Newport Parks and Recreation is bringing back their wildly popular beach excursions this spring with 5 available classes. Two classes will focus more on tidepool animals and three classes will focus more on edible seaweeds. The Tidepool Excursions take place on May 9th and 10th with the May 9th trip going to Otter Crest and the May 10th trip going to Neptune State Park. The edible seaweeds class, called Low Tide Learning, will take place at Seal Rock State Park on May 28th, June 8th, and June 24th. “The tides dictate the dates,” says Jenni Remillard, Recreation Program Specialist. “We chose the dates based on the best tides with the best times.” Remillard has been leading this class since it began in 2019. Before that, she taught similar classes at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. Spring time sees negative tides when areas that aren’t normally exposed are accessible, allowing for better exploring. “The Seal Rock site has a fantastic variety of seaweed so it’s perfect for learning what types you can find along our coast. We have a lot of edible varieties here,” says Remillard. For accessible sites, your best bet will be either the Neptune trip or the Seal Rock trips, but the Neptune trip does have a large step down to the beach and both sites have some cobbles to walk over. “These trips fill up fast, so don’t miss out on a spot!” encourages Remillard. You can register for the classes online at https://secure.rec1.com/OR/newport-or/catalog

under the Special Events tab or by calling 541 265 7783. You can also email Remillard with questions about the trips at j.remillard@newportoregon.gov