(F)unschool Bluffs and Low Tide Beach Outings

Last week we hiked up the bluffs on Mt. Collins and explored the forest behind them, too. There were various wildflowers in bloom, many different types of lichen and moss, and also patches of brilliantly green mosses from the recent rainfall. Photos follow...

meadow death camas on the bluff

looking up the bluff at arbutus trees

the view out over our island (that is deep bay, near the bottom)

the kids found this joyfully sunlit rock in the darkness of the forest

sea blush near the top of the bluffs

blue eyed marys delicately lining our path up

Then we had an extra (F)unschool outing the following Monday, in order to take advantage of the very low tide. While we didn't find some of the things we expected, like many many various seastars, and green anemones, we did find many different sizes and types of blenny, including red, green, grey, black, and various patterns, and one that was about 10 or 11 inches long! We also found urchins, many tiny seastars, various shore crabs and a dungeoness crab, many entertaining hermit crabs, stubby isopods, some sponges, various shellfish, small sea lemons (nudibranchs), and a northern clingfish, whose portrait I have included, here, for your entertainment! It's the only photo I took, that day! We also had some fun with some seemingly very personable rockweed isopods.

...and from the low-tide beach exploration: a northern clingfish!