"The Salish Sea is a feast for the eyes, a high-quality publishing effort rich in glossy colour photos and fascinating biological information that is likely to surprise even someone well-versed in our marine waters." —The Vancouver Sun In stunning color photographs, and compelling stories, this keepsake book reveals the the Salish Sea, a unique ecosystem home to thousands of different species of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and macro-invertebrates. The Salish Sea region is an ecological jewel straddling the western border between Canada and the United States, connected to the Pacific Ocean primarily through the Strait of Juan de Fuca. There, lush and mossy old-growth forests meet waters with dazzlingly-colored anemones and majestic orcas. This is the first book of its kind to describe the Salish Sea, whose name was not even officially recognized until 2008. One of the world’s largest inland seas, the Salish Sea contains 6,535 square miles of sea surface area and 4,642 miles of coastline. This fascinating visual journey through the Salish Sea combines a scientist’s inquiring mind, dazzling full-color photographs, and a lively narrative of fascinating stories, all of which impart a sense of connection with this intricate marine ecosystem and the life that it sustains.

The most comprehensive collection of photographs of the Pacific Northwest marine life published!

Filled with beautiful photography and engaging text, Explore the Salish Sea inspires children to explore the unique marine ecosystem that encompasses the coastal waters from Seattle's Puget Sound up to the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Georgia Strait of British Columbia. Discover the Salish Sea and learn about its vibrant ecosystem in this engaging non-fiction narrative that inspires outdoor exploration. Filled with full-color photography, this book covers wildlife habitats, geodiversity, intertidal and subtidal sea life, and highlights what is unique to this Pacific Northwest ecosystem.

A complete guide to kayaking one of the world’s great paddling destinations. Whether you are planning a day’s paddle or a two-week excursion, Kayak Routes of the Pacific Northwest Coast has everything you need to know. This newly updated and expanded book explores eighteen regions from Oregon to British Columbia. Explore the glacier-carved cliffs of the vast Lower Columbia River or travel through Puget Sound and the intricate islets and reefs of Washington State’s San Juan Islands. Discover the Lower Mainland’s Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, home to such diverse wildlife as orca whales, seals and bald eagles, or head to the haunting archipelagos of Queen Charlotte Islands/Haida Gwaii and British Columbia’s far northern coast. New for this edition are sections on the historic Lower Columbia River and rugged Queen Charlotte Strait. Not sure where to start? Detailed overviews summarize the more than 30 kayak routes described in this book, including suggestions on the required skill level, the duration of the trip, the foreseeable hazards, and the charts and tide tables to buy—features which make planning a cinch. Easy-to-read maps let you see the trip at a glance, and provide practical information about how to get to the launch spot.

The Pacific Northwest coast is home to one of the most diverse displays of intertidal marine life in the world, including sponges, clams, snails, crabs, sea stars, sea anemones, jellies, fishes, seaweeds and more. The New Beachcomber’s Guide to the Pacific Northwest is a portable and easy-to-use reference for searching out and identifying the hundreds of species of seashore life found on the beaches of British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, Northern California and Southeast Alaska. Covering the Pacific Northwest’s most common shoreline-dwelling flora and fauna, the guide gives in each entry a detailed description of appearance and habitat accompanied by colour photos for easy identification of any creature you might encounter as you explore your local beach. Simple but essential information on tides and the various habitats within the intertidal zones is also provided to assist beachcombers in exploring safely with minimal ecological impact. The New Beachcomber’s Guide even contains up-to-date descriptions of the best beachcombing sites and when to visit them—you may even find your new favourite exploration grounds! Thoroughly revised and packed with handy and accessible information, this guide belongs in the beach bag or backpack of any avid naturalist, amateur beachcomber or adventurous family.

While the coast of the Pacific Northwest becomes ever more populated and developed, its beaches and cliffs continue to be altered by ocean currents and winter storms. Coastal oceanographer Paul Komar reminds readers of the area's geological and cultural history and the ever-present problem of erosion. He issues an urgent call for changes in shoreline management and attitudes toward development. 41 figures. 20 maps. 112 photos.

In Beneath Cold Seas, author and photographer David Hall takes us into the underwater world of the Pacific Coast from California to Alaska, home to the most diverse and spectacular marine life of any temperate or cold-water ecosystem on the planet. From the tiny, candy-stripe shrimp, giant Pacific octopus, ghost-like hooded nudibranchs, and migrating sockeye salmon to the world's largest sea lions, Hall's stunning photographs and lively text reveal many fascinating species interrelationships and rarely observed animal behaviors. An innovative approach to over/underwater photography places the marine life of the Pacific Northwest in familiar context with hauntingly beautiful images that will surprise even experienced divers and delight the rest of us. An introduction by Sarika Cullis-Suzuki focuses on the conservation issues facing this rich yet vulnerable ecosystem.