by Stuart Jenner
This summer features some of the lowest tides available within an 18.6- year-cycle … and there’s one more set of days with the very low tide. With the very low tides, it is possible to view sea life usually covered by water. I went to Burien, Normandy Park, and Des Moines beaches during the first two very low tides of the year. Some highlights that also may be visible or experienced in the final low tide days include:
- The top of a Geoduck, just barely visible above the sand
- Seeing where creek water drains into Puget Sound
- Walking beneath the Des Moines pier, where the water would usually be several feet above my head
- Tiny crabs scrambling for shelter
- Water squirting out of clam holes
If you want to see and experience low tides, the third set is July 31 through August 2.
Seattle Aquarium has beach naturalists present at the times of the lowest tides. They are at the following beaches, convenient for residents of the Highline area:
Seahurst Beach Park
Des Moines Beach Park (paid parking at the Marina, very limited parking at the park)
Saltwater State Park (paid parking with Discover Pass)
Redondo Beach
Lincoln Park
Constellation/Charles Richey Viewpoint (South Alki)
Naturalist start times are between 9 30 and 11 am. See the website of the Seattle Aquarium for complete details:
https://www.seattleaquarium.org/beach-naturalist-program
A useful reference also is this schedule of estimated low tide times:
Here’s the timing for Seattle; this other page has a map with links to several other different locations in Puget Sound.
