10:17 am: What may be a large flotilla of kayaks, tribal canoes, sailboats, and—who knows—maybe a few yachts is getting ready to launch this morning. Follow @strangerslog, @sydbrownstone, @heidigroover, @ansel, @brendankiley, and @elijsanders as we cover it all. (With Sydney, Heidi, and Ansel in kayaks; Brendan on a bicycle; and, hopefully, Eli on a WiFi-equipped ferry!)
The morning began at the Duwamish longhouse, where Sydney talked to a tribal elder making biscuits for the protesters.
Cecile Hansen, chairwoman and Duwamish elder, handling biscuits to feed protesters at the Duwamish Longhouse. pic.twitter.com/nKeC0ypc36
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
Word at the longhouse is that Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant—one of three council members joining today's protests—will be getting in a Duwamish canoe. (Mike O'Brien's going to be out there in a kayak and Sally Bagshaw will arrive in her sailboat.)
Good morning towering controversy! (On the Seattle water taxi.) pic.twitter.com/b6kWOiyy3H
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
And, as the Seattle Times points out, Shell's Polar Pioneer isn't the first giant drilling rig to use Seattle as a staging ground. Check out these photos going back to the 1970s of Alaska-bound rigs hanging out in Elliott Bay.
Alaska Native leader is here at the Duwamish Longhouse to bless the canoe action against Shell today. pic.twitter.com/XLjrfYSFUI
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
Maybe 75 people here? pic.twitter.com/H1RTceFCYA
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
Probably more like 100+ people. Doing a bit of safety talk huddling before we hit the water. Smells like sunscreen. pic.twitter.com/4f8AIttApi
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
"We just cannot afford to open the Arctic to drilling." - Chom Greacen, here all the way from Lopez Island #ShellNo pic.twitter.com/Z7lIvGxEAt
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
Matt came from Toronto. "It's disgusting Seattle would agree to have a home base for a giant oil co." pic.twitter.com/Ngj6ubsfdz
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
A long quasi-erotic poem about sea life on a fence... pic.twitter.com/LSJiDinBJM
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
Helping Ansel carry his kayak to the launch point. pic.twitter.com/gorLnGSwAf
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
Already a few kayaks and a canoe out on the water as we get ready to head in. See you out there, @Polar_Pioneer. pic.twitter.com/8d0MeAopxW
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
It begins... pic.twitter.com/84chTNemeO
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
Someone took plastic kayak we reserved so we're in a fiberglass one and fucked if we run into something. Reassuring! pic.twitter.com/EZBWq4egJF
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
A mediated spectacle... 80% of demonstrators trained to say "they told us to tell you to go to the media tent." pic.twitter.com/K1aKuzMy5U
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
Unaffiliated divers say they don't mind the carnival. "It's important that you are out here. It's horrible." pic.twitter.com/0P5or7udi7
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
This guy says his legs are "getting used to" THIS FREEZING WATER but not numb. "Yet." pic.twitter.com/1Jq9z88rl0
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
Sweetwater Nannauck says, Keep the Arctic oil-free! #ShellNO #IdleNoMore #ThePeopleVsShell pic.twitter.com/4lec9D5sEE
— Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) May 16, 2015
On the water! #ShellNo pic.twitter.com/QekjgydmYx
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
Playlist from the barge: Stir It Up, Won't Back Down, Which Side Are You On. pic.twitter.com/cChEPXeQQT
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
This is the Turtleback. And hey, @ansel just joined us! pic.twitter.com/MVBEScGMdj
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
.@ansel is flipping off the @Polar_Pioneer. pic.twitter.com/c5oUOucoM1
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
The Raging Grannies are singing on a Zodiac. pic.twitter.com/RU19TtCVO2
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
We're on the move. Polar Pioneer in the distance. pic.twitter.com/BttOm3iolh
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
.@heidigroover is interviewing a man in a free diving suit. He's got a flag and says he's out here with the seals. pic.twitter.com/JHaNZGNfrp
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
Tried to get photo from terminal 5 but was quickly accosted and told no photos was "a standing policy." pic.twitter.com/EROIYk6sQS
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
Line of kayaktivists in front of Shell Arctic drilling rig, as seen from Bainbridge Island ferry: pic.twitter.com/EhQwGYJGCh
— Eli Sanders (@elijsanders) May 16, 2015
This canoe is Swinomish, the name of the canoe means Salmon Lady. "Shell's being bullies," one puller says. pic.twitter.com/qe55vWPWrA
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
Here's a take on the point of being out here. This woman came up from Olympia for today's action. pic.twitter.com/6oAnrZKEU2
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
1/3 @cmkshama is here with an intertribal canoe family. pic.twitter.com/phiuEAHhF6
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
The flotilla. It is massive. #ShellNo pic.twitter.com/GX7eD3peWk
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
Paddles up and the crowd roars. pic.twitter.com/4fmmUkpATS
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
.@mayormcginn is kayaktivisting. Et tu, @MayorEdMurray? GTF OUT HERE DUDE! pic.twitter.com/vRtqRuH0ne
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
pic.twitter.com/nyfl8vhS25
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
Found @CMMikeOBrien. "Is the port commission proactively going to get a permit to make this crazy scenario legal?" pic.twitter.com/Ccw7EvsYkC
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
Yeah, hard to guess, but by volume of the chants, I'd hazard there are hundreds here. "SEATTLE SAYS: SHELL NO!" pic.twitter.com/l3lgyRQ7k7
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
For sense of scale: Polar Pioneer is at left, kayaktivists are the tiny specs at center in distance, ferry at right. pic.twitter.com/ytFsO7s4P0
— Eli Sanders (@elijsanders) May 16, 2015
"Seattle says 'SHELL NO!' Seattle says 'SHELL NO!'l pic.twitter.com/KE7AXM7u5s
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
Coast Guard to kayaktivists: Stay at least 100 yards away from the Death Star. #ShellNo pic.twitter.com/pJ26xighpw
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
Right near the rig now pic.twitter.com/arvTv2esR7
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
Close enough to watch workers on the rig watching us, watching them. #PaddleInSeattle pic.twitter.com/rGtAxJHp0T
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
TV is up there. We're down here. Read your alternative news media, kids. pic.twitter.com/tyMCl6y8Hs
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
"Shell! No!" "Oil drills! Lead to spills!" pic.twitter.com/I80Ii2uDvm
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015
#ShellNo https://t.co/9M5DAePrsz
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
Coast Salish canoes in the front, bunny ears in the back. #PaddleInSeattle pic.twitter.com/hbjdtrE5PK
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
"This is only the first step in escalating nonviolent direct action," @cmkshama says, from canoe. pic.twitter.com/0kHANOJNdz
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
Simply packed in Terminal 5, kayak to kayak. pic.twitter.com/z6wWtoGtGI
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
"The Duwamish people do not want that rig there!" - Blake Shelafoe #ShellNo pic.twitter.com/TFTNlrJJfn
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
"This is our home. We are going to defend it in solidarity with the Duwamish." #ShellNo pic.twitter.com/OwuglgOaIL
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
A view from the other side of the Duwamish. pic.twitter.com/Xifl22Vwoi
— brendankiley (@brendankiley) May 16, 2015
Today's best banner. pic.twitter.com/QBacS1aO6w
— Ansel (@Ansel) May 16, 2015
Okay, someone's boat DEFINITELY smells like weed. And this other boat's handing out free chocolate.
— Sydney Brownstone (@sydbrownstone) May 16, 2015
En route back to land. We are in the very back. We. Move. So. Slowly. pic.twitter.com/UKlyE9fI5y
— Heidi Groover (@heidigroover) May 16, 2015