March 2024
Salish Sea, Pacific Northwest
The wind has been nonstop in the Pacific Northwest islands for the past two weeks, aside from a couple of gloriously calm days last week. It’s been blowing 20-40 knots from the Southeast/South, and gusting higher. What that feels like depends on where you are.
Three locations, from this past weekend:
In a windward bay:
One of the bays I visit on my regular daily walk faces southeast. When the wind is from that direction, as it usually is at this time of year, everyone is in the teeth of the gale. Ducks, me, driftwood, seaweed, you name it. By Saturday midday the wind had dropped into the 20s from the high 30s, and while the swells kicked up by the wind were still breaking on shore, some diving ducks had returned to hunt for food.
The red-breasted mergansers and buffies are packing on the grams in preparation for their migration sometime in the next month or so.
45 second video shows the swells, ducks and the trees by the shore waving in the wind. Trees and branches can fall in strong wind; it’s a little dangerous to be in the woods at such times.
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In a leeward bay:
Across the headland is another bay I visit on my regular walk. Being behind even a modest rise of land is enough to blunt most of a SE wind (of course in a north wind the situation is reversed).
One of my favorite things to watch on a leeward bay is catspaws, the random intermittent rippling across the water by wind eddying down into the bay. It does look a bit like an invisible cat quietly slinking across the surface. Wind, like the cat, can’t be seen….only its effects.
Bits of eelgrass anchored in the sand get whipped around by the eddies, making circular wear patterns on the sand.
In a puddle behind the beach a hen Hoodie had her hood feathers blow upward when she faced downwind to check me out.
A 48 sec video of catspaws, seaweed and one of the local horses sheltering in the lee of a shed (again). Her pasture is between the two bays.
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Out in Rosario Strait:
On Saturday reports were posted in my community information boards about a rescue being conducted by the Coast Guard. Rosario Strait is a north-south body of open water between the mainland and the San Juan islands, and in a south wind there’s a long enough fetch to build up some very rough seas. A light pleasure boat got into trouble in the 4-6 foot swells. From the photos posted by the USCG it was a zoomy planing boat, meaning very little keel, so it can go fast and get good mileage. But in heavy weather, such boats have little stability. What were they doing out there on such a day! Turns out it was a family of six, including children, plus two Golden retrievers. A wave had hit their windshield so hard it completely shattered and they began taking on water. Reports say several passengers were cut by flying glass. It must have been terrifying in such weather conditions.
The boaters got out a distress call before their electronics stopped working, and while the Coasties were on their way down from Bellingham, a Washington State ferry boat that was nearby, the MV Samish, detoured from its route to their immediate rescue, picking up four of the boaters. The ferry also positioned itself to shield the small boat from the south wind and swells. Eventually the Coast Guard response boat rendezvoused with them and two Coasties boarded the damaged vessel to administer first aid, bail the boat and drive it over to Anacortes. The Samish accompanied them, shielding them from the rough seas.
All of us who live by the sea are very thankful for the Coast Guard. Great respect for their dedication and professionalism. Their motto Semper Paratus (“Always Ready”) represents their 24/7/365 readiness to jump into action, which saves lives. And even though we islanders gripe about ferries being late, I didn’t hear a single complaint from the Samish passengers who were delayed by the ferry’s role in the rescue. The duty to assist people in boats in distress is a long-standing international principle codified by law. Would that such responsibility and compassion were expected on land too.
The MyNorthwest News piece on the rescue: Samish ferry crew, Puget Sound Coast Guard rescue sinking boaters
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Overcast in the PNW today. The wind is lessening. Scattered showers. Temps in the 40s. Forecast is for calmer, warmer and sunnier weather!
WHAT’S UP IN NATURE IN YOUR AREA TODAY?