EDMONDS — During the day, the intertidal can be a magical and mysterious place, where critters come and go with the tides and slip in and out of cracks in the rocks.
But with seagulls prowling, some animals stay tucked away during daylight hours, waiting for the cover of darkness to feed and move about.
On Feb. 8, there’s an opportunity to discover what the beaches and rocky shore look like after the sun goes down. Washington State University Beach Watchers program, in partner with Snohomish County’s Marine Resources Committee and the city of Edmonds, is putting on its annual Starlight Beach Walk at Olympic Beach.
From 7-8:30 p.m., you can join trained volunteers to wander the beach and tide pools at night. The event is free and families are welcome.
“There’s so many more crabs out at night, and a lot of the other animals oftentimes feel a little more comfortable,” Beach Watchers coordinator Jonathan Robinson said. “Fish are more likely to be in the tide pools. Spot shrimp have glowing eyes, so you can see them way better at night, which is really cool.”
During last year’s event, the group saw lots of nudibranchs, sea slugs which are often colorful and look out of place against the rest of the Pacific Northwest flora and fauna, Robinson said. Two years ago, he saw a moon snail, a type of snail that can grow up to 5 inches.
The beach walk has been around for over a decade, and volunteers who assist with the event go through the university’s training program involving 80 hours of lectures on topics such as ocean acidification, intertidal life history, coastal processes and native plants.
You can find more information about the Beach Watchers program and events at the Washington State University Snohomish County Extension website.
Eliza Aronson: 425-339-3434; eliza.aronson@heraldnet.com; X: @ElizaAronson.
Eliza’s stories are supported by the Herald’s Environmental and Climate Reporting Fund.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
