My cove 2 damage assesment

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YellowEye
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My cove 2 damage assesment

Post by YellowEye »

Hi
ScubaJess and I dove Cove 2 for the first time since the kayaktavist barge anchor incident, to check out the damage.

Most reports I'd heard online said the damage was very minor. I disagree. The best part of the site, "the piling of life" is largely ruined :(

Knocked down, twisted around :(

For those not familiar with "the piling of life", it was an area of pilings that was near the honey bear that was home to a much higher density of life than the rest of cove 2. It was filled with warbonnets, sponges, hydroids, fish, crabs, nudibranchs, and color not seen elsewhere at the site. It was a total macro geek out area. Particularly the underside of the main piling, where there wasn't silt accumulation. This particular area of cove 2, high off the bottom, was washed with nutrients during larger exchanges.

I was sad to see it crushed :(

Hope we can make cove 2 a park (does anyone know if the process is started?). A big thanks to everyone involved for preventing even further damage.
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ScubaJess
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Re: My cove 2 damage assesment

Post by ScubaJess »

Hello,

Before my dive last night with YellowEye we ran into MightyMouse & SeattlePaul1975. It was great to see them! :taco:


It was so sad to see the pillar of life laying on the ground. I really hope we can all pull together and make the coves a dive park! So nothing like this happens again.

Here are a few shots from my dive last night! The shrimp looked like a little army protecting the pillar near the honey bear. I also got a cute hermit crab riding a sea cucumber. It was great diving with YellowEye, I'm learning so much about UW Photgraphy from him & he always finds me the best critters to take pics of.
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Grateful Diver
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Re: My cove 2 damage assesment

Post by Grateful Diver »

... those are really nice shots, Jess ...

I also thought the assessment of "minor damage" was understated. I've been using these pilings for buoyancy control exercises for years ... and for finding a ton of things to take pictures of in Cove 2. My assessment would be "significant damage" ... not that it matters, what's done is done ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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kdupreez
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Re: My cove 2 damage assesment

Post by kdupreez »

I agree, our initial survey was very shortly after they anchored.. the damage was in fact, minimal.

DNR also sent divers down the day or so after they anchored and found the damage to be minimal..

But, as the tides (they were huge 10+ ft swings) swept the barge through Cove2 over the course of a week, it moved around quite a bit and the steel cables wrapped around pilings and brought them down and also dragged pieces of the honeybear around..

in knocked down pilings from the honeybear as well as the 45ft plings close to the boundary line.. it also caught the big concrete block that the warning buoy is connected to and dragged it around.. the boundary line was moved at lest 5-6 shallower.

We have done a couple surveys since they left and concur the aftermath is significant..

and to answer your other question, YES, there are already plans rolling for Cove 1-3 dive park initiative..

We already have likely partners and sponsors to help financially and with other equipment and assets..

The biggest stumbling block is the City, the state and other interested parties..

Cove 1-3 is owned by a number of folks, from DNR, City Parks, WDFW and I believe even some tribal influence somewhere..

Its a political nightmare and mine field to get permitting like WA State JARPA (Joint Aquatic Resources Permit Application), WDFW's HPA (Hydraulic Project Approval), DNR Aquatic Use Authorization, Land use permits, City (Seattle Parks) permits, Water quality permits, Engineering reviews and permits, etc. etc. to even put something down as benign as natural rock..

Will keep you posted..


:(
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ljjames
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Re: My cove 2 damage assesment

Post by ljjames »

The most powerful force for change is an activated, engaged public.

Hopefully we can utilize the PR generated by this and ...engage the public. The bottom line is that the general public only just barely knows the amazing wild beauty that lurks just beneath the surface in Puget Sound. It is up to we the diving public to help educate them. So engage, share pictures, share videos, share your love of diving, your passion and drum up support far and wide for a "Seacrest Dive Park Initiative"! And for what its worth, when it is time to stand up and be counted, each and every one of you better be signing petitions and writing in/showing up during comment periods and bring your non-diving friends/family. This won't be easy, and the deck is not necessarily stacked in 'our' favor, but if we work together, I believe we can make it interesting enough that our politician champion du jour will take on the cause and help make this dream into a reality. We need to be a strong enough voice FOR a marine reserve and dive park that doing the opposite would be unthinkable.

<drops mic> *with slight flair for dramatic, levels glance at City, County and DNR*
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Re: My cove 2 damage assesment

Post by LowDrag »

I am bummed to hear that the pilings have been leveled. I worked with Bob on my buoyancy in those pilings and found it to be very educational and big time fun. I dubbed that area the "Obstacle Course" between my wife and me. We really enjoyed the buoyancy exercises Bob ran us through there. I will be more than willing to sign a petition to make the Coves a marine park. Getting up to Seattle for any weeknight meetings would be a huge challenge but I will do what I can to help.

Dave
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