Edmonds Oil Dock to be removed soon.

[Tom Nic]

Lift off at 9:25 PM!! Say, did I mention I'm LEAVING FOR BONAIRE TODAY?!!!

have a great time, tom!

Thanks Matt, and to all who have endured this thread hi-jack!

[scottsax]

Wait-is Tom leaving for Bonaire today?

[Tom Nic]

Wait-is Tom leaving for Bonaire today?

[airsix]

Hey, I've got to get back to a meeting, but I just popped in real quick because I wanted to make sure you all knew that Tom leaves for Bonaire today.

With the airport, in-flight, and resort all having interent now we should start seeing his trip pictures in near-real-time starting in just a few hours.

-Ben

[Tom Nic]

Hey, I've got to get back to a meeting, but I just popped in real quick because I wanted to make sure you all knew that Tom leaves for Bonaire today.

With the airport, in-flight, and resort all having interent now we should start seeing his trip pictures in near-real-time starting in just a few hours.

-Ben

[spatman]

With the airport, in-flight, and resort all having interent now we should start seeing his trip pictures in near-real-time starting in just a few hours.

let's just attach a webcam to his mask.

[Sounder]

Tom's going to Bonaire, today? Hm. Hadn't heard. Cool - guess I just missed it.

[TCWestby]

And I don't think they're planning to ban diving from the Marina Beach area ... but once the oil dock is removed, there may not be a lot left over there to attract divers.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)[/quote]

My understanding of the removal is as prep for the new Ferry dock, If this is true then diving will be banned within a certain distance of the dock anyhow, "Homeland Security".

I too have had hundreds of cuts and wounds exposed to sea water and never had an infection though I'm convinced it probabally isn't a reccomended treatment.

Has anyone heard the status of the old ferries for sale, maybe one of them would be a nice piect to sink in place of the dock. It sure would be interesting to dive on and it could provide new habitat.

[BASSMAN]

Has anyone heard the status of the old ferries for sale, maybe one of them would be a nice piect to sink in place of the dock. It sure would be interesting to dive on and it could provide new habitat.

"You buy it and we'll find someone to sink it!"

Or should I say, "If you buy it, they will come and sink it." :occasion5:

After a few discussions on that topic, it would have to be...OOP'S, Where did it go?

[Sasquatch]

If I can chime in from exile I'd just like to add my concern and regret that this action is being put forward without consideration for the small yet enthusiastic group of rec divers that enjoy this site.

I am concerned with the impact to the marine environment that always struck me as vibrant and healthy at this location.

I'll miss diving it the way it is now. When I come home this is a dive location I always visit.

Sea ya

[BASSMAN]

If I can chime in from exile I'd just like to add my concern and regret that this action is being put forward without consideration for the small yet enthusiastic group of rec divers that enjoy this site.

I am concerned with the impact to the marine environment that always struck me as vibrant and healthy at this location.

I'll miss diving it the way it is now. When I come home this is a dive location I always visit.

Sea ya

Come home from where?

[babs13]

So much life here...will be uber sad to see it go.

[Sasquatch]

Hey Bassman,

Just north of Sacramento.

Sorry for the delay in responding.
Dave

[dwashbur]

I've been told that the demolition has begun. Can anybody verify this?

[Gill Envy]

hey folks, if you have not weighed in publicly to the city of Edmonds and WSF, I recommend that you do. They have received very few comments about the removal, even from divers.

I've done quite a bit of calling around in the last few weeks and found that the folks in charge of this at both WSF and Edmonds to be open to reasoned concern. It appears that the heavy growth of invertebrates in the deep water section may not have been identified in the impact assessment, and it's uniqueness to the underwater park not known. I have attempted to emphasize how unique this deep water section is and how wonderful an opportunity it is for divers in the state to see such a rich, thriving ecosystem. I have attempted to communicate concern that not only would a recreational opportunity be lost but that I hope the impact of killing tens of thousands of creatures by removing this structure is balanced with the perception that doing so will benefit the environment. Such a debate is certainly a hot topic with many sides to consider and I don't pretend to have the ultimate answer on this but I am expressing concern that the abundance of life there may not have been known in the attempt to do the right thing.

Stakeholders:
-As I understand the city of edmonds wants the pier removed primarily because of the overhead hazard of the section that is accessible to the public during low tides...as it is not being maintained it posses a serious liability should someone get hurt from loose pilings, some of which are hanging freely.
-WSF needs environmental remediation credits, which are given in exchange for clean up and then used to achieve permits for future development projects, a kind of clean up for future impact swap. Creosote and heavy metals removal and removing obstruction to the photic zone in the eel grass beds is a primarly source of remediation credits. WSF has offered to do the removal. The pier is not the sight of any planned Ferry slip as it once was.
-divers and terestrial visitors find this site a source of education, inspiration and recreation.

possible compromise

I have been asked to submit my suggestion to the WSF for leaving the end "T" portion of the pier in place which would remove the overhead hazard to beach goers and open up the shaded area of the inshore area underneath the pier to the sun (it was described to be a big deal for eel grass and thus salmon/orcas and ultimately the remediation credits). There are a lot of details as to why the removal of the entire pier has been planned and surprisingly, there might be a way to find some compromise to save the most biologically rich section and still reach many of the goals.

I will share more info as I get it, assuming that it looks at all promising and worth some kind of public campaign. I'm told i will hear back about my draft proposal and general summary of the various elements of this in a few days. Once I get feedback on my portrayal of the situation to assure I have the details correct, I will share them.

Don't get your hopes up, it's very late in the game, but do keep your fingers crossed... I was very surprised to be met with some openness, you might find that you are too. I found the people involved to be intelligent and receptive to feedback.

kind regards,
george

[Sasquatch]

Good update, George. Thanks.

To whom are you speaking to at the city and WSF?

[Gill Envy]

I don't want to cause work stress for the folks I've talked to by identifying them on the web. Causing a flood of calls coming in would really be a slap in the face. Just about everyone i've talked to has been very forthcoming and open to talking about what is planned and how the project got to where it is. I have a great deal of respect for the candor I was received with.

If you would like to express concerns or ask questions I'd recommend doing a quick search for WSF and Edmonds city contact and starting there, it's all I did. how far you get will probably be reflective of the tone of your voice and your ability keep your emotions at bey... and as they get more and more phone calls they are probably not going to be able to spend as much time with everyone, I may have just been lucky.

still waiting for a response to my proposal. i'll post here if anything comes of it.

g

[Gill Envy]

Ok, i've gotten a full response to my comments and proposal from the City of edmonds. It is a public document and I have permission to share it with official contact information with the diving community. It's a couple of pages, so I am asking permission to eat up some kilobytes here before posting it. I'd be happy to have it reviewed for appropriateness first or post it to another site and direct readers there.

Admins, please let me know.

g

[Gill Envy]

this just in:


The City of Edmonds has received written notification that Washington State Ferries and Manson Construction will begin removal of the Unocal Pier on Monday, November 24, 2008 through February, 2009. The City will be posting signs this week at Marina Beach informing park users about the project along with notification that no scuba diving will be allowed during pier removal operations.

Thanks,

Stephen

Stephen Clifton, AICP
Director
Community Services & Economic Development
121 - 5th Avenue North
Edmonds, WA 98020
425-771-0251


___________________

since I did not hear back from a mod, I posted my letter with official response on another site, you can find it here:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacifi ... -dock.html

if there is anything that can be done, it has to happen really soon!

[TCWestby]

I guess it's final then, I'd like to dive it at least once before it is gone. Anyone want to do it one last time on Sunday the 23rd? I'd like to go with someone familliar with the site since I've never done it. I need to check currents bit the tide table looks like sometime around noon would be good.

Ideas?

[octofish]

I guess it's final then, I'd like to dive it at least once before it is gone. Anyone want to do it one last time on Sunday the 23rd? I'd like to go with someone familliar with the site since I've never done it. I need to check currents bit the tide table looks like sometime around noon would be good.

Ideas?

Has anyone been there and seen the signs yet? Will it start being closed to divers earlier than Monday?

http://heraldnet.com/article/20081115/N ... 0/0/SPORTS

[TCWestby]

I drove by last Friday and no signs prohibiting diving were present, only the one informing that it will be removed.

I'm planning on diving it this weekend.

[Gill Envy]

LeAnne AKA H2Ogrl on Scubabourd has asked me to pass this info around. there is an effort afoot to show up at the next edmonds council meeting (tomorrow) to talk with council members about a possible comprimise. This is not the time to show up as an angry mod, just a time to check in and see if there are any new options and to let people know what our concerns are. see below:

Hi George,

Great! Even if we don't get a chance to speak at this Tuesdays meeting I think, for myself, going down to the Edmonds City Council and chatting with some of the folks will give me a better idea if they are willing and able to consider some alternatives for removing the pilings. Honestly, I've never been to a council meeting so would appreciate having the company of anyone who wishes to be there in support of the dock and its inhabitants.

If folks are interested in saving the dock (aka: artificial reef) please extend the invite to be at the city council meeting to your dive buddy lists, online groups, residence, business owners, conservation groups, and dive shops.

The council meeting begins at 7pm and is held in the Public Safety Complex - 250 5th Avenue North, Edmonds, WA 98020

Thanks George for the original post and inspiration to join with others to work at preserving something we cherish.


Sincerely,
LeAnne
ps. I've put up a Yahoo site for further information and to allow folks to post photos, stories, comments and ideas.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/savethedock/

[John Rawlings]

You know, George, you and the others that are decently and calmly fighting to save this site are WAY up there on my personal "respect-o-meter". Whether you end up successful or not, you have my thanks.

Thanks and honor to all of you!

- John

[Gill Envy]

You know, George, you and the others that are decently and calmly fighting to save this site are WAY up there on my personal "respect-o-meter". Whether you end up successful or not, you have my thanks.

Thanks and honor to all of you!

- John

John, thanks so much for the acknowledgment!

LeAnne and several of us sat through a three hour city council meeting on the budget (Borring ) to get our three minutes of fame to express our concerns for the removal of the dock and to pass around some photographs that illustrate some of the life there. most of the photos are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/oceanorigin ... #slideshow

I did point out that these photos are from one dive in October, at a time when the planners say there is less life there and therefor it is a less impactfing time to demolish the site... the critters didn't seem to care what time of year it was!

Several of the city Council members looked through the photos with wide eyes, apparently not aware of just how much life is down there, even asking if there was something that could be done this late in the game... one even came up afterword to ask questions and suggested he would have backed a challange to the FEIS had it been brough to his attention earlier in the process. At this point it's seemingly too late to do anything, but too late is all relative in my book, it's no wonder that folks have waited to the last minute to make such comments, as the public land use notice only went up on the property (where the folks who will be impacted by this the most would actually see it) last week, days before construction began!! I do not consider the public hearings on overall plans of the DOT and WSF to be sufficient public notice of such a large scale removal of marine life. I am more than a little suspicious that the style of public notice was intended to go under the radar and I do think we should use this as leverage for taking our comments into consideration even at this late a date.

if you are so inclined, please communicate your concerns about this project directly to the council members or even agencies outside the city, as it seems that they are the ones who will be surprised by what we have to show. I don't get the feeling that going through the official point person on this project will result in your comments going anywhere other than the trash bin.

I think there needs to be an actual assessment of the life there and a true public notice period before the end of the "T" is removed and i'm preparing a statement along those lines to be circulated to whomever will listen.

g