We Went Tide Pooling

Today the low tide (the morning low tide) was -5.5 or something ridiculous. For those of you not in the know (like me, 3 years ago) the tide comes in and out in Alaska twice each day. It varies from -5 (at the lowest) and like 20 feet or something (at the highest). Plans to go and do things at the beach have to be made around the tides. The whole thing is fascinating.

Anyway, the low tide today was super duper low. And we had a few hours. And we were both home. And Kennan wanted to see the stuff I had seen when I went with the preschoolers. 

So off we went. And it was awesome...and then our camera died. So here are some photos we managed to capture before that.

Crab, just molted. He was ticked that Kennan moved his molt and picked him up. Can't you see it in his eyes? "Get away from me big man!"

Sea anemone. When you touch them they stick to you and then curl into themselves. Quite interesting stuff. 

Sea star. We saw dozens upon dozens of them.

Close up because Kennan was there are has good photography skills. This is their feet. They pull them in when scared and push them out when moving or eating.

Kennan thinks this photo looks like the sea star is sliding.

More sea stars. Did you know that they actually aren't called starfish? Because they aren't fish. This is new for me. Purple sea stars...everywhere. We literally had to watch out so we wouldn't step on them.

Sea star eating. SO COOL. They push their stomach out around their food and then pull it in. You can see the feet opening the mussel shell.

 6 legs. The four leaf clover of the sea. AND I FOUND IT, NOT MY HUSBAND. For the record.

And then our camera died. But it was fantastic.