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The spring-summer beach exploration season has been well underway for over a month now. The low tides have exposed areas of the beaches that shelter wonderful wildlife not so often seen. The Bainbridge Beach Naturalists have received initial training in conducting beach monitoring based on the protocol developed by Island County. We will soon conduct our first "official" beach monitoring event (see below).
The beach "walks" -- now referred to as "explorations" -- have been well-attended by both adults and kids, and we have explored nearly every foot of Fay Bainbridge beach at the low tides. Our largest turnout for an exploration was 24 people, on a Wednesday morning! We are using the exploration term, as it more closely describes what we do on the beach. Some folks have arrived thinking we would be hiking far down the beach; in reality we explore in a much more concentrated fashion.
Summer is a great time for low-tide day time trips, so come join us.
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SUMMER BEACH WALKS
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 This is the schedule for beach explorations for the remainder of summer. It's sad to see the tides return to their more moderate state, so we are making the most of the great low tides that remain.
Join us during these low tide times to hone your own skills on the beach and to assist others to find treasures they might never have noticed before.
Thursday, July 14, 10 am to noon underneath the ferry dock
Saturday, July 30, 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at Ft. Ward Park beach
Saturday, August 27, 9 am - 11 am at Rockaway Beach Park (parking is limited; carpool if possible and angle park at the little parking area above the beach)
Please let us know which events you can assist with.
On Sunday, July 31, from 11 am to 1 pm, there will be an exploration of the Point White Pier beach. Invitations will go to the people who have signed up to receive the Bainbridge Beach Naturalist emails about explorations, and possibly the neighbors on Crystal Springs Drive. Please contact Maradel if you plan to join us. Phone: 206/842-5133.
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BEACH MONITORING
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 Bainbridge Island Land Trust has invited the Bainbridge Beach Naturalists to conduct a beach assessment of a shoreline property on which they are acquiring a conservation easement. The beach has been impacted by armoring but still appears to contain a good cross-section of substrate and associated life forms. The initial baseline monitoring will be conducted on Wednesday, July 13 beginning at 8:30 am to take advantage of the -2.4 foot tide at 10:05 am. A team of at least four people is needed to conduct this activity, which takes about 3 hours. The baseline monitoring involves close examination of the critters and algae that we find within each ten-foot span of beach.
Please contact us if you are able to assist with the July 13 event.
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