Washington coast Archives - Northwest Public Broadcasting

Shucks! It’s been a bad year for hot shellfish

By Lauren Gallup August 7, 2024

Eric Hall, a manager for Taylor Shellfish, works his way loose after sinking into deep mud at low tide on May 1, 2015, in Willapa Bay. (Credit: Elaine Thompson / AP Photo)

Lurking within the deep, blue waters that lap along the Washington state coastline and into the Puget Sound, algal blooms burst in colorful explosions when the sun shines across the surface, giving these aquatic plants life. But these brightly colored blooms sometimes pack a dangerous punch. Read More

Earthquake Safety Of Schools On Ballot On Washington Coast Feb. 8, Possibly Statewide In November

By Tom Banse January 29, 2022

Feature image of Earthquake safety story

The January 15 volcanic eruption near Tonga was a stark reminder of the threats posed by tsunamis. That's long been a concern in the Pacific Northwest, where thousands of students go to school within reach of a large tsunami.Read More

‘Blue Tides’ Of Sailor Jellies On Northwest Coast Correlate With Warmer Seas In Winter

By Tom Banse March 25, 2021

A mass stranding of Velella velella at Fort Stevens State Park, Oregon, in 2015.

New research out of the University of Washington finds a correlation between warmer ocean waters and mass strandings of By-the-wind sailor jellyfish over the past two decades. The brief, widespread beachings of "gazillions" of purplish-blue jellies along the Pacific Northwest coast create a memorable sight for those who chance to be in the right place at the right time.Read More

Northwest Coastal Beach Communities Bracing For July 4th Revelers … And Their Trash

By Tom Banse July 1, 2020

On July 5, 2019, volunteers on the Long Beach Peninsula collected approximately 16 tons of trash left behind by Independence Day revelers.

A favorable weather forecast and the Fourth of July falling on a weekend has beach communities in the Pacific Northwest bracing for an onslaught despite the ongoing pandemic. Two beach towns that tend to be holiday crowd magnets are particularly in the limelight this year.Read More

The Coast Is Clear(ing): Tourist Lodgings Reopening Along Washington And Oregon Shores

By Tom Banse June 3, 2020

A getaway to the seashore is back in the realm of possibility as many coastal Oregon and Washington towns relax closure orders on tourist lodgings and vacation rentals.Read More

They Had A Beachcombing Blast On The Washington Coast After Old Munitions Washed Ashore

By Tom Banse February 13, 2020

Military anti-aircraft rounds like these are washing up by the small town of Pacific Beach, Washington.

Beachcombing was a blast for soldiers from Joint Base Lewis-McChord earlier this week. An ordnance disposal unit was called out after unexploded military munitions washed up on the beach north of Ocean Shores, Washington.Read More

Whale-Come To Washington! Biggest Animal On Earth Spotted Off Northwest Coast

By Tom Banse August 12, 2019

This blue whale was spotted by a Cascadia Research team about 17 nautical miles northwest of Grays Harbor, Washington, in late July. CREDIT: JOHN CALAMBOKIDIS / CASCADIA RESEARCH

A whale expert is reporting a rare sighting of blue whales off the Washington state coast. The largest animals on the planet have also been sighted in unusual numbers offshore of Oregon this summer.Read More

Rescuers Free Humpback Whale ‘Hogtied’ In Fishing Gear Off Northwest Washington Coast

By Tom Banse August 9, 2019

Specially trained responders cut free an entangled humpback whale off Tatoosh Island, Wash., in August 2019. PACIFIC NW LARGE WHALE ENTANGLEMENT RESPONSE NETWORK / NOAA PERMIT #18786-03

A badly entangled whale is swimming free again after a dramatic rescue off the Washington coast on Thursday evening. The 35-foot long humpback whale calmly allowed responders to cut it free of fishing gear, according to witnesses.Read More

Northwest Coastal Towns Grapple With Growth Of Vacation Rentals

By Tom Banse August 21, 2018

Newport's Nye Beach neighborhood has the city's highest concentration of short-term vacation rentals. CREDIT: TOM BANSE/N3

Hot housing markets in major cities like Seattle and Portland have pushed the cities to regulate short-term rentals like Airbnb. But small Pacific Northwest towns popular with visitors are also struggling to balance the growth of Airbnb-type rentals with a tight housing supply. Read More