Tongue point tide pools, Crescent bay, Olympic Peninsula

Equipment: Canon 20D, Canon 100-400mm
Image details: 320mm, f/5.6, 1/320sec, ISO 200

Tongue point tide pool in the Salt creek recreation area is one of the most popular places for tidepooling in the pacific north west. The best times for tide pooling here is in the early summer - June/July/August. Refer to the tide charts at http://www.dairiki.org/tides/daily.php/crs to plan your trip to the tide pools -the lower the tide the better. You should plan your trip so that you can spend a couple of hours on the beach during the time of lowest tide.

The tide pools are very popular and you will usually find several people exploring the tide pools. I would highly recommend that you buy "The Beachcombers guide to the Seashore life in the pacific north west" if you wish to better identify the various inhabitants of the beach . This is a great book with illustrative pictures that goes a long way in ID'ing what you find on the beach. Also keep your eye open for birdlife , there  are a few Pigeon Guillemots nesting in the area.

The tide pools are located in the northwest corner of the Salt creek recreation area. After you enter the recreation area drive to the end of the road past the parked RV's and then follow the signs to the tidepool parking area. The tidepool area tends to be windy at the best of times, so make sure you bring a windbreaker. Always be aware when the tides are coming in so that you will not get stranded. Good footwear is also very important - I would recommend hiking boots. The tidepool area is completely covered with barnacles and mussels, so footing is very precarious. Be very careful when you walk around!

Directions to Tongue point tide pools