Visit almost any Seattle beach during a low tide this summer and find the shoreline alive with surprises.
The lowest tides this month in Seattle are on Tues. Aug. 18 at 9:41 a.m. and Weds., Aug. 19 at 10:31 a.m.
For weekend tide poolers, by far the best weekend day will be Sun., Aug. 16 at 7:45 a.m., followed by Sun., Aug. 2 at 9:23 a.m., which is a more reasonable hour, but will be a slightly less impressive tide pool.
Low tide varies by about 30 minutes every day, so it's a good idea to check a tide calendar before you go. We recommend www.saltwatertides.com because you can specify a fairly exact location (for example, Bainbridge Island vs. Elliott Bay) and you can print out your results in an easy-to-read format.
For a list of tide pool etiquette rules to share with your children and a guide with photos to some of the creatures you might find, visit the Washington State Department of Ecology Web site at www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/sea/pugetsound/beaches/pool.html
