Father’s Day Marsh Dip: Decapods with Dad at Soundside Park

Soundside Park Boat Ramp sits at the edge of a low-lying coastal marsh, where tidal creeks braid through cordgrass and shallow channels. Decapods with Dad takes place here, a one-hour, family-focused marsh walk and dip-netting session that turns mud and water into a living classroom. Guided naturalists coach parents and kids in using dip nets, seine nets, and cast nets to pull up fiddler crabs, juvenile shrimp, and other ten-legged creatures, then identify what they find and return it safely to the water. This outing is simple but vivid: the smell of salt and mud, the clack of crab claws, and the bright flash of a shrimp slipping through a net. Organizers provide all equipment and limit groups to about twenty people, keeping the setting intimate and hands-on. Closed-toed shoes are required to protect feet from oysters that scab the shoreline; sun protection and a refillable water bottle make the hour more comfortable. The meeting point is Soundside Park Boat Ramp, where families gather before stepping into shallow tidal channels to sweep nets and compare catches. What makes this excursion a standout is its focus on direct experience. Many coastal tours point at birds from a distance; this program invites you to feel the ecosystem. For locals, these marshes are a working landscape—oysters, baitfish, and crustaceans link to a long history of small-scale fishing and stewardship. For visiting families, the trip is a crash course in coastal ecology: discover how cordgrass stabilizes mud, why oyster beds matter, and how juvenile fish use creeks as nurseries. The activity is intentionally accessible: it’s perfect for young children and grandparents who can move at an easy pace, yet it also rewards curious adults with species ID and ecological context. At $15 per person and a 30-day cancellation policy, it’s an affordable way to celebrate a holiday or spend an afternoon outdoors without a steep time commitment. Bring closed-toed shoes, sun protection, and a sense of curiosity. Expect to get a little muddy, learn names like 'decapod,' and leave with photos of tiny claws and grinning faces. Whether you’re making a Father’s Day memory or introducing a child to nature, Decapods with Dad is a short, lively plunge into the tidal world that sustains coastal communities. Guides often point out subtle signs of tidal rhythms and explain how marsh productivity supports local fisheries; they describe how oysters filter water and how storm surge affects habitats. The program accommodates different mobility levels but includes standing in ankle- to knee-deep water and light walking over soft mud. Photographers will find close-up opportunities of small life, while educators appreciate the curriculum-style explanations. Seats for strollers are limited; check accessibility details when booking. Reserve early to secure spots.