The Bainbridge Beach Naturalists are having a great summer low-tide season, exploring

many of our island's wonderful and varied beaches.  As we become more skilled in finding and identifying marine creatures on our beaches, we have even more to share with the folks who join us for these explorations. Among other things, we have found a seventh species of sea star that we had not previously seen on our island, and we are finding more varieties of nudibranchs more consistently throughout the year.  After receiving training through the WSU Kitsap Extension Service Beach Naturalist program, we formed our group in June, 2011, and have held 14 public events since that time. A typical comment after a beach exploration is: "I have lived near this beach all my adult life, and this is the first time I have been aware of all the forms of life that exist here!"

If you haven't yet donned your rubber boots or water shoes and would like to see what you can find, join us on Sunday, July 1 at 8:30 am to 10:30 am on the BI ferry dock beach. Park on Bjune or Brien, near the Senior Center, walk down through Waterfront Park and cross the wooden footbridge. Follow the trail alongside the condos to the beach. The beach naturalists will be wearing neon green vests.

Living Through the Next Fifty Years on Earth

Jon's title borrows the long subtitle of Mark Hertsgaard's recent book, HOT, which deals with the long-term and potentially devastating consequences of global warming, and the adaptations that will be necessary, sooner or later. The problems are global in scale, but changes must also be made at the local level, and worrying about problems beyond our control will accomplish nothing if we aren't motivated to act locally.