SEATTLE — The last of the summer low tides will grace Seattle’s shores Thursday, offering one of the last glimpses of the sea anemone and starfish along the city’s intertidal zones.
Beach naturalists with the Seattle Aquarium will be out at Carkeek Park, Golden Gardens and several other beaches Thursday for the last time this summer.
The best time to go tide pooling will be between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., with the tide reaching its lowest point at 12:44 p.m.
Meanwhile, a handful of morning sailings have been canceled between Port Townsend and Coupeville because of the low tides, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
As you venture out to the beach, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
Tread lightly and leave no trace. Low tides are the most stressful time for animals on the beach. Be careful not to walk on eel grass — which juvenile salmon use to hide — and know that turning over a rock could mean ruining a shore crab’s lifelong home.
Leave the bucket and pails behind. Critters become accustomed to their homes and cold temperatures. An animal carried around in a bucket may become too warm and will have to find a new home when returned to the ocean.
Touch wildlife gently. If you do want to touch something, make sure that your finger is wet to protect the wildlife. Touch it as carefully as you would touch your own eyelashes, naturalists advise.
Be curious. With low tides, more of the intertidal zone will be exposed than in other times of the year. The Seattle Aquarium has an online guide to identify plants and animals.
Wear a good pair of shoes. They should be able to get wet and ideally have some grip.
The beach naturalists program also runs on certain winter evenings, so beachgoers who miss Thursday’s program will have opportunities to participate in a few months’ time.
