When I was a kid no one I knew in Western Washington needed air conditioning, ever. This may seem off topic, but as I was out walking today (in early May) I remarked at one of the more obvious cases of someone who had installed air conditioning and it seemed like it was on full power – Port Angeles, WA. This summer a lot of folks, especially in King and Pierce Counties, will be buying AC units, heat pumps, escape from the unrelenting heat.
Also, as a kid 5 decades ago, we were told we never had to worry about GREAT WHITE SHARKS in the Puget Sound, for three basic reasons: a) the orca pods would scare them away, b) the water is too cold and c) there’s plenty of food in the ocean for them or along the coasts. I’d say (a), (b), and (c), used to be true – none of those points are true now. The local orca pods are NOT doing great, the water is warming and FOOD in the wider ocean (see the story of the gray whales) is not the giant feast it used to be.
Add to this, the recent discovery of new sharks in the Puget Sound. Predators will avoid breaking boundary conditions of their habitats IF there is plenty of food. When the food runs low the predator has the choice of staying and dying OR going some place else. While cold water threatens great white sharks, WARM OR HOT water is just as bad for the great white – they like it warm, but not too warm. That’s the Puget Sound now, warm, not too warm, orca pods not doing so great, and plenty of food (for a creative predator).
This summer will be a barn burner, and the Western Washington beaches (like West Beach near Deception Pass) will be very popular.
I wonder if this will be the first summer a large shark attacks a swimmer or other human in the Puget Sound. Ghoulish? – yes. Exaggeration? – no.
