The rise and fall of sea levels that occur twice daily is the result of a celestial dance between the Moon, the Sun, and Earth. This regular ebb and flow of the ocean’s waters are known as tides. The “intertidal zone” is the area underwater at high tide, and above water level at low tide.

The intertidal zone contains a high diversity of organisms adapted to an environment of harsh extremes. Each time the tide goes out, creatures of the intertidal zone are exposed to a radically different environment. The falling waters introduce pounding waves, wind, radiation from the sun, changes in salinity, and a whole new set of predators.

The intertidal zone is a beautiful and dynamic place. The cool, nutrient-rich waters of Washington’s shorelines teem with extraordinary life. Residents of the North Olympic Peninsula are lucky to have public access to several outstanding beaches with exceptional tide-pooling opportunities, and convenient low tides every year throughout the summer.

Come learn the basics of intertidal ecology during a low tide event with CJ Urnes, who has worked in the intertidal zone as a marine ecologist for Olympic National Park and is studying Sea Star Wasting for his Masters of Science degree.

Participants will be provided with brief materials summarizing basic concepts of intertidal ecology before meeting up at Freshwater Bay County Park west of Port Angeles. The first hour will be spent discussing these concepts and taking questions as we walk out to the excellent tide pools at Bachelor Rock, followed by several hours of naturalizing and species identification.

The superb low tide will allow access to areas almost always covered by sea water and are sure to reveal something marvelous and inspire wonder.

This class will be geared towards adult students and will involve challenging movement over slippery and sharp intertidal terrain.

May 1^st 

 ^{Meet @ Freshwater Bay County Park} 

^10am-1pm 

^$50