Government Way, Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle. Seahurst Park. Location: 1600 SW Seahurst Park Rd in Burien.Ĭharles Richey Sr Viewpoint at Alki Beach Park. Location: 3521 Beach Dr.
#YAKYAK OREGON TIDEPOOLING FREE#
Here are some more great free spots for low tide beachcombing and tidepooling in and around Seattle. My family’s favorite place at low tide is the Charles Richey Sr Viewpoint portion of Alki Beach Park (also known as Constellation Point) in West Seattle.
But some specific beaches are particularly great for tidepooling because they have large rocks that create sizable tidepools with lots of crevices and nooks for critters to hide in. Where to Go TidePooling Near Seattle Tidepooling at Seahurst Park in Burien.ĭuring a minus tide, any public beach is going to have depressions in the sand or small pools that host a variety of marine life.
The bite of the red octopus really hurts. If you wish to touch a sea star or feel the fringe on an anemone, a soft touch with a wet finger is the least disturbing to them. Touch very gently, and use wet fingers.
#YAKYAK OREGON TIDEPOOLING HOW TO#
You will see naturalists take great care when picking up critters to show them to you, and they’ve been trained how to do this with minimal impact to the animals. Don’t pry critters off of rocks or overhandle crabs. Don’t move animals from one place to another.Walk very slowly on seaweed which can be hazardously slippery. Avoid crushing anemones and tiny crabs by stepping instead on bare rock or sand. Follow these basic tips to help you explore safely and without harming the aquatic wildlife. While the critters here are adapted to pounding surf and frigid temperatures, they aren’t used to stomping boots and prodding fingers. The intertidal zone is an incredibly fragile habitat. Tips and Etiquette for Exploring TidePools Ready to spot some vibrant sea stars and scurrying crabs? Here’s how you can make the most of our awesome minus tides this summer! For a more comprehensive guidebook, check out the Beachcomber’s Guide to Seashore Life in the Pacific Northwest. The most basic guide is the waterproof Mac’s Field Guide to Northwest Coastal Invertebrates. This is the guide my son uses (see the photo) he’s very into marine biology and still it’s sufficient for him. A field guide to help you identify marine critters.If you wear ankle rain boots you risk flooding them if you misjudge the water depth when taking a step (yes, this has happened to me!) Personally, I find our Salish Sea waters to be too chilly for wading around in sandals unless it’s a scorching hot day. My kiddo really likes his Bogs which are a few inches taller than the average kids’ rain boots.
For me, these tall Kamik rain boots are perfect. The best rain boots for tidepooling are high (up to your knees ) and have great traction on the bottom to keep you steady on wobbly rocks. You can pick this up for a few bucks at any hardware store, or find a tide chart free as an app or online. You really just need three things to go tidepooling: And at many beaches throughout Puget Sound, experienced marine naturalists are on hand during low tides to help you discover cool critters. It’s easy, fun, and free! Anyone can go tidepooling with just a little bit of knowledge and some basic gear you probably already have. Tidepooling is when you head out to a beach during a low tide and poke around the rocks, nooks and crannies to spot exposed aquatic life. When the tide goes out, it leaves behind small saltwater pools in the depressions and crevices of rocks and sand, resulting in a diverse, albeit temporary, aquatic ecosystem. (By the way, in the months around the winter solstice we also get low minus tides, but those low tides occur in the middle of the night, hence why winter razor clamming on the coast is often done by headlamp!) This pattern lasts for a few days each month. (A “minus tide” is any tide below zero, and zero is defined as the local mean lower low tide.) The minus tides are when you’ll get exposed tidepools for exploring the cool critters that live in them, and when you want to go digging for clams and oysters. Twice a day, the tide will come in (high tide!) and twice a day, the tide goes out (low tide!).Ī few times per year, usually in the months around the summer solstice, we get super low minus tides at midday, say anywhere from -2 to -4. There are a few things in life that you can rely on with absolute certainty. Grab your rubber boots and low tide field guide–there are some fantastic minus tides in Puget Sound this summer!