• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Minus Tide – Large Clam Basket

A minus tide (also known as a ‘negative tide’) occurs when the moon is full, and its pull on the tides is extra strong. Minus tides pull the water level down below sea level, exposing much more of the ocean floor than we usually see, sometimes allowing us a peek (or a walk) way out into what would normally be several feet below surface. This large and intricate basket–expertly woven from yellow and red cedar bark–is made in the traditional clam-gathering style (which would be much easier during a minus tide). The sides of a clam gathering basket are woven with evenly-spaced openings, allowing a clam gatherer to rinse the clams in ocean water before bringing them home.