Low tide 

Image Assortment

I hope that you are following the tides, because it’s that time again: time to go exploring!
Here are some photographs I’ve taken over the years. Maybe these will inspire you to explore the beach yourself, if you know of a place with few enough people that distance isn’t an issue. If you’d rather, you can just sit in a chair and enjoy this Virtual Exploration.

 

Photos by John F. Williams
At first glance, the low tide beach may seem like little more than a landscape…
…but if you slow down and look carefully, look under, look around, look behind, there’s no telling what you might find.
Click on one of the thumbnails below to see the gallery full-size.
A close look at the large glacial erratic to the left reveals limpets among the barnacles. See the limpets in action below. To see them move in real life, you’ll need to be patient, as the video below is sped up 350 times!
Here’s are two links to a Salish Magazine articles about sea stars and their cousins: salishmagazine.org/star-eat-star-world/ and salishmagazine.org/seeing-stars/
Here’s a link to a Salish Magazine article about a common anemone that you might see in the intertidal zone: salishmagazine.org/flower-of-the-tide-pool/
So, if you have the opportunity, go see what you can discover at low tide…
…you might even find some sea broccoli 🙂
Special thanks to Greg Jensen for helping with critter identification.

SOME OTHER ESPECIALLY INTERESTING RESOURCES

Science and Nature

This series of short videos, "Human Elements, Science and Nature," is on our local PBS station (KCTS9) as well as online. It features some great local science stories and amazing imagery.

https://www.kcts9.org/show/human-elements/episodes

Future Ecologies

I was thrilled when I discovered the “Future Ecologies” podcast because it has an uncanny resemblance to what we set out to do with Salish Magazine (except that it’s audio rather than visual).

It is one of the few media efforts which really embraces the ecosystem perspective. Use this link to take a look at the review of Future Ecologies on our SEA-Media web site.

The Marine Detective

Jackie Hildering invites you to her blog: "Join me in the cold, dark, life-sustaining NE Pacific Ocean to discover the great beauty, mystery and fragility hidden there." But even before you get to the blog, on her home page there is a  slideshow of absolutely stunning photographs.

https://themarinedetective.com

Street Smart Naturalist

Street Smart Naturalist: Explorations of the Urban Kind is a weekly blog written by David B. Williams to share observations about the human and natural world around Seattle, Puget Sound, and the Pacific Northwest.

Are you in the target audience?

  • People who want to know more about Seattle and Puget Sound and the many fascinating stories that can be found by wandering the streets, deep diving newspaper archives, perusing old photos, and taking the time to slow down, be more observant, and ask questions;
  • Urban naturalists who delight in noticing fossils in buildings, walruses in terra cotta, and ants bubbling out of sidewalk cracks;
  • Flaneurs, historians, optimists, and the just plain nerdy;
  • And, those who simply look around and find beauty and amazement in the world around them.
Encyclopedia of Puget Sound

The Encyclopedia of Puget Sound is a comprehensive guide to the science of Salish Sea ecosystem recovery. Articles on this site describe the region's major environmental threats and areas of concern, but also the facts and stories that make the Salish Sea an estuary of international importance. The website is a product of the University of Washington Puget Sound Institute and receives major support from the Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program.

Hakai Magazine

Hakai Magazine explores science, society, and the environment from a coastal perspective. Not only is its content instructive, but it's presentation is visually inspiring.

Living on Earth

Public Radio's Environmental News Magazine. If you're looking for some substance beyond the normal focus of our media on sports, politics, fashion, and economy, listen to this show which does a great job of portraying earth ecosystems as something essential to our lives. The stories it tells are compelling.

https://loe.org

IslandWood's Phenology Friday

For 12 weeks in 2020, one of IslandWood’s educators shared a phenological highlight. Watch the videos of their explorations.

Pacific Wonder Tracker

Pacific Wonder Tracker celebrates the delicious sense of wonder we experience when exposed to the natural environment. It is also specific to the natural wonders of the Pacific Northwest. Whether you live here, plan to visit, or just have a curious mental itch, you can enjoy reading about wonders you may encounter in coastal Washington and Oregon.

"Scientists on the Go" from WET Science Center

WET Science Center's "Scientists on the Go" activities integrate science into a child's day while incorporating reading, writing, and math skills! There are a combination of indoor and outdoor activities to keep the learner curious and asking questions. Check back regularly for updated science activities and new printable activity packets. Recommended for elementary age children.

Remote Science Learning

Use this guide to find science resources to supplement remote learning. Thurston County environmental organizations have developed activities for all ages. This resource is provided by the Thurston County ECO Network.

Deep Look

This collection of short videos by PBS shows the unseen at the very edge of our visible world. Get a new perspective on our place in the universe and meet extraordinary new friends. Explore big scientific mysteries by going incredibly small.

https://www.pbs.org/show/deep-look/

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