“The Plantcam is great!” she said. “I even used it to capture the view of one of my listings and have that posted online.”

PlantCams sell for around $70 on Amazon, and we encourage all our Readers who can afford it to buy one and shoot their own time-lapses, then send us your videos. Our goal is to post one different time-lapse from a different Reader every week – think we can get enough folks on board?

Here’s Susan’s video, which we find impressive because it appears to span an entire day, from sunrise to sunset. Be sure to pay close attention to when the tide goes out starting at around :40 in:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Have we mentioned recently how much we love publishing reader photos? If you capture an interesting local image we’d love to publish it. Just contact us.

Local schools took advantage of the low tide to schedule fields trips to explore the habitat and sea creatures exposed as the Puget Sound waters receded further than normal. Leading students today were volunteer beach naturalists, who will be on hand periodically throughout the summer.

In addition to the expanse of beach revealed today, we also noticed that the Southwest Suburban Sewer District project to relocate sewer utilities in the park is underway. This means that park visitors are sharing space with heavy construction equipment, so be extra careful. This project is also using parking spaces in both the lower and upper lots making parking even more challenging than normal. Work is scheduled to last until October of this year.

BTB photographer Michael Brunk succumbed to the siren song of sun and sea and spent a long lunch period exploring the beach with cameras in hand. How many of these beach denizens can you identify? Let us know in the comments!

When these low tides happen, you’ll find volunteer naturalists at Seahurst Beach and Des Moines Beach. They’re part of a program run by the Seattle Aquarium.

From late May until early August, naturalists are available during scheduled days and hours to help visitors explore the beaches and learn more about the creatures that make this habitat their home.

We’ll experience another lower than average tide tomorrow just after noon. Beach naturalists will again be available from 10 AM until 2 PM. This is a great, free, family outing right here in our own community!

You can find out the dates that beach naturalists will be available at area beaches and get information on tides at the Seattle Aquarium website.

Photographer Michael Brunk was at Des Moines Beach today for low tide and captured these photos. Click on the image to advance through the slideshow.

Click to Play Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

There will be a FREE, low-tide, nighttime beach walk tonight (Fri., Feb. 26th) at Seahurst Park Beach from 7:30pm to 9pm.

These are always fun, adventurous family (or creative “date night”) outings, where residents can explore the unseen lifeforms that live all around us, yet are seldom seen.

Here’s a blurb from a flier:

Night Low-Tide Beach Walk

MOONLIT WAVES LAPPING THE SHORE

Imagine you’re on the shoreline at a lovely low tide. Rocks that are covered all year lie exposed to view while the sea denizens remain happily cold and wet in the dark.

All around you, people waving flashlights are intently studying the amazing and abundant sea life as local naturalists help you discover the wonders of your Puget Sound shoreline.

Here are the details:

WHAT: Featured Education family event nighttime beach walk at Seahurst Park Beach.

WHEN: Friday, Feb 26th from 7:30 pm to 09:00 pm.

WHERE: Seahurst Park Beach, Burien.

CONTACT: Barb & Darrell Williams via email: darbarwill@gmail.com; phone: (206) 901-1964.

INFO: From a flier:

Join People For Puget Sound, the Burien Environmental Science Center and Seattle Aquarium in a night low-tide exploration.

Adventure with us out into the intertidal zone at our night time beach walk.

Trained naturalists will wow you with intertidal stories of nature-in-action as rocks that are normally covered with water are exposed.

Sea stars, barnacles & crabs of all sorts are just the beginning of what we’ll see.

Bundle up – We adventure rain, sleet or cold so don your winter clothes, boots and a flashlight for best results.

Bonus – we’ll show you the best way to save the critters you’ll see with direct action through our photo postcard campaign.  Be sure to get your picture taken “standing for clean water” before you head down to the beach.

Family-friendly; children must be accompanied by an adult.

Reservations recommended.

BUNDLE UP AGAINST THE WEATHER AND BE SURE TO BRING:

• Bright flashlight with good batteries
• Wading boots (you’ll be in ankle deep water)
• Warm hat & dry gloves

Free and family friendly!

Click to View Michael Brunk’s Photo Slideshow

Wednesday’s low tide will be a -3.9 at 12:40pm, so pack a lunch, take the kids and don’t forget to bring your camera!

Here are the tides through Sunday, June 28th:

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24th:

Low 12:45 AM 7.6
High 5:27 AM 11.3
Low 12:40 PM -3.9
High 8:14 PM 12.6

THURSDAY, JUNE 25th:

Low 1:41 AM 6.9
High 6:26 AM 10.8
Low 1:28 PM -3.2
High 8:55 PM 12.8

FRIDAY, JUNE 26th:

Low 2:38 AM 6.0
High 7:30 AM 10.1
Low 2:16 PM -2.0
High 9:34 PM 12.8

SATURDAY, JUNE 27th:

Low 3:38 AM 4.9
High 8:39 AM 9.3
Low 3:05 PM -0.4
High 10:13 PM 12.6

SUNDAY, JUNE 28th:

Low 4:39 AM 3.7
High 9:56 AM 8.5
Low 3:55 PM 1.5
High 10:52 PM 12.4

Click to View Gregory Rehmke’s Photo Slideshow

Some of the lowest tides of the year will hit the beaches of Burien this week (as witnessed in the slideshow from Monday’s -3.9 above by BTB Contributing Photographer Gregory Rehmke), including a -4.1 at 11:51am Tuesday (June 23rd).

If you do venture down into the low tide zone, remember the hiking phrase “take only pictures, leave only footprints,” and please remember to not pick up or touch any of the exposed critters – just look at them, take lots of macro pictures (and send them to us), but don’t pick anything up. The intertidal zone is most likely a tough place to live, due to the daily fluctuations of exposure to water and then air.

But then again, despite our ability to re-grow a severed limb, we’re not a Seastar.

Here are the tides for this week through Sunday, June 28th:

TUESDAY, JUNE 23rd:

High 4:31 AM 11.5
Low 11:51 AM -4.1
High 7:33 PM 12.4

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 24th:

Low 12:45 AM 7.6
High 5:27 AM 11.3
Low 12:40 PM -3.9
High 8:14 PM 12.6

THURSDAY, JUNE 25th:

Low 1:41 AM 6.9
High 6:26 AM 10.8
Low 1:28 PM -3.2
High 8:55 PM 12.8

FRIDAY, JUNE 26th:

Low 2:38 AM 6.0
High 7:30 AM 10.1
Low 2:16 PM -2.0
High 9:34 PM 12.8

SATURDAY, JUNE 27th:

Low 3:38 AM 4.9
High 8:39 AM 9.3
Low 3:05 PM -0.4
High 10:13 PM 12.6

SUNDAY, JUNE 28th:

Low 4:39 AM 3.7
High 9:56 AM 8.5
Low 3:55 PM 1.5
High 10:52 PM 12.4

Click to View Slideshow

If you’re interested in meeting more of your normally-unseen neighbors during another minus tide, mark your calendars for:

• A -2.7 tomorrow (Tuesday, April 28th) at 1:58pm
• A -3.65 on Sunday, May 26th at 12:53pm
• The lowest tide of the year will be a -3.91 on Tuesday, June 23rd at 11:52am