This story was originally published on LincolnChronicle.org and is used with permission.
The so-called King tides that dash against Oregon’s coastline every winter may grab all the headlines, but an upcoming series of extremely low tides promise to reveal some magic of their own.
Long stretches of rocky areas normally rendered inaccessible by regular tide levels will be left uncovered, giving beachcombers rare and lengthy glimpses into an array of tide pools teeming with marine life.
“This is truly a different part of our planet than most people are ever used to seeing,” Jamie Kish, program associate for the Cape Perpetua Collaborative told the Lincoln Chronicle. “And it’s exciting for humans to suddenly have access to these usually hidden worlds.”
Unlike surging king tides, which occur when the Earth, moon and sun are strongly aligned, the upcoming “neap” tides happen when the sun and moon pull at right angles to each other. Neap tides also feature lower high tides and higher low tides.
The coast’s lowest tides this year will fall on Sunday through Tuesday, May 17-19, and then again June 15-16 and July 14-15. The lowest of those is projected to be minus-two feet.
“These are just exceptionally low tides,” Kish said. “There will be access to distant rocks that are uncovered maybe a couple of times a year.”
Kish, who regularly leads tide pool tours, recommended that newcomers, and perhaps even those with more experience exploring the so-called intertidal zone between high and low tides, seek out one of the five officially designated marine reserves along Oregon’s coast.
In addition to the Cape Perpetua Marine Reserve, those include Cape Falcon, Cascade Head, Otter Rock and Redfish Rocks.
The benefit of exploring tide pools within marine reserves, she said, is that those areas are protected, have clearly delineated tide pool-viewing areas and offer “tide pool ambassadors” who can help with plant and animal identification and offer tips on safety.
“The more people are educated about tide pools,” Kish said, “the better their overall experience is going to be,” she said.
Do’s and don’ts
Adhering to good tide-pool etiquette makes a lot of sense, especially given that getting too close to a resting seal pup or harvesting anything at all, can warrant a heavy fine.
But there’s also personal safety involved, Kish said.
“These areas are typically underwater,” she said, “meaning that almost every surface out there will be extremely slick and covered in algae, sea weeds and kelp. One fall onto a bunch of really sharp barnacles will not feel good at all. They’re like cheese-graters. They mess up the skin immediately.”
Plan on starting early, Kish said. Prime viewing hours start around 6:30 a.m., and run through 8 a.m. And maybe plan on finding a pet-sitter for your favorite dog.
If you’re able to find bare patches of rock to walk on, aim for those, she said. And while walking sticks may provide an additional measure of stability, they also add just one more point of impact to environmentally sensitive surroundings.
The sea stars you’ll invariably encounter are lovely to admire, but pulling them off their rocky homes rips the tiny suction feet they rely on to move and feed. Similarly, it can be tempting to retrieve a shell or two to take home, but animals such as hermit crabs need them, and the shells also add to the biodiversity of the area. Their natural disintegration, just like a fallen tree breaking down in a forest, enriches the overall mineral make-up.
And if you see a seal pup? Keep your distance, as in at least 150 feet.
“Seal mothers will take advantage of minus tides to leave their pup while they go and catch as many fish as possible,” Kish said. “They’ll be expecting to see their pup in the same place they left it. If you get too close and she suspects there is prey in the area, she’ll just abandon the pup right there.”
Also: wear sturdy shoes or boots, don layers of clothing and never turn your back on the ocean.
“Sneaker waves do occur even during the lowest of tides,” Kish said.
More on tide pools
If residents or tourists near Yachats can’t make any of the low tide dates this year, the Cape Perpetua Collaborative will have informational materials and tours available Fridays through Sundays from June through August. They’ll be available at Smelt Sands State Park along the 804 Trail.
In addition, the collaborative is hiring a seasonal naturalist who will ride on the new Yachats trolley every Saturday during the summer. They will entertain passengers with educational talks and tips such as where and when to visit area tide pools.
Dana Tims is an Oregon freelance writer who contributes regularly to Lincoln Chronicle and can be reached at DanaTims24@gmail.com