Story & Photos by Michael Brunk
There’s something lurking under the placid waters of the Des Moines Marina. It’s growing. And it’s hungry! Sea monster? Nope! It’s a school of nearly 30,000 young Coho salmon.
The fish are part of a project managed by the Duwamish-Green Chapter of Trout Unlimited and sponsored by the Washington Department of Fisheries, with support from the City of Des Moines and the marina. The fish came from the Soos Creek hatchery in Auburn, and were loaded into a floating pen at the marina in late January. When they’re released sometime in May, the fish will be around a year and a half old.
The exact timing of the release will be set by Trout Unlimited chapter president John Muramatsu and project director Darrel Miller. When they determine the fish are ready, two sides of the net that holds them will be dropped and the fish will swim away.
According to Trout Unlimited’s Andy Batcho, the fish will return to Des Moines again when they’re about three years old. Unlike wild salmon, fish introduced using a “delayed release” program such as this one won’t migrate to Alaska. Instead, they’ll stay in the Puget Sound and Straits of Juan de Fuca and provide a year-round salmon fishery.
I tagged along this past weekend with Trout Unlimited member John Nelson – better known for his role in coordinating the annual Brat Trot and Cove to Clover runs – to observe the evening feeding on Sunday. John brought along a young work crew to help distribute the commercial salmon feed to the young fish.
The fish will continue to be fed twice a day, seven days a week until their release in May.
Here’s a Photo Slideshow of Sunday’s feeding:
Click to Play Michael Brunk’s Slideshow
A local woman walking near the Des Moines pier on Monday evening (March 29) was the first to capture photo evidence of the recent string of sightings of the Des Moines’ sea serpent of legendary fame.
The elusive creature has been sought for decades by local fisherman.
“I was completely petrified, I couldn’t move, the first time this enormous thing rose out of the water,” said Marion Yoshino, who is a resident of Normandy Park. “I was walking the dog along the pier, we both froze – I think my dog was too frightened to even bark. It happened so fast that I didn’t have a chance to think about taking a picture.”
“But after I calmed down I pulled out my camera, hoping to get a glimpse of something in the water. Then it came back again! If I hadn’t gotten this photo I don’t think that I could tell the story, because, who would believe it?”
“It just makes sense that, as more people carry cell phone cameras, we will finally have photos of the sea creature that boaters have been telling us about for so many years,” said Joe Dusenbury, Harbormaster at the Des Moines Marina. “We have drawings from Captain’s logs 200 years ago of a giant sea serpent, so the history goes way back. We know that there are Indian legends. But we never had proof. Our boat owners told us that they hesitated to say anything because they thought no one would believe them. Now their stories are finally validated.”
Many of the eyewitness accounts have ended up on the desk of Police Chief Roger Baker.
“I have trusted members of the community who have seen it,” he said. “But every time we get a new report, and send our officers out there, it is long gone. One comment we always hear is that it is only visible for a split second, so it is a good thing that someone could finally get a photograph. The creature seems to be able to move like lightening.”
Click image to see full size.
The Powell family, who have been business owners in Des Moines for four generations, also have had encounters with the famous sea serpent.
“My great-grandfather had the first official sighting in the town of Des Moines,” said Brooks Powell, who owns Powell Renovations, along with his brother Todd. “This is tremendously exciting for us. We have always hoped to get a photograph, it’s something that we have talked about for years whenever we are out on our boats. Now the rest of our family can finally see what it actually looks like.”
Students from Highline College’s Marine and Science Technology (MaST) Center in Redondo have been quietly diving in the area this week, hoping to find physical evidence to support these recent claims. If unidentifiable samples are found and tested, which could take weeks, this will be the first-ever proof of a new species of marine life in Des Moines, let alone of a real, giant “sea monster.” Speculation from students we spoke with is that it could actually just be a “lost, giant squid.”
The Waterland Blog has previously received numerous emails and phone calls about “Moinsey” from local residents, but experienced a sudden surge of fresh sightings over the last few days.
“The fact that we are able to break the story of the first known photograph is an exciting day in the history of the Blog,” said Publisher/Editor Scott Schaefer. “Newspapers all over the Puget Sound are going to be calling us to get the story.”
Here’s the stunning photo Yoshino took:
Highline College Photography Professor Dr. Rulb Gaussian confirmed that this image has not been altered. "Desi" is in the foreground. Click image to see larger, high-res version.
| Oct ’09 |
| 17 |
| 12:00 pm |
Highline Community College’s Marine Science and Technology (MaST) Center is presenting a special seminar on “Jumbo” Squid with David Eric Hamm, NOAA Fisheries Research Scientist/Contractor, this Saturday, Oct. 17th at their location near the Redondo Beach Pier.
Rumor has it that there may even be a dissection taking place.
Here are the details:
WHAT: Special seminar on “Jumbo” (aka Humboldt) Squid with David Eric Hamm, NOAA Fisheries Research Scientist/Contractor
WHEN: Saturday, October 17 12:00 – 12:45
WHERE: Highline Community College MaST Center, located near the Redondo Beach Park
INFO: From their website:
They’re Big, They’re Here and They’re Squid Jumbo Squid as Harbingers of Ecosystem Change! Dosidicus gigas, the Humboldt or Jumbo squid is a voracious predator with a unique ecology.
The ongoing range expansion of this creature, coincident with changes in the California Current suggest that something larger is afoot.
Are these changes indication of global change? What will the impact be to our fisheries and the ecosystem of the West Coast? Come to the MaST Center, and find out.
Please join us to hear David Eric Hamm, NOAA Fisheries Research Scientist/Contractor
More info here.
The city of Des Moines has closed the boardwalk at Redondo Beach to fishing, because “Casting is dangerous to pedestrians and vehicles.” There’s a big pink salmon run going on, and dozens of fisherpeople have been using the boardwalk to catch their share.
“A woman got a hook in her on Monday,” said City Manager Tony Piasecki. “And this is a safety issue…too many people have also been cleaning their fish on the wooden boardwalk, and fish blood and guts don’t make for a safe walkway.”
According to Piasecki, “50 to 60 people” were lined up the other day fishing from the boardwalk, and runners, walkers, families and others had trouble navigating around them. Combine that with the narrow roadway and cars and you can imagine the dangers.
Warning signs have been posted, and while the police are not yet enforcing them, if enough repeat offenders ignore them, citations will be issued.
You can still look cool strolling Redondo's boardwalk, but don't you dare fish from it.
“I’ve never seen a salmon run like this,” added Piasecki. “It’s very unusual also that they’re staying in so close to shore,” which only aggravates the desire to fish from the boardwalk.
People who want to fish there are encourage to either do so from the beach, or utilize the piers at both Redondo and the marina, which are still open.
UPDATE: Do NOT fish for salmon without a Washington State saltwater license – you can buy them online here.
[Photos courtesy Susan White]
In case you live under a rock and haven’t noticed, the fish are bitin’ and people are catchin’ ‘em right here in Des Moines – both at Redondo Beach as well as from the pier.
Photographer Michael Brunk caught these pics of area fisherfolk doing what they do best this time of year – catch salmon:
Longtime resident Susan White caught these pics of successful fishing in Redondo:
HINT: Word on the beach is that the salmon are bitin’ on pink “Buzz Bombs.” Now go do some fishin’ and send us your pics!
UPDATE: Do NOT fish for salmon without a Washington State saltwater license – you can buy them online here.
Those of us attending the Des Moines Farmers Market this summer have been thrilled to have a fish monger at the market, and as it turns out A&M Fish is thrilled to be there.
Er, they were thrilled to be there – last Saturday was their final appearance in Des Moines. Seems like they’re moving on for the rest of the market season (through October 31st).
Of course you’ve seen them there – they’re the really tall, thin people running around in the Sarah Palin-like waders with the bright orange suspenders.
A (Adam) is up fishing in Alaska, and M (Morgan) is heading back to Arizona to start school where she is studying marketing and journalism. Who knows, you may see her working for The Waterland Blog someday!
Morgan sold fresh fish at the Saturday Farmers Market.
Adam, a Des Moines resident, is a third generation Halibut fisherman.
Morgan told WLB that DMFM is “our best by far of all of our five markets.” It is her hope to see everyone next year.
Calling all Farmers!
Rikki Marohl, DMFM Market Manager, told WLB that “there’s still room for more farmers”. She’s looking for veggies, cheese, pickled or canned veggies and just veggies in general.
She also suggested that residents who find themselves with overgrown gardens may want to get a booth at the market to sell off their crops. Share it with a neighbor, or man it with the family. It’s a fun–and profitable.
Booth stalls are just $25 per day. No long-term commitment is required.
For more information call Rikki at 206-650-3383 or email market@dmfm.org for more information.
Yes, we too troll Craigslist for those oh-so-weird yet compellingly-funny ads, and this week’s Des Moines-based Ad O’The Week is a killer…literally:
seattle-tacoma craigslist > seattle > community > pets
Convict Cichlid (Des Moines)
Date: 2009-08-01, 7:09PM PDT
Reply to: comm-5zdxz-1301212412@craigslist.orgFree Convict Cichlid.
He is an ornery and mean fish so if you want him he’s all yours.
He’s about 5 inches long and actually pretty good looking for a typical Convict but he is chewing up our other Pink Convict and he must go.
Please call Chris at 206-941-1409
So, if you want a FREE ornery and mean fish who’s actually pretty good looking…he’s all yours, so give Chris a call!
| Jun ’09 |
| 20 |
| 12:00 pm |
Photo credit: OAR/NURP; Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game
Father’s Day is this coming weekend, and what better way to celebrate than by comparing dear ol’ Dad to a lingcod?
Highline Community College’s Marine Science and Technology Center (MaST), located in Redondo Beach, is holding a special “Fatherhood Under the Sea” presentation from Noon to 12:45pm this Saturday, June 20th, and it’s FREE.
Here are the details:
WHAT: “Fatherhood Under the Sea” – learn why lingcods make such great fathers from Edmonds Underwater Park volunteers Ken Collins and Kirby Johnson during this special Father’s Day weekend presentation.
WHEN: Saturday, June 20th from Noon to 12:45pm
WHERE: Highline Community College’s Marine Science and Technology Center (MaST), located at 28203 Redondo Beach Drive South in Des Moines
COST: FREE
INFO: http://mast.highline.edu
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