Stepping Out

 

Life is happening.

 

The Washington State University Snohomish County Beach Watchers invite the community to explore the beach at Mukilteo Lighthouse Park with them to learn about the sea life that the low tides expose.

 

“You never know what you’re going to find out there,” said Chrys Bertolotto, coordinator of the WSU Beach Watchers program. 

 

“I’ve been doing intertidal exploration for about 20 years, and I’m still finding animals that I’ve never seen before.”

 

WSU Beach Watchers are a group of naturalists who volunteer their time to Puget Sound research, education and restoration.

 

On scheduled Beach Days, about 7-10 naturalists comb the beach with families and friends for two hours during low tide and introduce them to the plants and animals that live on the beach.

 

“A lot of times, when you don’t really have knowledge of the intertidal creatures and seaweed and things, you don’t really know what to look for,” said naturalist Bernie Busch. 

 

“We can enhance your experience by showing you things you didn’t know about.”

 

The naturalists are there to answer questions about the snails, crabs, anemones, urchins, clams, kelp, mussels – and more – living under rocks and in tide pools on the beach, as well as questions about Puget Sound.

 

“Beach Watchers explore the beach with people, side by side, and explain how these animals live in a very harsh environment,” Bertolotto said. 

 

“Whether it’s an anemone or chiton or calcareous tubeworm, they’ll explain what the creature is and what it’s all about.”

 

A touch tank is set up during Beach Days on the park’s pathway for those interested in seeing some of the sea life found at the beach in Mukilteo “up close and personal,” without needing to go out on the rocks, Bertolotto said.

 

Bertolotto recommends beachcombers wear good walking shoes on Beach Days, because the wet, seaweed-covered rocks on the beach are slippery and unstable. 

 

She also recommends that they bring a hat and towel to sit on, and spend some time on the beach watching for whales, seals, otters or great blue herons.

 

“Mukilteo Lighthouse Park is a place that never disappoints,” she said.  “You’re always going to find something interesting, even if the tide is really high and there’s not a lot of beach exposed.  There’s still life that you can see, it’s just a little more subtle.”

 

Busch said an average of 150 – some even visiting Mukilteo Lighthouse Park on vacation – go to the beach on Beach Day to learn about the park’s sea life at low tide.

 

He said he hopes to increase awareness and appreciation of what the community has with the Puget Sound through WSU Beach Watchers programs such as Beach Days, especially in children.

 

“There’s a really long-term benefit in helping people understand and appreciate what we have in Puget Sound, because somewhere down the line, they’ll be voting to spend money to preserve it, and I’m hoping that they’ll go with that,” Busch said.

 

Beach Watchers is an extension program offered at WSU for those interested in training in coastal processes, marine birds, scientific monitoring, restoration practices and marine-organism identification. 

 

In return, the newly-trained naturalists volunteer at least 100 hours to shoreline projects.

 

For more information on WSU Beach Watchers or the Beach Days program, go to www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/snohomish or contact Chrys Bertolotto at chrys@wsu.edu or 425-357-6020.