Our “Eat Like an Otter” event brought together food, ecology, and conservation for a day that truly celebrated Oregon’s coastal abundance. In partnership with The Elakha Alliance and PicNic Eats, guests foraged for mussels, toured Oregon Seaweed’s aquaculture site, learned about sea otter reintroduction efforts, and enjoyed a shoreline feast featuring local shellfish and seaweed. It was a hands-on reminder of how deeply our food, ecosystems, and communities are connected along the Oregon Coast.

Shifting Tides teamed up with Oregon State University’s Big Fish Lab and Garibaldi Charters for a groundbreaking shark ecotourism adventure off the Oregon Coast. What started as a dream collaboration turned into an unforgettable hands-on experience where participants helped deploy chum slicks, reel in blue sharks, and assist scientists with real research. From touching sleek blue shark skin to watching ultrasounds reveal reproductive data in real time, it was a rare opportunity to witness science, conservation, and adventure collide on the open ocean.

What began as a niche coastal curiosity has quickly become one of the most sought-after experiences of the year, bringing together curious foodies, outdoor enthusiasts, and conservation-minded locals eager to learn about Oregon’s underrated bounty. With guided hands on harvesting of seaweeds and kelps, tastes of seaweed seasonings and pickles, and spontaneous salvages of bull kelp, the season highlighted a growing fascination with Oregon’s edible seaweeds.

Our Seaweed Cyanotype Workshop at Seal Rocks brought together science, art, and ocean stewardship in one inspiring day. Participants joined marine biologists Alanna Kieffer and Oriana Poindexter to harvest native seaweeds, learn about coastal ecology, and create stunning cyanotype prints developed by sunlight and seawater. The result - beautiful, ocean-inspired art pieces that captured both the rhythm of the tides and the creative spirit of the Oregon Coast.

As part of the Winter Waters series—a month-long celebration of seaweed, Oregon-caught seafood, and the connection between local economies and coastal ecology—this Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Tour brought together Port Orford Sustainable Seafood, the Port of Port Orford, Oregon Seaweed, the Oregon Kelp Alliance and the Port of Bandon for a full day of exploration. From learning about the unique “Dolly Dock” operations and meeting local fishermen to touring innovative seaweed farms, bull kelp hatcheries, and urchin ranching facilities, participants gained firsthand insight into the science, sustainability, and community partnerships driving Oregon’s blue economy.