The Runway is soft and wet

Friends, we have had at least 2 more incidents involving airplanes not performing well on the wet, soft runway.  The runway is not in good condition.

If you land or takeoff from the East Stuart Island runway you do so at your own peril.  

We do not have personnel to continuously monitor the condition of the runway.  We should all know that after periods of rain the runway can be hazardous.  Even on nice days like today, the runway is still soft.  The ground is so saturated with water that when you step on it you feel water squishing out.  Our runway can be soft and slippery at any time if it is this wet.  Add in some winds, some deer or geese and it can be hazardous.

Please be careful.  Remember you use the runway at your own risk.  Do not expect a “notam” to be posted here on this neighborhood website.  We will post info if we get it but I cannot guarantee that it will be in a timely manner!  The nature of it is that if the weather has been bad, nobody is there to even give a report.  Please keep that in mind.

Sorry for the rant but we feel need to remind all pilots that they need to keep the runway conditions, their airplanes performance and their own personal experience levels in mind when making the decision to use the runway.

Ken and Mary Alice neighborhood party

UPDATE…   the information below is from Ken re slight change in plans…

Change of plans, folks. Actually, several of us will turn 75 yo this season. So, Mary Alice and I will host a party for all of these youngsters and their neighbors on Stuart. . Stay tuned for time and date which is being negotiated…Ken

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Ken put this on the forum, but I thought I’d put it here to make sure it is seen by more people!  Spread the word, its a nice way to start the season.  Thanks Ken and Mary Alice!

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“We will be returning to Stuart on/or about April 28 this year which is early for us “South of the Border” types. On either May 13 or 14 we will be holding a “Mary Alice is 75 Party”. All are invited to attend…watch for the details.
Hasta luego…”

Fire Protection Equipment

Last year owner Jason Douglass put together a presentation about an idea that might give our island a little more protection during the dry fire season.  The idea is this –  since we all have some source of water on our properties we should install a common connection to that water source – if we did that then we would have lots of sources of water all around our island available to fight a fire, wherever it occurred.  Responders could move a small portable pump and connect to any of these water sources and spray water on whatever was burning.

Jason put together a “shopping list” and a schematic of how the plumbing should be installed.  If you CLICK HERE you will go to a page with the information that Jason presented.  This information is also listed permanently under the neighborhood info tab.

We’d be curious to know how many of you have already installed, or intend to install this system.  You can leave a comment below.  Also if you had any difficulties or “better” ideas, let us know that as well.

boat floating away

UPDATE  We found the owner, and a rescue mission has been arranged!  Thanks Jim for letting us know.

 

Jim Bergquist was kind enough to post this on our forum..  Maybe one of you knows the owner..

A float with aluminum boat on top washed up on the beach west of the State Park in Prevost Harbor. The boat number is WN 6062 NH. I tied it to a big log but it would probably be destroyed if we get a big northeast wind. If one of you owns it, you should contact one of your fellow Stuart Easters to relocate it to a safe place.

Andrea Aldridge – update more info at the end of the post

We received the sad news that Andrea Aldridge passed earlier this month.  Robert Freeman asked that I post the following information.


Andrea Marie Aldridge

Andrea Marie Aldridge passed away peacefully at her home on August 6, 2015. Andrea was born on June 19,1959 in London, Ontario, Canada. Her parents, Judith Anne Lord (Foley) and Noel H Aldridge , M.D moved to Edmonds, WA, where Andrea spent her childhood years. She continued to reside in the local area, moving most recently to Mountlake Terrace.

She graduated from Edmonds High School in 1976 and earned a BA in English from Western Washington University. Andrea’s career included editing, supervising Census Bureau staff, and most recently working for the Planning and Development Department of the City of Seattle.

Andrea had many passions, including a lifelong love of the water. She enjoyed cruising, sailing, historic tall ships and sea shanties. She had a beautiful singing voice and was a member of the groups, St. Elmo’s Choir and Broadside. She played guitar, writing her own songs and ballads. Her maritime interests extended to a job as Chief Purser and Second Mate on the Lady Washington, where she was also a popular shantyman. She acted in local theater productions, and earned her pilot’s license. She had a passion for great food and wine, and enjoyed creating her own unique dishes. Andrea was known for her dry quick wit and sense of humor.

Andrea leaves behind her partner and fiancé Robert Freeman, brother Anthony Mark Aldridge (Cindy), nephews Raymond (Shelan) and Christopher, step-mother, Theresa Aldridge Kirschbaum (Ted), step-sisters Beth, Barbara (Bob) and Heather, and many cousins in Australia. She also leaves behind her beloved cat, Sasha.

A celebration of life will be held on Sunday, September 27th at 1 PM on the Virginia V Steamship, at dockside. (Historic Ships Wharf, 860 Terry Ave N, Seattle, WA) Andrea will be interned on Stuart Island, WA beside her mother, at rest in a place they both dearly loved.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to PAWS (PO Box 1037 Lynnwood, WA 98046) or the Grays Harbor Historical Seaport Authority (PO Box 2019, Aberdeen, WA, 98520)
Directions to the Virginia V Steamship:

From the north:
Merge onto I-5 S toward Seattle. Take EXIT 167 toward Mercer St/Seattle Center.
Turn right onto Fairview Ave N. Take the 1st left onto Valley St.
Valley St is just past Roy St Turn right onto Terry Ave N. Terry Ave N is just past Boren Ave N

From the South:
Merge onto I-5 N toward Seattle. Take EXIT 167 on the left toward Mercer St/Seattle Center.
Turn right onto Fairview Ave N. Take the 1st left onto Valley St.
Valley St is just past Roy St Turn right onto Terry Ave N Terry Ave N. is just past Boren Ave N

Virginia V web site: http://www.virginiav.org/
Directions and parking info under the about the ship drop down:
http://www.virginiav.org/virginia-v-steamship-map-directions

Since the Virginia V is close to the “Infamous Mercer Mess”…Please check the Seattle.gov website link on this page for any construction updates that might effect your travel.

 

***More info provided by Robert a couple days later…

I would like to add that Andrea’s step-mother has built a website for Andrea at http://andreamariealdridge.com/ , it’s still under construction and more pictures will be added in the future….thanks you all for your thoughts and prayers….

Robert