Have you ever wondered what animals lurk beneath the surface of Puget Sound at night? Visit one of our Pier into the Night programs and you will see what lies beneath the surface!
Pier Into the Night invites adults and kids to observe marine activity that occurs in the Puget Sound from a night-time perspective. Submersible lights are anchored off the end of Jerisich dock to illuminate underwater activity in Gig Harbor Bay. In the same way that porch lights attract insects, the underwater lights attract marine species that are seldom seen during the day including ambushing squid, sparkling ctenophores, and wriggling sea worms!
To enhance visitor engagement, the Live Dive Experience was added to the Pier program in 2014. While visitors stay warm and dry on top of the dock, SCUBA divers take an underwater camera below the dock to film plumed worms, sea stars on the hunt, and beautiful nudibranchs prowling the barnacle covered pilings. A live video feed displays the colorful underwater world for everyone to see on the surface. Naturalists and trained volunteers identify the plants and animals as well as provide information on their life cycles, habitat indicators and human impacts on their survival.
Pier is free and open to all ages, though a donation of $2 per person or $5 per family is always appreciated. This program focuses on introducing visitors to, and generating excitement about, the marine environment that makes up Puget Sound. We encourage parents to place their children in flotation devices on the dock for safety. Free life-jackets are available for use while at Jerisich Dock.
