EVERETT — An extreme low tide on Tuesday disrupted a few ferry runs and delighted skimboarders and dog walkers who flocked to typically rocky beaches that were suddenly sandy.
“These are the lowest tides of the summer,” said Doug McDonnal, a marine forecaster with the National Weather Service in Seattle.
The tides in Everett under the new moon Tuesday were forecast to surge from a low tide of about minus 3.5 feet to a high tide of 11.4 feet.
The 14.9 foot swing is more than double the annual average, McDonnal said. The big tidal fluctuation promises to bring powerful currents to nearby saltwater channels like Deception Pass.
Flatland skimboarders at Everett’s Howarth Park found the conditions perfect for their hobby of riding over an inch or two of water.
“On really low tides like today, we can ride all hours of the day,” said Riley Davis, a 19-year-old Cascadia Community College student.
Davis, whose cell phone includes a tide chart widget, has been looking forward to the day for weeks.
The first scheduled ferry trip to Everett’s Jetty Island was delayed and the Port of Everett was forced to close three of its 13 boat launches because of the low tide, said Lisa Lefeber, the port’s spokeswoman.
Washington State Ferries also cancelled early Port Townsend to Keystone sailings. The run between the Olympic Peninsula and Whidbey Island is expected to have at least one cancellation per day through Friday as a result of low tides.
Extra runs will be added during high tides to make up for the lost runs, said Susan Harris-Huether, a spokeswoman for Washington State Ferries.
Meanwhile, low-clearance vehicles were kept off of ferries traveling between Edmonds and Kingston during the lowest tides Tuesday. Cars with less than two feet of clearance that arrive at the terminals will be held again today from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Thursday from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.
Cindy Burton of Mukilteo walked her 4 1/2-year-old brown Vizsla named Nash along the sandy shores of Howarth Park. Typically the side of the beach where dogs are allowed to walk is rocky with barnacles. Not on Tuesday.
“My dog loves the sand for digging and running and anything,” Burton said. “Low tide is the time to go.”
David Chircop: 425-339-3429, dchircop@heraldnet.com.
Ferry service
For more information on schedule changes for the Port Townsend-Keystone ferry, go to http://tinyurl.com/6hxqsw.
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