Get Your Feet Wet!

About the Book

More in the tradition of natural history than an identification guide, Get Your Feet Wet! is an exploration of the diverse life in the intertidal zone of the Pacific Northwest. Each chapter is beautifully illustrated by a well-known West Coast artist and will tell you the story of a unique plant or animal, how to remember its name, where it lives on the shoreline, its place in the food chain, and its significance to human beings. You'll discover that

-limpets are the "muscle men" of the beach

-chitons have magnetic personalities

-barnacles exhibit quite the sex life

-tunicates (sea squirts) are our distant cousins

-sea anemones live for up to a century

-giant kelp can grow right before your eyes . . .

Suitable for adults, families, schools and beachcombing students of all ages, this book is a perfect companion for a summer day. Whether you're swinging in your hammock, sitting in the outhouse, or beachcombing by the sea, you'll enjoy reading these notes about our intertidal neighbours.

About the Author

The authors met on the beach after answering a call from Georgia Strait Alliance for intertidal study volunteers in 1999. They've been friends and members of the Pender Islands Straitkeepers ever since, conducting surveys of shorelife every summer to encourage ongoing intertidal stewardship in their community.

Julie Johnston is a writer and environmental educator who fell for the intertidal zone when she moved to Pender Island, British Columbia. The fascination of getting to know her first chiton opened up a whole new world to her. As part of GreenHeart Education www.greenhearted.org Julie shares her love of nature with learners of all ages.

Pat Haugh, the scientist and researcher of the trio, retired to Pender Island from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where she was a university biology instructor and a small animal veterinarian. She now heads up the Straitkeepers program on the island, and serves as the Emergency Coordinator for North Pender Island.

Susan Taylor is an artist in love with her marine surroundings. She has been drawn to tide pools as long as she can remember and her first island paintings were of intertidal life. Susan's work can be seen at the Blood Star Gallery on South Pender Island. www.bloodstargallery.com