SEATTLE — The lowest tide of the year in western Washington will occur on Thursday.
The low tide will reveal marine life to beachgoers, who can expect a mostly sunny and warm day with highs around 70 degrees.
Good spots to check out marine life at low tide in the Seattle area include Alki Beach, Carkeek Park, Lincoln Park and Golden Gardens in Seattle, Richmond Beach in Shoreline, Des Moines Beach and Saltwater State Park in Des Moines, Dash Point State Park in Federal Way and Owen Beach in Tacoma.
What causes low tide?
Tides are the rising and falling of the ocean largely driven by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun and their relative position to Earth. These tides are considered to be very long waves that move across the Earth's oceans. When the wave is at its highest point reaching the coast, it's high tide. When the wave is at its lowest point reaching the coast, it's low tide.
The lower-than-normal tides unveil areas and ecosystems normally submerged by the cold, salty Puget Sound waters, providing a unique opportunity for people to check out the tidepools and marine life.
Tide pool etiquette
If you want a chance to safely explore the multitude of marine life with the lower tides through July, you can join beach naturalists who are part of the Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalist Program.
The group has the following guidelines to keep yourself and the animals on the beaches safe:
- Walk carefully; there is life beneath your feet.
- Touch gently with one wet finger.
- Observe animals where they are and avoid picking them up.
- Only move rocks that are small enough to be moved with one hand. Carefully return the rocks to the exact position you found them in.
- Do not remove anything natural from the beach. Many of the beaches here are protected by law.
- Carry a small garbage bag to pick up trash. Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment To learn more about studying and protecting marine animals and ecosystems, click here.
Ferry impacts
Low tides can impact ferries in Puget Sound, causing an extreme angle for loading ramps on Washington State Ferries (WSF) routes. When that happens, semi-trucks, RVs and vehicles towing a trailer could scrape or get caught on the ramp.
Low tides canceled four-morning sailings along the Port Townsend/Coupeville route Wednesday. Low tides could continue to cause cancellations on that route through June.
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