On Saturday, the waters of Puget Sound will recede from the banks of Vashon to one of the lowest points of the year and reveal a hidden world of starfish, octopi and plant life for all to see.
The tidal event will be marked by the 12th annual Low Tide Celebration at Point Robinson. The free family event will begin with a wade-in extravaganza right at 10 a.m. where visitors will be able to use paddleboards and aqua-scopes to see crabs scuttling, fish swimming and eelgrass swaying while still underwater before the tide goes out to its lowest point at 11:40 a.m. The very low -3.6 tide means there won’t have much time to wade in while there is still water in the tidepools, so attendees should arrive early.
The event will also feature an appearance by the Snohomish Tribe’s Blue Heron Canoe Family. Skipper Mike Evans will guide the canoe to Point Robinson from Des Moines and the canoe’s arrival will be marked by a ceremonial song of welcome. Paddlers will also offer rides to interested celebration-goers.
Vashon Nature Center’s Rayna Holtz said the event is a way of “celebrating the diversity and productivity of the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve.”
“Shy shoreline animals like moonglow anemones, porcelain crabs, and the pretty opalescent nudibranchs may appear among the seaweeds, and the grumpy red rock crabs will glare out from their hideouts in sand or under rocks,” she explained.
Vashon Beach Naturalists will show off marine life and there will be activities at a children’s booth and food from the Orca Eats food truck.
A total of 20 businesses and organizations from the Vashon-Maury Island Land Trust and Vashon Nature Center to King County’s native plant experts will set up booths and distribute information, as well as provide activities. Several booths will have extensive displays of museum specimen birds and mammals, and of shells and molted crab exospecimens, plus identification guides.
“As you can see, it’s a big effort and collaboration between state and county agencies, including especially the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve,” Holtz said. “Both the Land Trust and the King County aquatic vegetation expert, Maria Winkler, have booths at the Low Tide Celebration.”
Captain Joe Wubbold, who has helped to organize the event for many years, will also be up in the lighthouse conducting tours.
A free shuttle will carry people from parking on Point Robinson Road to the beach and back beginning at 11:30 a.m.
“We hope to bring many new visitors to learn directly about the strange, interesting, and often extraordinarily beautiful shoreline life,” Holtz said.
Attend the festival
The 12th annual Low Tide Celebration will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Point Robinson.
Visitors should stop at the Welcome booth for information on where to look for sea life, how to connect with the naturalists and learn about “Best Beach Behavior” to help protect tide pools and the fragile beach.
