SEATTLE — The beaches are even more alive this week, allowing beachcombers to admire an array of ocean-dwellers in extremely low tides.
The beautiful Fourth of July weather is coinciding with low tides that will reach -4 this week.
“That means it’s four vertical feet of water lower than the average and that reveals a lot more beach,” said Katie Engel with the Seattle Aquarium.
The aquarium deploys a team of experts during low tides and this week is prime time for the Puget Sound.
The lowest tides of the summer are expected to reveal substantial stretches of beach on the Fourth of July. A team of naturalists with the aquarium will be out and about providing information along some of the busier stretches of beach.
Naturalists are advocates for the many creatures that live along the coastline. More than 200 people volunteer to help steward the shore and identify animals and vegetation.
“People love getting to see new things like the moon snail casings that many assume are rubber or debris," said Engel. “It’s actually sand and eggs that form this plastic-like ring so they are all over the beach and new to many people.”
Fish, crabs, sea stars, sea anemones, sea cucumbers, sea slugs and more are expected to be more visible with the low tides expected through much of the week. Naturalists from the Seattle Aquarium will be roaming beaches from north to south, including Carkeek Beach, Constellation/Richey Viewpoint (South Alki,) Golden Gardens, Lincoln Beach, Richmond Beach, Saltwater State Park, Seahurst Beach, Dash Point State Park, Olympic Sculpture Park Beach, Redondo Beach and Des Moines Beach Park.
You can see a complete listing of beaches, times and tide charts on the Seattle Aquarium website.