King tide viewing party: South Bend

King tides are the annual extreme-high tides that occur whenever the moon is closest to Earth. They are a dramatic feature of Washington winters – and a glimpse of what our future along Washington’s coasts may look like as sea levels rise.

Washington Sea Grant invites you to join us at two free king tides viewing parties in December: at Bendiksen Landing in South Bend on December 5 and at Percival Landing Park in Olympia on December 9. These events, open to the public, offer an opportunity to learn about king tides and coastal flooding in Washington. Attendees are also invited to take pictures of king tides and upload them to the MyCoast app. These images help scientists, local planners and decision-makers understand how sea level rise and storm surges affect our infrastructure and ecosystems. A limited supply of coffee and hot chocolate will be provided.

Registration is appreciated but not required. Help us plan supplies by registering:

Register for the South Bend King Tides Viewing Party

South Bend event details

• Location: WSG South Bend Office at Bendiksen Landing (313 Robert Bush Dr, South Bend, WA 98586)
• Date and time: Friday, December 5, 12-1 p.m. PT
• Weather note: Please come prepared for the weather–the event will be held outside and rain is likely this time of the year. If the weather is too bad to be outside, but not bad enough to cancel, the event will be moved inside the on-site Washington Sea Grant office. Event cancellations due to unsafe weather conditions will be announced the afternoon before the event via email to registered attendees. Please refer to the National Weather Service or other local weather forecasting services to determine the best plan of action for yourself.
• Intended audience: Open to the public. Anyone who lives, works, or visits the South Bend or surrounding areas and wants to learn more about king tides and local coastal flooding initiatives.
• Accessibility considerations: The site is mostly flat, but not paved. If access to the office building is needed, stairs must be used to get inside the building.
• Questions or comments: Feel free to reach out to the event organizer, Chandler Countryman, directly via email (ccount@uw.edu) or phone (206.543.7347).
• King tide peak: The peak of the king tide occurs at 12:41 p.m., 12.2 ft.