Bellingham tides

Located along the northern reaches of Puget Sound, Bellingham is supported by scenic coastal parks including Birch Bay State Park to the north and Larrabee State Park to the south. Surfing is absent in these sheltered waters, but tide pooling is outstanding—Larrabee’s sandstone intertidal ledges reveal sea stars, crabs, and anemones, while Birch Bay’s massive, gently sloping tide flats offer fantastic shell fishing for Manila clams and butter clams, along with sand dollar hunting. Keeping track of tide charts is essential for visitors, as low tide pulls the water back hundreds of yards at Birch Bay to expose the prime clamming beds and allows safe footing across Larrabee’s slick sandstone formations.