Along the world’s coastlines, water touches everything, and everything touches the water.
Living at this vital edge means we can take advantage of the vast array of connections water affords, but we also have to think about its power, and its delicacy.
But the influence of water doesn’t stop when the wave recedes down the sand. Its impact is felt far inland, and what we do upstream affects the ocean.
What Tidal Life Offers You
Tidal Life is the online home of writer Nancy Bartlett and her novels of adventure, both on and off the water.
It’s also a showcase of the fun, and drama of water, wind, mud, sand, boats, and creatures, the flow and flux of this fluid, often squishy environment.
You’ll find stories of travel and travail that you can laugh at and learn from. You’ll also find shoreline issues, marine information and water-centric how-to’s. If you like oddball asides, seafood recipes and philosophical rants, those are here too.
Why Tidal Life
The Tidal Life blog began as an adjunct to Tidal Life, the environmental science column, which appeared monthly in The South Whidbey Record from Spring 2008 to Spring 2011. The blog took over and continues to address the many facets of living well at the waterfront with a conscience. Living well, as defined here, depends not on luxury and ease, but on care of everything around us – family, friends, creatures, resources, the land and the sea.
Very much like the tide, the blog has been through some changes. Beginning with an environmental focus, it has morphed into a travel blog, then taken on a liveaboard angle. Recently the topic of cooking aboard boats has been added. And now a focus on books of all kinds, but particularly fiction and writing. No doubt the site will continue to evolve as time goes on.
The name Tidal Life is intentionally open ended. All the meanings and connotations of tides and life are welcome here – from the creatures that live within the tidal zone, to the life we humans build beside the water, to the ever changing nature of existence.
More from Tidal Life
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Hi Nancy,
I’m excited to write that I just subscribed to TIDAL LIFE.
Also, thanks for wonderful article on Drew Kampion! I had no idea such informative and vital material is offered here on South Whidbey.
I feel like the mind fog around me is lifting already.
Thanks, Lizzie
Hi Nancy,
I’m excited to write that I just subscribed to TIDAL LIFE.
Also, thanks for wonderful article on Drew Campion! I had no idea such informative and vital material is offered here on South Whidbey.
I feel like the mind fog around me is lifting already.
Thanks, Lizzie
Congratulations on the launch!!!
Thanks Mary! It’s pretty exciting. Next step the actual trip. We can’t wait to get down to Bristol and see you guys. It should be within the next couple of weeks. Finally!
Nancy
Hi, I just hopped over to your web site via StumbleUpon. Not somthing I might generally read, but I appreciated your views none the less. Thank you for making some thing well worth browsing.
Nancy, hi, my name is Gery Osowiecki. I’m so sorry to bother you, but I received a call from a very nice sounding lady in Vancouver BC, who claims to be friends of your mother. This lady, Jan Johnston (sp?) happens to be a (former) member of a singing group (Lion’s Gate Chorus), which my wife, Vicki is also a member, which is why (Jan) chose to contact me.
To make a long story short (I know, too late), Jan is trying to contact your mom. If you be so kind as to drop me an email at geryo@frontier.com, I’ll be happy to forward you Jan’s contact information.
While I’m not 100% certain that Jan is exactly 100% “on the level”, she did sound like a very nice lady elderly lady, who is concerned about her friend, and is trying to contact her.
BTW, I suggested to Jan that she contact the Sheriff’s office and see if they will be willing to do “is everything OK” check on the residence (she gave me an Everett address that appears to be in the unincorporated part of the county), but it appears as if the Sheriff’s office turned down her request (very strange)…
Again, I’m sorry to bother you, and hope that you will be willing to contact me.
Hi Nancy! My name is Kirk and I am a bronze sculptor in SF.
I was wondering if you would like to do something online showing my work as well. I just finished a brand new Pacific Giant Octopus sculpture/table.
I noticed you showed another amazing sculptors octopus here. I sculpted my first one back in 87′ at just 27 years old. My newest one just finished this week can be seen on my website. I do a giant squid as well, and many other animals/wildlife/marinelife
Thank you,
Kirk
Hello Kirk, nice to have you stop by. And yes, I would like to do a piece about your sculpture. Perhaps you could be next month’s water person. Or, seeing that you’re in San Francisco, where I visit often, a road trip to the studio might be kinda cool. I’ll be in touch in the next few days. Thanks for making contact!
Nancy
Nancy, I am so sorry I never read your reply here! Please do not hesitate to email me. Anytime!
My other information ph# etc. is on my website contact area.
I would love to be featured on your wonderful site!
Kirk
Nancy, I love Tidal Life … the local site I find most enjoyable and worthy of attention — really fine. Thanks!
Thanks Drew, I’m honored and really appreciate having you as a reader. I’d still like to do a profile on you sometime. Or … I’m starting to include guest posts. Perhaps you’d like to do one?
O.K………………………….I give up, I went all over the W.S.U. Extension sites and can’t find the publication “Getting to the Water’s Edge” that you referred to in today’s column. I would really like to order it from W.S.U. instead of going to a bookstore. The reason I’m interested is that I fish at least 3 times a week year round, and would like to find more state owned tidelands…………….
Help…thanks, AJ
Hey AJ.
It does take a bit of searching to find that book on the WSU site. So beach access is even more difficult than I thought! You can find the book on the Island County Beach Watchers publications page,
or on the Marine Resources Council site.
Happy beach accessing.
the Island County Marine Resources Council
Congratulations on the big move! The new digs look pretty good. If you need lessons on polishing brightwork let me know. I have some experience with that! I love the smell of NeverDull in the morning.
Dale.
Oh you big ship guys think you know it all. On a little ship brightwork is made of wood – how does NeverDull work on that? You need to come out here and go sailing with us. You’ve never been so close to the water.
That’s a pretty long message for a guy with one hand in a cast.
Thanks for the props Pops. Yes, Grandpa crosses my mind pretty often. He’s been featured at least once, somewhere in these pages. Or in the column, I can’t remember which. So have some other relatives – when you read about Uncle Walter keep in mind that I claim poetic license.
Go Girl,
I wonder it you have though of it? Your grandfather would have loved what you are doing out on your beach!
Countless blessings