Olympic Coast Intertidal Area

Intertidal environments of the Olympic Coast are among the most fascinating in the world. Coastal landforms vary from tall steep rocky bluffs to broad expansions of sandy beach. Rocky headlands and small pocket beaches dominate most of the coast. Innumerable marine rocks and sea stacks frame ocean views. Rocky tide pools, huge driftwood piles, kelp forests, and ell grass beds can be found at many places along the coast. Rich estuaries are also found where several major Olympic Coast rivers and many small streams pour into the ocean.

Land management varies along the Olympic Coast. The Quinault, Hoh, Quileute, and Makah reservations include extensive intertidal areas. The Olympic National Park stretches for more than fifty miles along the coast, with most of this federal land as wilderness. Motorized access (cars and boats) is strictly limited. Access by foot is minimal with several trails leading to the coast. Extensive sections of beach are accessible only during low tide. Headlands and steep bluffs are substantial obstacles to casual hikers along the beach.

Probably the most striking feature of the Olympic Coast intertidal area is the extreme abundance of life. Tide pools are amazing, packed solid with starfish, anemones, mussels, clams, barnacles, crabs, sea urchins, and other mysterious invertebrates. Birds are ubiquitous at estuaries and along the coast. Seals, sea lions, and sea otters can be viewed by the patient observer.

Although much of the Olympic Coast is wild and pristine, there are substantial threats to this fragile environment. Oil spills are by the far the biggest threat (click here to view the OCA position paper on oil spills). Past oil spills have devastated large sections of the Olympic Coast. Only now are these areas starting to fully recover. Oil spills are a particularly serious threat to recovering sea otters and marine bird populations.

Recreational harvest of edible marine organisms is also a major threat to the integrity of the Olympic Coast. At times of the year, large crowds can be observed harvesting marine organisms along the coast. Without progressive and strict regulation, these harvests could expand to a level that eradicates almost all edible marine organisms, as has occurred in areas of the Puget Sound.

Wildlife disturbance and tide pool trampling are other threats associated with increasing recreation. Intertidal birds and mammals can be easily disturbed by human activities. Startling birds can result in egg destruction. Frequent human presence can disrupt feeding behaviors and exclude birds and mammals from intertidal rocks and haul out areas. Tide pools are in danger of being loved to death by too many visitors. Walking or climbing on intertidal rocks and careless removal or disturbance of marine organisms can degrade high use areas.

Cultural resources are also at risk along the coast. Petroglyphs carved by some of the Olympic Coast’s first residents can be found along the coast. Unfortunately, some visitors either carelessly or intentionally deface these valuable cultural resources. As recreational use of these cultural resource areas increases, damage to the petroglyphs will also increase.

There are important opportunities for protecting Olympic Coast intertidal areas. Oil spill prevention is clearly the highest priority. Click here to learn more about working with the OCA Oil Spill Prevention Advocacy Network. Continued funding for the Neah Bay rescue tug boat, as well as adequate funding for response to oil spills along the coast are essential for preventing the devastating effects of oil spills.

Recreational impacts on intertidal areas can be addressed by creation of intertidal reserves, wildlife protection zones, and designated high use zones. The Marine Conservation Working Group (a subcommittee of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee) identified seven possible sites for intertidal reserves along the coast, including Point of Arches, Cape Alava to Sandpoint, 2-Bit Point, Cape Johnson/Hole-in-the-Wall, Teahwhit Head, Taylor Point, and Goodman Creek to the Hoh River. Many of these proposed reserves are sites of high biodiversity. The group also identified marine offshore rocks, reefs, and islands that could serve as wildlife protection zones.