, climate change law, snowpack, pink snow, wildfires, hybrid ferries, leaded fuel, Lime Bay

Red Sea Urchin
[Aquarium of the Pacific/Hugh Ryono]

Red Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus franciscanus
Sea urchins belong to a group of marine invertebrates called echinoderms, which means spiny-skinned animals. They are related to sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars. In addition to humans, they are preyed on by sea otters, octopus, sunflower stars, wolf eels, and some crabs and birds. Like their relatives, sea urchins do not have a brain or heart. Southern California red sea urchins can live to be about 50 years old whereas those in British Columbia, Canada can reach more than 100 years. (Aquarium of the Pacific)

New law pushes Washington cities and counties to plan for climate change
Planning for severe storms, flooding, wildfires and poor air quality will soon be required for Washington cities and counties. A new law passed by the Legislature this year requires local governments to consider climate change in their 20-year comprehensive plans beginning in 2025. The Department of Commerce released early guidance last month for how to do that. The guidance focuses on two new sections that must be included in long-range plans: lowering greenhouse gas emissions and raising defenses against climate-related threats. With the law, the state isn’t mandating that the localities meet specific emissions targets, just that they commit to strategies that can help with reductions. Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

Climate change threatens North Cascades snowpack
The loss of glaciers threatens agriculture, fisheries, drinking water, hydroelectric power and recreation. Sarah Vaux reports. (Salish Current/Whatcom Watch)

Algae blooms that cause pink snow could accelerate melting as Earth warms
....Robin Kodner [is] a biologist at Western Washington University who’s at the forefront of a new push to understand what folks in the Pacific Northwest call “watermelon snow” — if they’ve heard of it at all. A nickname for it in the French Alps is sang de glacier, or glacier blood. While red and pink are the most common colors, different types of snow algae produce a rainbow of hues, including orange, yellow and green. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

On the frontlines of B.C.’s wildfire fight
Where crews are being tested like almost never before. Jesse Winter reports. (The Narwhal)

Sticker shock arrives with bids to convert WA ferries to hybrid-electric
Two local shipbuilders, Vigor Shipyards in Seattle and Everett Ship Repair, offered bids last Friday to complete the conversion on three Jumbo Mark II boats — the Tacoma, the Puyallup and the Wenatchee...Both bids came in higher than the $120 million state engineers estimated. Vigor’s was the lower of the two, at $150.1 million; Everett Ship Repair’s bid was for $166.4 million. The additional cost means state ferries will need to seek more money to complete all three boats, either in federal grants or additional funding from the state. David Roman report. (Seattle Times)

Congress moves to mandate leaded fuel sales
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Thursday to require airports to keep selling leaded aviation fuel indefinitely. The small-plane fuel is the biggest source of airborne lead pollution in Washington and nationwide. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Beach reclamation gives new life to Lime Bay
The Peninsula Streams Society and City of Victoria staff have put the finishing touches on a two-year, $170,000 project that has already brought new life to the city’s harbour. On Friday, crews were busy planting above the shoreline at Lime Bay, between Spinnakers Brewpub and the Victoria International Marina, the site of a rejuvenation project that has restored the marine habitat to the point it lured back surf smelt to spawn last fall. Andrew Duffy reports. (Times Colonist)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 248 AM PDT Mon Jul 24 2023
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 2 ft at 7 seconds. Rain.
TONIGHT SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 to 3 ft. W swell 3 ft at 7 seconds building to 5 ft at 7 seconds after midnight. A chance of showers.

Friday, July 21, 2023

7/21 Bear-grass, hottest June, BC river levels, kelp water temperature, lamprey comeback, tree memory, week in review

Bear-grass Xerophyllum tenax
Bear-grass is in the Liliaceae (lily family) which contains 478 species in North America and approximately 4,200 species worldwide distributed mostly in the tropics. It is a diverse plant family and includes numerous important ornamentals, a number of important agricultural crops and has been the source of valuable pharmacopoeia. Leaves of Bear-grass are collected from wild populations and sold to the floral industry for use in floral arrangements. Bear-grass is also sought for use as an ornamental in cultivated landscapes and gardens. Collection of Bear-grass from native habitats should occur only after proper permission and permits have been obtained from the appropriate agency or land owner. The collection of entire plants from wild populations is strongly discouraged. (Russ Holmes/USFS)

NOAA Confirms June Was Earth’s Hottest on Record. August May Bring More of the Same.
Last month was the planet’s warmest June since global temperature record-keeping began in 1850, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its monthly climate update on Thursday. The agency also predicts unusually hot temperatures will occur in most of the United States, almost everywhere except the northern Great Plains, during August. Delger Erdenesanaa reports. (NY Times)

Drought conditions threatening B.C. salmon as river levels drop
B.C. is currently grappling with an extended drought which has left two-thirds of the province's water basins at drought Level 4 or Level 5. The provincial scale goes from zero to five. The Lower Mainland basin, which includes the Fraser Valley, is at Level 4, which means adverse impacts to ecosystems are likely. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Northeastern Salish Sea temperatures boiling kelp alive
Temperatures in the northeastern Salish Sea have been reaching 21 degrees or higher, two to three degrees higher than kelp can take. Since the 1970s, rising ocean temperatures have led to entire kelp forests on the east side of Vancouver Island from Denman Island to Campbell River essentially being clear-cut. Many scientists call kelp the “canary in a coal mine,” acting as a warning of what’s to come elsewhere in British Columbia. And it’s not just kelp that will be affected, the rising sea temperatures will cause changes in the whole ecosystem and complete changes to our coastline. (CHEK)

Northwest tribes celebrate as lamprey make a comeback
On the banks of Oregon’s Willamette River, cooks grilled up food for hundreds of people. It’s a summertime barbecue. The smell of sizzling lamprey drew people to a tent where Yakama Nation citizens placed three- to four-inch chunks of the fish onto the grill. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

The Memory of a Tree
Naturalist David B. Williams writes: "To the Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest, western red cedars have long been the tree of life...Now, one western red cedar has become central to the more recent inhabitants of Seattle. The double trunked tree grows in the Wedgwood neighborhood and has been slated to be cut down in order to build new homes."(Street Smart Naturalist)

Salish Sea News Week in Review July 21 2023: Moonwalk, canoe journey, Cowichan salmon, refinery safety, Vancouver ecosystem, BC wildfires, dairy digester, BC spotted owl, Big Oil climate pledges, Cherry Pt herring, Fraser drought.

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 248 AM PDT Fri Jul 21 2023 TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 3 to 5 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 4 seconds. Patchy fog.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 1 to 3 ft after midnight. W swell 2 ft at 6 seconds. Patchy fog after midnight. A slight chance of showers after midnight.
SAT W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 5 seconds. Patchy fog in the morning. A chance of showers.
SAT NIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 2 ft at 5 seconds.
SUN W wind to 10 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 6 to 8 ft in the afternoon. W swell 3 ft at 7 seconds.

Thursday, July 20, 2023

7/20 Teal, Cherry Pt herring, saving trees, seabird die-offs, BC abandoned boats, Tofino water crisis, Big Oil climate pledges, river protection,Hokule'a

Green-winged Teal [Jeff Stacey]

Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
Tiny duck with a petite, thin bill. Males have a brown head with a wide green swatch behind the eye, creamy speckled breast, and mostly gray body. Females are brown, darker overall than other dabbling ducks. Forages by dabbling and tipping-up to reach submerged aquatic vegetation. Also regularly walks around mudflats to feed. (eBird)

'A definite alarm bell': Cherry Point's herring population didn't spawn this year
Less than two decades after the federal government declined endangered species protections for Cherry Point’s herring, scientists can’t find evidence the colony spawned this year. Once the largest stock of herring in Washington waters, the colony did not spawn in the Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve, prompting concerns the fish have relocated or are struggling in increasingly warm waters. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

How developers helped shape Seattle’s controversial tree protection ordinance
Urban tree advocates question builders’ behind-the-scenes role. Eric Scigliano reports. (InvestigateWest) Also: Activists, birders rally around a massive cedar slated for removal. Activists came together Tuesday night for the second time in two weeks, to rally around a massive western red cedar in the Wedgwood neighborhood. A developer is expected to take it down on Friday. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX) And: Treeless in Seattle Concerned about Seattle's tree canopy, but aren't inclined to climb some branches in protest, there's another option that could really help add some green to the city. Dyer Oxley reports. (KUOW)

Climate change is making mass seabird die-offs more frequent along West Coast
A new study from the University of Washington found that persistent heat waves in the marine environment linked to climate change are leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of seabirds several months later. The researchers also found that these mass die-offs of seabirds used to happen once a decade, but are now happening more frequently, including five consecutive years, from 2014 to 2019. Sheraz Sadiq reports. (OPB)

Coast guard floats a new solution to problem of B.C.'s abandoned boats
The Canadian government’s inventory of wrecked, abandoned or hazardous boats includes a U.S. warship, a derelict floating McDonald’s known as the McBarge, a human-smuggling ship and an old B.C. Ferries vessel rotting on the Fraser River. But the most problematic aren't the well-known vessels with colourful histories — it's the fleet of mystery craft that have dogged the Canadian Coast Guard and Transport Canada for years. Darryl Greer reports. (Canadian Press)

'We are subsisting on fog and dew:' Tofino faces a water crisis
Outdoor water use is banned, and a packed town hall meeting Tuesday night was told that if the drought persists in Tofino, more drastic measures will be on the table. Darron Koster reports. (Times Colonist)

Big oil quietly walks back on climate pledges as global heat records tumble
Energy firms have made record profits by increasing production of oil and gas, far from their promises of rolling back emissions. Dharna Noor reports. (The Guardian)

Ecology proposal would better protect Cascade River
The state Department of Ecology announced Tuesday that it is officially proposing to classify four water bodies as what are known as Outstanding Resource Waters, the first time it has proposed using the water quality designation. The four water bodies include the upper watershed of the Cascade River in Skagit County, as well as the upper watershed of the Green River in Skamania County, the Napeequa River in Chelan County and Soap Lake in Grant County. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Polynesian canoe expedition circumnavigating Pacific Ocean makes stops in B.C.
Communities in B.C. are playing host to a canoe expedition that plans, over the next four years, to circumnavigate the Pacific Ocean. The expedition is being operated by the Polynesian Voyaging Society (PVS). The society says the traditional Polynesian canoe — which has been named Hōkūleʻa, after the guiding star also known as Arcturus — will travel an estimated 43,000 miles around the Pacific Ocean and stop at more than 300 ports, 36 countries and archipelagoes and nearly 100 Indigenous territories along the way. Srushti Gangdev reports. (CBC)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 435 AM PDT Thu Jul 20 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 15 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 3 to 5 ft in the afternoon. W swell 3 ft at 6 seconds. Patchy fog in the morning.
TONIGHT W wind 15 to 20 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell 2 ft at 6 seconds. Patchy fog after midnight.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

7/19 Death camas, dairy digester, BC spotted owl habitat, Stanley Park ancient cedar, Whatcom County executive race

Death camas [C-DLand Trust]

Death camas Toxicoscordion venenosum
Death camas is a species of flowering plants in the genus Toxicoscordion, of the Melanthiaceae family. It is native to western North America. The plant is widespread across much of Western Canada, the Western United States, and northern Baja California. They tend to grow in dry meadows and on dry hillsides as well as sagebrush slopes and montane forests. All parts of the plant are poisonous. It is dangerous for humans as well as livestock. Consumption of 2 to 6% of the body weight of the animal is likely to be fatal. Along with other alkaloids, zygacine and other toxic esters of zygadenine are the primary neurotoxic alkaloids contributing to the plant's toxicity. (CalScape)

Tribes and farmers reduce carbon and find common ground through this dairy digester
Washington state is investing $22 million in dairy digesters, part of the 2023-2025 budget for the state's Climate Commitment Act. Based on a new report, they’re currently considered one of the most effective climate investments states can make. Dairy digesters capture the methane that comes from cow manure and other organic waste as it decomposes and turns it into useful renewable energy. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

‘Are you kidding me?’: B.C. sanctions shooting, logging in endangered spotted owl habitat
Only one spotted owl remains in Canada’s wild. The B.C. government says it is committed to recovering the species, even as it approves new clearcuts and recreational shooting in a Fraser Valley wildlife area set aside for the owl. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Ancient Western red cedar tree falls in Stanley Park
A western red cedar tree that is believed to have been centuries old fell in Vancouver's Stanley Park over the weekend, reaching the end of its life at what experts describe as a particularly stressful time for ancient trees in the area. It was anywhere between 800 and 900 years old and suffered from heart rot. (CBC)

Four of six Whatcom executive candidates respond in forum
Responses in a candidates forum from four (of six) vying for Whatcom County Executive sketched out four differing perspectives on how to serve. Salish Current Editorial Staff reports. (Salish Current)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 246 AM PDT Wed Jul 19 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 2 ft at 5 seconds. Patchy fog.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 1 ft at 10 seconds building to 4 ft at 6 seconds after midnight. Patchy fog after midnight.

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

7/18 Painted greenling, BC fire season, Vancouver ecosystem, Olympia Capitol Lake, B'ham mayor race

Painted greenling [Scott Johnson]

Painted greenling Oxylebius pictus
Painted greenling range from Kodiak Island in the Gulf of Alaska to north-central Baja, California, but are rare north of Washington. They are found in rocky areas from the intertidal to 160 feet (49 meters). Painted greenling can grow up to 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length and live to be 8 years old. Rarely caught by recreational harvesters within Puget Sound and uncommon in coastal waters. (WDFW)

The 2023 wildfire season is now B.C.'s most destructive on record — and it's only mid-July
The 2023 wildfire season in British Columbia has officially surpassed the 2018 season as the most destructive ever recorded according to area burned. Statistics from the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS) show wildfires have burned more than 13,900 square kilometres of land this year, breaking the record of just over 13,500 square kilometres set in 2018. (CBC)

We Knew Vancouver’s Ecosystem Was Damaged. The Truth Is So Much Worse
More than a century after colonization nearly eradicated key fish populations around Vancouver, British Columbia, the Tsleil-Waututh Nation is looking to the past to restore the ecosystem. Lauren Kaljur reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Olympia’s Capitol Lake restoration: Pricey ‘boondoggle’ or environmental win?
...The state’s Department of Enterprise Services has evaluated several options, and after a lengthy process has chosen to restore the lake to an estuary, a brackish tidal flat where the river meets the sea. The Legislature gave the department $7 million this year to move forward with that plan, financing its design and permitting.The plan is not without controversy. And some state lawmakers are wary about footing the bill for the project, which could cost up to $247 million — or more. Claire Withycombe reports. (Seattle Times)

Bellingham mayoral candidates field forum questions in primary quest
What should be the way forward for downtown Bellingham vitality, a new jail, waterfront development and housing? Bellingham mayoral primary candidates offered responses in an online forum last week. Salish Current Editorial Staff reports. (Salish Current)

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Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 306 AM PDT Tue Jul 18 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft at 6 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 1 ft at 6 seconds building to W 3 ft at 7 seconds after midnight.

Monday, July 17, 2023

7/17 Spiraea, 'Lyra,' gray whales, Bigg's whales, Klamath dam, Cowichan R salmon, Port Renfrew catch limit, intertribal canoe journey, refinery safety, Petrogas lawsuit, all-electric tug, northern pike

Douglas Spiraea [Native Plants PNW]

Douglas Spiraea Spiraea douglasii
The word Spiraea comes from a Greek plant that was commonly used for garlands. Douglas Spiraea is named after David Douglas. Douglas Spiraea is native from southeast Alaska to northern California. Although it mostly occurs west of the Cascade Mountains, it is also found in eastern Washington, Idaho and western Montana. Douglas Spiraea has also been found growing in isolated counties of Colorado, Missouri, and Tennessee. (Native Plants PNW)

‘Lyra’ sheds light on power, dangers of journalism
“Lyra,” showing July 18 at Bellingham’s Pickford Film Center, documents the story of murdered Northern Ireland journalist Lyra McKee and spotlights the dangers and power of journalism — and why that matters. Matt Benoit reports. (Salish Current)

Hopeful signs for declining population of gray whales along West Coast
The population of the eastern north Pacific Gray whale has been sliding downward since reaching a peak in 2016 with an estimated 26,960 whales. This year, scientists put the estimate at 14,526 whales. The estimate is based on counts of migrating whales off the Central California coast and statistical analyses. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Single-day record 72 Bigg's killer whales spotted in Salish Sea
Ten different groups of the whales were reported, ranging from the Hood Canal of the Puget Sound all the way north to Vancouver Island’s Campbell River region in British Columbia, the PWWA said in a written release. The largest group — 18 killer whales — was seen near the northern San Juan Islands. (KOMO)

With one down, Klamath dam removal proceeds on schedule
The first of four hydroelectric dams along the Oregon-California border has been removed from the main stem of the Klamath River. All that remains of the dam known as Copco 2 in Siskiyou County, California, is the headworks of a diversion tunnel adjacent to the now free-flowing river. Juliet Grable reports. (Jefferson Public Radio)

Hundreds of dead young salmon and trout found in rivere
Hundreds of tiny silver salmon and trout fry have been discovered dead at the bottom of a canyon at the base of Skutz Falls on the Cowichan River system and the cause of the mass die-off is a mystery. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Port Renfrew fishers shocked by sudden salmon cuts
Anglers will only be allowed to retain one chinook a day. Charter-boat operators worry clients will cancel visits. (Times Colonist)

After hiatus, intertribal canoe journey returns
For the first time since 2019, the intertribal canoe journey is returning to the Pacific Northwest and includes multiple stops along the North Olympic Peninsula as crews make their way to the Muckleshoot Indian Nation near Auburn. The annual canoe journeys began in 1989 with the “Paddle to Seattle” and have been held each year since, except for three years during the pandemic, with a different tribe hosting the trip each year. Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

New regulations proposed for refinery safety
The state Department of Labor and Industries announced last month that it’s proposing changes to safety regulations for refineries. The regulations would affect two Anacortes refineries. The Labor and Industries news release announcing the proposal referenced previous explosions at the March Point refineries as part of the need for regulation changes. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

High court ruling in Petrogas lawsuit could mean millions in taxes for Whatcom County
Whatcom County has won a lawsuit that could mean $10 million or more in back taxes from a Cherry Point petrochemical company. In a one-sentence decision issued late Wednesday, the state Supreme Court upheld an appellate court ruling from November 2022 that said Petrogas Pacific must pay taxes as set by the Whatcom County Assessor’s Office. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

First all-electric tugboat in the world now plying the waters of B.C.
HaiSea Marine, a collaboration between the Haisla Nation and Seaspan, welcomed the arrival of the HaiSea Wamis this week. Joseph Ruttle reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Washington state biologists prepare for invasive northern pike
Right now, an invasive fish species is trapped behind Grand Coulee Dam in eastern Washington. If northern pike make it past the two giant cement dams in their way, it could spell trouble for salmon. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 303 AM PDT Mon Jul 17 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds. Showers likely in the morning.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 1 ft at 7 seconds.

Friday, July 14, 2023

7/14 Gumweed, Elwha fish, WA gas prices, BC drought, water rule, low tides, week in review

Puget Sound Gumweed [Amy Barlow]

Puget Sound Gumweed Grindelia integrifolia
Puget Sound gumweed, a member of the sunflower family (Asteraceae), is a native, perennial, tap-rooted, herbaceous to semi-woody subshrub that grows 8 to 40 inches tall. Puget Sound gumweed is a locally common wildflower found along beaches, rocky shores, wet meadows, wetland prairies, ditches, pastures and salt marshes.(USDA)

Strong fish counts seen in Elwha
Fish species on the Elwha River are coming back now that dams that once blocked the river have been removed, but river restoration is still in its infancy, according to Sam Blenkman, chief fisheries biologist with Olympic National Park. More than 4,000 Chinook salmon had returned to the river by 2022, and more than 25,000 trout were surveyed in 2019, up from the roughly 3,000 in 2007, but the moratorium on most fishing remains in effect. Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

High gas prices fuel talk of anti-gouging measures, cap-and-trade tweaks
Washington’s new climate policy is taking heat for the state’s highest-in-the-nation prices at the pump. But the law’s backers say oil companies are to blame. Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

Drought conditions at highest level in parts of B.C. as province warns of tightening water restrictions
Leaders in British Columbia are sounding the alarm about looming water scarcity and future use restrictions as drought levels in parts of the province have been elevated to the most severe end of the scale. (CBC)

The West's water system is grappling with a racist past and hotter future
As droughts strain water supplies across Western states, some cities and farmers have struggled with mandatory cutbacks. Determining who gets cut is decided by the foundational pecking order of Western water: the older your claim to water, created as the country expanded westward, the better protected it is. When there's a shortage, those with newer water rights have to cut back first, sometimes giving up their water completely before older claims lose a single drop. It's known as "first in time, first in right." But "first" is a relative term. Lauren Sommer reports. (NPR)

Upcoming low tides will provide great tide pooling opportunities
As summer rolls along, upcoming seasonal low tides will provide a chance to get up close to marine creatures in rocky tide pools. Extreme low tides will occur July 14-20 and July 29-Aug. 4, according to a state Department of Fish and Wildlife news release. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports.(Skagit Valley Herald)

Salish Sea News Week in Review July 14 2023: Shark day, geoduck farm, green crabs, LNG exports, NW forests, deer Covid, ship LNG, Elwha fish, WA gas prices.

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 241 AM PDT Fri Jul 14 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 10 seconds.
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 8 seconds.
SAT W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds.
SAT NIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 2 ft at 11 seconds.
SUN W wind to 10 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds.

Thursday, July 13, 2023

7/13 Chickweed, whale hunt, ship fuel LNG, plastics, wetlands protection, noctiluca, sustainable tourism

Chickweed [Gardening Know How]

Chickweed Stellaria media
Chickweed is an annual and perennial flowering plant in the family Caryophyllaceae. It is native to Eurasia and naturalized throughout the world. This species is used as a cooling herbal remedy, and grown as a vegetable crop and ground cover for both human and poultry consumption. It is sometimes called common chickweed to distinguish it from other plants called chickweed. Other common names include chickenwort, craches, maruns, and winterweed. The plant germinates in autumn or late winter, then forms large mats of foliage. (Wikipedia)

Frustration mounts as Makah tribe waits for word on the whale hunt
NOAA Fisheries was expected by the end of June to issue a final environmental impact statement allowing the Makah Tribe to hunt a gray whale but now says the process will likely take a couple more months. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

New emissions targets may sink LNG’s pitch as a shipping fuel
The fossil fuel and shipping industries just got a serious shot across the bow over relying on liquefied natural gas (LNG) as a transition fuel. On Friday, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) finalized stricter global emissions standards for the maritime industry while closing a significant regulatory loophole driving up the use of LNG as a shipping fuel. Rochelle Baker reports. (National Observer)

Solving the world’s plastics problem
Plastic is everywhere. It’s in our refrigerators, in our oceans and even in our bloodstreams. And wherever there are plastics, there are questions over what to do with them. Following the failure of the Washington Recycling and Packaging Act, experts and a key lawmaker discuss next steps. (Crosscut podcast)

U.S. House Dems want data on impact of Supreme Court ruling on wetlands protection
Top Democrats on the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee asked federal agencies Monday to track possible negative effects from a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited federal authority to regulate clean water. Jacob Fischler reports. (Washington State Standard)

Orange phytoplankton blooms more common as temperatures rise
Phytoplankton blooms the colour of cream of tomato soup along the shores of Vancouver Island are becoming more common, likely due to hotter weather, scientists say. It’s the result of a phytoplankton called noctiluca, which occurs with the right combination of nutrients in the water and hot weather, said Svetlana Esenkulova, a biologist with the Pacific Salmon Foundation who is trying to determine if the phytoplankton is harming salmon. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

Treading Lightly. Mapping the road to sustainable tourism.
For many years, Washington has been a top destination for adventure seekers. Almost 40 million people pay a visit to one of Washington’s parks every year, according to the Washington Trails Association. More people than ever are setting out to explore the state’s natural wonders, thanks to a combination of increased information online and a common hunger for community after the COVID-19 pandemic. But increased foot traffic wears trails out faster and with more people comes more waste. Hanna Rhody reports. (The Planet Magazine)

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Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 251 AM PDT Thu Jul 13 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 1 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 1 ft at 10 seconds.

Wednesday, July 12, 2023

7/12 Pineapple weed, Orcas tuna, LNG exports, NW Forest Plan, Tokitae homecoming, heat records, farm water, deer Covid, space pic

Pineapple weed

Pineapple weed Matricaria discoidea
Matricaria discoidea, commonly known as pineappleweed, wild chamomile, disc mayweed, and rayless mayweed, is an annual plant native to northeast Asia where it grows as a common herb of fields, gardens, and roadsides. It is in the family Asteraceae. The flowers exude a chamomile/pineapple aroma when crushed. (Wikipedia)

Bluefin Tuna Washes Up On Orcas Island’s East Sound
Northwest Sportsman source and local landowner Gary Lundquist and his youngest son JD were headed to the ferry dock early this morning when they spotted a lump on Crescent Beach by the village of Eastsound and went to investigate. Lundquist described the fish as untouched, so it was likely deposited – or stranded – by last night’s midnight 8-foot-or-so high tide. This morning’s low was at 7:28 at nearby Friday Harbor on San Juan Island. Andy Walgamott reports. (Northwest Sportsman)

Future of Canada's LNG exports shrouded in uncertainty amid fluctuating demand, experts say
Canadian liquefied natural gas projects looking to fill gaps in the global market left by the absence of Russian gas may run into more challenging conditions than expected, industry experts say. Officials from the LNG industry at an industry conference in Vancouver say the consensus among economists is that the gas shortage in Europe caused by the Ukraine war is unlikely to last beyond 10 years, while the rise of renewables will cut into demand from 2030 onward. (The Canadian Press)

New committee will advise on key plan for future of Northwest forests, adapting to climate change
A panel of regional experts will spend the next two years updating a nearly 30-year-old plan for how to manage and protect millions of acres of federal forestland in the Northwest. Committee members will recommend policies to federal agencies updating the Northwest Forest Plan, focusing specifically on the impacts of climate change. Five experts from Washington state will serve on the panel. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Washington State Standard)

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay shares plans to move whale Tokitae ‘as soon as we can’
Indianapolis Colts owner and philanthropist Jim Irsay said he is still working on bringing the orca whale Tokitae back to the Salish Sea, and he’s personally helping to fund the effort. L.B. Gilbert reports. (MY Northwest)

Sounds like a broken record: why climate change keeps outdoing itself
Against the backdrop of global warming, El Niño conditions have an additive effect, pushing temperatures to record highs. This has combined with a reduction in aerosols, which are small particles that can deflect incoming solar radiation. So these two factors are most likely to blame for the record-breaking heat, in the atmosphere and in the oceans. Kimberley Reid reports. (The Narwhal)

Farmers in Sunshine Coast say they want to be exempt from water restrictions during drought
No outdoor watering is allowed in the Sunshine Coast Regional District (SCRD) during its most extreme Stage 4 water restrictions, but farmers say they need to continue watering their crops to maintain their livelihoods and provide food for their community. Michelle Gomez reports. (CBC)

Coronavirus probably spread widely in deer and perhaps back to people, USDA says
Humans transmitted the coronavirus to white-tailed deer more than 100 times in late 2021 and early 2022, according to new research led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The research also suggests that the virus probably spread widely among deer, that it mutated in the animals and that they may have passed these altered versions of the virus back to people at least three times. Emily Anthes reports. (NY Times)

JWST keeps finding cosmic gems, black holes and surprising galaxies
NASA is marking the anniversary of the JWST’s scientific debut with the release of a spectacular new image. Joel Achenbach reports.(Washington Post)

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 254 AM PDT Wed Jul 12 2023
TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of rain.
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 9 seconds.

Tuesday, July 11, 2023

7/11 Rattlesnake plantain, BC fire ban, boat fiberglass, David Sibley, Salish Sea UNTAMED

Rattlesnake plantain

Rattlesnake plantain Goodyera oblongifolia
Goodyera oblongifolia is a species of orchid known by the common names western rattlesnake plantain and giant rattlesnake plantain. The common name stems from the leaves, which have marks resembling snakeskin; the plant is also said to have been used to treat snakebites. (Wikipedia)

B.C. announces total campfire ban amid drastic wildfire surge, worsening drought
All campfires across British Columbia were banned Monday, except on the North Coast island of Haida Gwaii, after thousands of lightning strikes and worsening drought conditions resulted in more than 100 new wildfires over the weekend. Dirk Meissner reports. (The Canadian Press)

The Problem with Boating’s High-Fiberglass Diet
Fiberglass revolutionized boating, but decades later, discarded and degraded vessels are adding to marine pollution. We can do something about it. Norman Miller reports. (Hakai Magazine)

David Sibley explains how drawing birds makes you a “thoughtful observer”
“There’s a real, deep, personal satisfaction and reward for taking the time to really watch a bird and study it and figure out how to draw it,” David Sibley, the famed artist and birder, said. Camille Baker reports. (NY Times)

Salish Sea UNTAMED for women and men
Salish Sea by UNTAMED is a Aromatic Aquatic fragrance for women and men. This is a new fragrance. Salish Sea was launched in 2022. The nose behind this fragrance is Sunyata Calogeros-Smith. Top notes are Sea Salt, Herbal Notes, Rosemary and Black Pepper; middle notes are Driftwood, Sea Notes, Seaweed, Lily of the Valley and Honeysuckle; base notes are Beach grass, Ambergris, Oakmoss and Fir. (Fragrentica)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 235 AM PDT Tue Jul 11 2023 TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. NW swell 2 ft at 10 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. SW swell 1 ft at 10 seconds becoming NW 2 ft at 9 seconds after midnight.