Photo gallery: Shell’s Polar Pioneer cruises to Seattle

Originally published May 14, 2015 at 2:23 pm Updated May 14, 2015 at 7:18 pm

Shell’s Polar Pioneer cruises into Elliot Bay in Seattle. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

Kayakers gather near the Don Armeni Boat Ramp as they watch Shell’s Polar Pioneer get towed into Elliot Bay. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

A lone protest boat is dwarfed by the giant Shell Oil drilling rig. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

Spectators and photographers gather at a viewpoint just North of Don Armeni boat launch. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

Protesters in kayaks sit near the Polar Pioneer in Elliot Bay. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

Protesters send a sign into the sky from West Seattle as the Shell oil drilling rig, Polar Pioneer, arrives in Seattle. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

A group called BackboneCampaign.org lifted a large sign of Chief Seattle with the help of more than 15 helium balloons at Don Armeni Boat Launch. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

A lone protest boat is dwarfed by Shell’s Polar Pioneer in Elliot Bay. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer is slowly towed into Elliot Bay. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

Polar Pioneer is slowly towed into Elliott Bay. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

The giant Shell Oil drilling rig Polar Pioneer is towed into Elliot Bay as Bremerton Ferry Kaleetan cruises by in the foreground. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

A protest boat heads out to cruise close to the giant Shell Oil drilling rig. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

Queen Anne residents, watching from Kerry Park, Pat and Virginia Sainsbury, center, watch Shell’s Polar Pioneer drill rig as it enters Elliott Bay. (Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times)

People along Magnolia Blvd watch as Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises into Elliott Bay. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises into Elliott Bay escorted by tug boats and the Coast Guard. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Protestors watch as Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises into Elliott Bay. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Protestors, bottom, watch as Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises into Elliott Bay. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Two ferries pass by the Polar Pioneer as it enters Elliott Bay. (Erika Schultz / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises past the Edmonds waterfront in the Puget Sound on Thursday morning. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

The Shell oil drilling rig, Polar Pioneer is being towed from Port Angeles to Terminal 5 in Seattle. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

The ferry, Spokane heading for Edmonds crosses the path of the Polar Pioneer near Edmonds. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises past the Edmonds waterfront. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises past the Edmonds waterfront. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises toward Edmonds. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Onlookers watch the Polar Pioneer cruise by the Edmonds waterfront. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises toward Edmonds. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer oil rig cruises by a cargo ship in Edmonds. (Mike Siegel / The Seattle Times)

Shell’s Polar Pioneer is docked at Terminal 5. (Greg Gilbert / The Seattle Times)

By

Colin Diltz

Seattle Times staff

Colin Diltz: 206-464-2047 or cdiltz@seattletimes.com; on Twitter: @colindiltz.