It was a very chilly November evening, but that didn’t stop a group of intrepid tidepoolers from the UW marine science RSO, SeaDawgs, from exploring the shoreline! Armed with flashlights, copious warm layers of clothing, and rubber boots, we set out to observe the fascinating critters that call the tide pools of one of our local beaches “home”.

After coordinating the transportation of an entire bus-load of students to Golden Gardens Beach and meeting up with others along the way, we enjoyed candy and prepped our materials to navigate the near pitch-black shores under the night sky. We had encounters with crustaceans, mollusks, anemones, and other marine animals as we made our way to the northern edge of the beach. We even found a few tidepool sculpins and sea stars! It was an unforgettable experience, and a fun reminder of how close we are to some incredible marine life, one bus away from the UW campus. Since it was a later week of the autumn quarter, it was an excellent way to take a break from studying and get some fresh air and explore!

Many members shared their photos of the experience and SeaDawgs is looking forward to hosting more field trips of the sort in the near future! While winter is upon us, we can’t wait till the seasons turn, and later sunsets and earlier sunrises. Nighttime tidepooling is fun, but we bet that even more folks would love to join in for a classic session in the daylight!

At SeaDawgs, we totally recommend taking a tidepooling trip. While most do it in the daylight, nighttime tidepooling is a must for those who are looking for a little more adventure. The next time you’re looking for a unique outing, why not consider a nighttime tide-pooling escapade? You won’t regret it.

The team at SeaDawgs wants to wish everyone happy holidays and a fin-tastic new year! Stay tuned for more event announcements and future trips for 2023 by following us on Instagram at @seadawgsuw. Cheers!

Photo credits by Instagram users: @samanthalynnm_ @_sophie_goddard @noah._oz @anika_svedberg @celestesaramar @sofiitttaa