Wetside Story -- At Deception Pass And Other Beach Parks, Tide Pools Swirl With Drama To Delight Scientists And Day-Trippers Alike

ROSARIO BEACH, Fidalgo Island - Like a couple of young soldiers, they stood together, side-by-side, with weapons aimed at the rival army.

Would the unwelcome strangers take over the camp? Or would the defenders listen to instinct and attack, shooting down the invaders with tiny darts of numbing, lethal poison?

Minutes passed, and the enemy troop of button-shaped sea anemones inched forward, gaining more territory with each step. Before long, the shallow pool erupted into a battleground as the tentacles of the resident, quarter-sized critters turned bright magenta, filling with poison to fend off the enemy. Deciding that the prized spot wasn't worth a fight, the trespassers retreated.

Sea anemones and other intertidal animals live, battle and die in tiny patches of water between the high- and low-tide marks on a rocky beach. They can be easily overlooked. But with some help from a guide book, or a knowledgable scout, the colorful plants and animals that live in this delicate ribbon of life can be easily identified, and fascinating to watch.

Rosario Beach, a dark, pebbly shoreline in the northern section of Deception Pass State Park, is one of the best spots in the Northwest to view intertidal life and tide pools - puddles of saltwater trapped in the crevices of large rocks at low tide.

The shallow ponds, often only about four or five inches in diameter and six- to 12 inches deep (although some can be much larger), are an oasis for creatures and plants unlike any found elsewhere on Earth. There are sea anemones, limpets, and sea stars (commonly called starfish).

Like a biological classroom

High school and college biology students from Washington, Canada, Idaho, Montana and Oregon flock to Rosario to study its marine life, said Ranger Rick Blank, assistant manager of Deception Pass State Park. More than 350 different types of plants and animals can be found in its intertidal zone.

But long before modern students and scientists began visiting Rosario Beach, the area was a traditional gathering place for the Samish Indian Tribe, now headquartered in Anacortes. Like many coastal tribes, the Samish harvested intertidal plants and animals for food and medicine. Cooking rocks, shells and other remnants of a Native American camp at Rosario date back thousands of years.

Like many rocky beaches, Rosario is also home to several larger animals and birds including majestic great blue herons, jittery oystercatchers (black, crow-sized birds with large, carrotlike beaks) and a family of harbor seals.

When the tide is lower than average (usually between April and September) beach walkers can sometimes view octopuses, green and purple urchins, red seaweed and nudibranchs - also known as sea slugs.

As Navy jets whooshed high above our heads and over nearby Deception Island, we slowly climbed around Rosario Beach's rugged and slippery, coal-colored basalt rocks, discovering dozens of tiny, shallow puddles bustling with activity. We spotted scores of dark green, flowerlike sea anemones, scurrying hermit crabs that resemble large spiders, and several goldfish-sized sculpins, also known as bullhead fish, which dart in and out of the bright, grassy seaweed.

"I've never seen a tide pool before, it's fascinating," said Karen Spencer of Ann Arbor, Mich., who was tide-pooling recently while on vacation. "It's like a whole city of plants and animals."

Where to look, what to look for

Although many of the state's favored tide pools are on private property, there are still plenty of spots to get a close look at intertidal life: Washington Park, near Anacortes; Fort Worden State Park near Port Townsend; and Larrabee State Park, off Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11), about seven miles south of Bellingham.

If you're planning on exploring one of the beaches, consider toting a hand-held magnifying glass and a pocket-sized field guide to help identify the plants and animals.

Generally, it's OK to lift rocks and seaweed, but remember to gently place them back in the same spot. Whatever you do, don't remove the plants or animals from the rocks and tide pools, said Al Nickerson, assistant manager of Larrabee State Park.

Taken away from their environment, they will quickly die, he said. Plus, it's illegal to collect many kinds of marine life.

Staring into one of nature's outdoor aquariums is like observing a completely different world - and you quickly begin to appreciate the smallest, slimiest things in life.

"There's just a lot of life to look at," Blank said. "And if you don't take the time to look, you'll miss it."

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IF YOU GO

Rosario Beach is at Deception Pass State Park, which straddles Fidalgo and Whidbey islands.

From Interstate 5, take Exit 230, Anacortes/Burlington (about 65 miles north of Seattle), and turn west onto Highway 20. Go about 12 miles to the Whidbey Island junction, and turn left. Deception Pass is about six miles ahead. Follow the park's signs to Rosario Beach.

Information: 360-675-2417.

Fort Worden State Park is at 200 Battery Way, near Port Townsend, on the northeastern tip of the Olympic Peninsula. The Port Townsend Marine Science Center is located in the park.

Take either the Seattle-to-Bainbridge or Edmonds-to-Kingston ferry, cross the Hood Canal Bridge and continue to Port Townsend. From Port Townsend, follow signs to the 443-acre, wooded park.

Information: 360-385-4730.

Washington Park, surrounded by water on three sides, is in Anacortes. The 220-acre park has several areas of tide pools.

Take Exit 230 (Anacortes/Burlington) from Interstate 5, and drive northwest on Highway 20 to Anacortes. Follow signs to the park, which is just west of the San Juan Island ferry terminal.

Information: 360-293-1927.

Larrabee State Park has several small, scattered tide pools on the main beach area.

From Interstate 5 north of Mount Vernon, take Exit 231, Chuckanut Drive, and go 16 miles north. Follow signs to Larrabee State Park, about five miles south of Bellingham.

Information: 360-676-2093.

Beach etiquette:

-- Don't remove living organisms from tide pools or remove animals that are attached to rocks.

-- Replace rocks and seaweed as you found them to protect creatures that call these places home.

-- Refill holes you have dug in the sand.

-- Stay on paths around the beach.

Safety tip:

-- Wear shoes or boots with good traction; rocks can be slippery.

Tide times:

Check local tide charts for the area you're visiting so you'll know when to expect low tides. Tide charts are available at sporting-goods stores and can be found in the Yellow Pages in some phone directories.

Minus tides provide prime viewing for tide-pooling. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, lower-than-average tides are expected at Rosario Beach at these times:

-- Saturday, Aug. 8, a low tide of -1.6 feet at 10:52 a.m.

-- Sunday, Aug. 9, a tide of -1.4 feet at 11:33 a.m.

-- Saturday, Aug. 22, a tide of -0.2 feet at 10:54 a.m.