Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

Tide pools rank among some of my very favorite places on the Oregon coast. I love the primordial pools at Sunset Bay, the rocky pockets around Yachats, the wild beauty at the base of Haystack Rock.

Our public coastline is home to all kinds of low-tide attractions – both natural and human-made – which become accessible during extreme low tide events that usually coinciding with the new moon in late spring and early summer. In 2019, our lowest tides will come June 4 to 6, July 3 to 5 and August 1 to 2.



Exact tide levels and times vary depending on where on the coast you’re exploring, so it’s helpful to be able to check tide tables and have a general understanding of how tide pools work.

It’s also important to know basic tide pool safety and etiquette. Walking through an intertidal area is a lot trickier than taking a stroll down the beach. Bear in mind these areas are more hospitable for ocean life than for land-based creatures like us. Here are 10 ways to stay safe and respectful as you explore the wonderous low-tide coastline.

READ MORE: 10 low-tide treasures on the Oregon coast

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Courtesy of NOAA

1. Check the tide tables

Tide tables are fairly simple to read but can be a little confusing if you don't know what to look for. Whether you find tide tables at park sites, local businesses or online from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, they'll almost always show the time and the height of each day's two highest and lowest tides.



The lower the number, the lower the tide, and minus numbers are what you’re looking for when exploring intertidal areas. When we talk about “extreme low tide” we’re usually talking about tides that approach or go below -2 feet, which usually happens in late spring and summer.

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Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

2. Wear a good pair of shoes

Intertidal areas tend to be wet, slippery and rocky, so it helps to bring along a good pair of shoes – ideally waterproof boots. The surfaces you walk on will be extremely slippery with kelp and sea moss, but also rough and jagged. Odds are pretty good that you’ll step in ankle or knee-deep water. Sneakers will cut it if you’re careful but avoid wearing flip-flops or loose sandals.

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Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

3. Don’t mess with the creatures

There are lots of beautiful and fascinating creatures that live in tide pools. There are green anemones, purple sea urchins, orange sea stars, black chitons, white barnacles and tiny red-clawed crabs. You can touch them gently with your finger, but do not poke, prod or pick up any of them. Intertidal creatures can easily die if they’re disrupted or removed from their environment.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

4. Especially the sea stars

The rule above especially applies to sea stars (commonly known as starfish), which are still recovering from a devastating wasting disease that killed 90 percent of their population on the Pacific coast. In 2018, researchers said the juvenile sea stars looked to be healthy, but that it could take three to five years for populations to recover. It's best just to leave them alone.

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Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

5. Watch where you step

Navigating tide pools requires precision as you walk, both for your safety and the safety of intertidal life. Try to step only on patches of bare rock, avoiding crunching over top of barnacles and mussels. Also be careful walking over slick seaweed or sea moss – basically anything green. Keep your hands free and don’t be afraid to use them for balance and stability as you explore.

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Faith Cathcart/The Oregonian

6. Respect protected wildlife areas

Our beaches may be public, but many rocky areas just offshore are not. Low tide can offer access to areas that are usually inaccessible, but some are protected for the sake of wildlife, including many different National Wildlife Refuges along the coastline. Look for signs and respect areas that are off-limits.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

7. Keep an eye on the ocean

Just as the tide goes out, it will naturally come back in. As you explore, keep an eye on the surf and start heading inland when it begins to rise. Also be aware that waves can surge suddenly and sweep over areas that the tide has exposed. Low tide is no excuse not to heed the old axiom, “never turn your back on the ocean.”

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

8. Keep an eye on the time

It can be easy to get caught up in poking around tide pools or exploring exposed sea caves, so it’s smart to keep an eye on the time. Set a timer on your phone or watch if you don’t trust your instinct to kick in, and make sure to head inland before the tide rolls back in and cuts off your path to safety.

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Jamie Francis/The Oregonian

9. Take only memories and pictures

There’s no need to take anything from tide pools with you. This should go without saying when it comes to animals like sea stars, anemone and crabs, but it also applies to shells you might find in shallow pools. Not all of those shells are actually empty, and even the ones that are can be used by the creatures who live there. Take pictures, take memories and leave the rest alone.

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Jamie Hale/The Oregonian

10. Bring out your inner child

Intertidal areas are places of pure wonder, and as such they make perfect escape hatches into your inner child. Clambering over rocks, crouching down to peer into tide pools and discovering strange, colorful life in hidden places can instantly transport you back to childhood. Allow it to happen and you’ll find the true magic of low tide on the Oregon coast.

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--Jamie Hale | jhale@oregonian.com | @HaleJamesB