Salt Tide: Currents of Nature and Life on the Virginia Coast

by Curtis J. Badger

A fascinating weave of science and memoir by a naturalist who draws inspiration from life among the coastal islands of Virginia. Join naturalist Curtis J. Badger as he explores the last unspoiled barrier island ecosystem in the eastern United States. Badger's own ancestral roots in the region reach back into the 1600s, a legacy that fuels his passion and appreciation for this fragile confluence of land and sea. A beaded chain of 18 islands separates the inland shore from the Atlantic, and in this zone of protected waters lives a startling array of plants and animals. As he writes about looking for milky ribbon worms in the mudflats or paddling through spartina on a tidal creek, Badger gracefully weaves together personal history and natural science with insight and intelligence. 20 black & white illustrations.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature

146 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1993

Reviews

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although not quite comparable to the eloquence of Leopold's "A Sand County Almanac", this book evokes his work while portraying the author's encounters with the natural world on the Delmarva Peninsula.

[Kat Cav · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this during our second beach trip to Cape Charles. It really put the whole vacation in a completely different perspective than our previous trip. It also made me feel better about not trying to see the marshes. The less bumbling human disturbance, the better.

[Jay Wright · Rating 4 out of 5]

This isn't a scientist, but is a local looking at the barrier islands of the Eastern Shore of Virginia. He has a good working knowledge of the way things work. Like many FFV (Famous Families of Virginia) his look is a bit paternalistic but he overcomes that with a love of the marsh. Short, quick but satisfying read.

[LInda L · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's this book, then there's Salt Tide, currents of nature and life on the Virginia coast. Not sure if they're different. One is hardback and one is softback. Obviously I need to read them both and see if they're the same. I think he has a book of poetry as well. I could be wrong.