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LONG BEACH PENINSULA — June’s lowest tides brought out the adventurer in many beachgoers along the Pacific County shore, providing chances to explore sea caves and tide pools rich with life, along with opening paths and scenic views that are only occasionally available.

The morning hours on June 16 and 17 included tides in the vicinity of minus 1.8 feet at North Jetty/Benson Beach, pulling the surf line well away from its usual zone. The rocky headlands and pools around Beards Hollow and the wave-sculpted caves near Waikiki Beach and Cape Disappointment were popular attractions as extreme low tide approached, drawing a steady stream of visitors before the tide began to roll back in.

Experiencing extreme tides of both the low and high variety has gained in popularity the past several years as more people discover the natural wonderland of the Washington’s south coast.

If you missed June’s best tidal opportunities, never fear — the eternal dance between the earth and moon will be bringing more our way. The last week of June includes a set of morning lows of around -0.7 at Benson Beach on June 28, 29 and 30, while even more extreme lows run for six days starting July 12, plunging to -2.0 feet at around 8 a.m. on July 14.

For a variety of reasons, tides are amplified inside Willapa Bay and other estuaries. July 14’s tides at locations including Nahcotta and Bay Center will be around -3.0 between 9 and 10 a.m., which will allow walkers to access a wide swath of the bay shore. As on the ocean beach, it’s crucial to know what you’re doing. Avoid the bay’s large areas of sticky mud, stay off privately owned shellfish lands, and return to higher ground well before the tide comes rapidly surging back in.

Although it takes a little practice to learn how to use them, convenient tide tables are provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at tinyurl.com/CO-NOAA-Tide-Predictions.