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Sea & Sandy Shores

Alaska and its islands offer 33,904 miles of coastal foraging opportunities. The proverb “when the tide is out, the table is set” doesn’t apply for every single beach, of course, but I’ve always quipped that if I had to be stranded somewhere in Alaska, may it please be by the sea.

This section includes gravel beaches, tidal marshes, and rocky intertidal and subtidal zones. Here, many coastal plants including beach greens and goosetongue have developed fleshy stems and leaves to withstand desiccation in this salt-kissed environment. And algae, such as bladderwrack, have adapted to the extreme contrast between being immersed in sea and then exposed on land to glaring sun.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game allows kelp harvesting along most of Alaska’s coast for personal, noncommercial use. Fish and Game classifies most of Alaska’s coast as a “subsistence use area.” Within such areas, seaweed may be harvested without a sport fishing license or harvest limit. Exceptions to this rule, at time of publication, include Cook Inlet. Check with your regional office for current local rules.

Note that within the beach plants, the algae are organized progressively from ocean to shore. First is bull kelp, which exists in the ocean at all times. Progressing shoreward, the algae are arranged in the “biobands” where they occur. As the tide drops, the dark brown bladed algae (including ribbon kelp) are exposed, then the red algae (dulse and nori), followed by the green (sea lettuce). Closest to shore is the brown rockweed, bladderwrack.

Algae are particularly forager friendly, with only one known “toxic” kelp in Alaskan waters. A nibble of the inedible hairy unappetising Desmarestia won’t harm you, and the flavor of this “acid kelp” will discourage you from eating more.

The remaining beach plants are arranged in alphabetical order by common name.

BULL KELP

Nereocystis luetkeana Laminariaceae (family) Brown algae (division Phaeophyta)

The kelp beds common along southern Alaska coasts are a hazard for boaters, who can foul their props in the tangles. But they are a favorite place for sea otters to park pups while mom fishes. Kelp blades grow to 10 feet long, and stipes (stems) can reach 100 to 175 feet in length in a single year. A branch-like holdfast attaches bull kelp to the seafloor. At the surface, an inflated bulb floats long, narrow blades.

DERIVATION OF NAME: The genus name is from the Greek nereo, “sea nymph,” and cystis, “bladder;” luetkeana honors a Russian sea captain.

OTHER NAMES: bullwhip kelp, meq’aq, gahnguq (Yup’ik), sú (Tlingit), tutl’ila (Dena’ina, “water rope”).

RANGE: Southeast Alaska to Kodiak and the Kenai Peninsula to the Aleutian Islands.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Bull kelp is prime from April to June. Use a boat and hook to collect plants attached to the ocean floor. Just 1 or 2 can feed a family. If boatless, visit the beach at an ultra-minus tide, with waders, to retrieve one. Or check for freshly uprooted kelp. Avoid older beach drift (unless collecting just for garden mulch).

FOOD USE: Every part of kelp except the holdfast has edible applications. Munch on the blades raw for a “salty cabbage” snack. Wrap a salmon in the fresh kelp blades and cook on the campfire; serve the kelp as a vegetable. Blanch blades (as described in ribbon kelp) and use similarly as salad. Dry bull kelp blades and grind as a table seasoning. Or massage raw blades with olive oil, garlic, nutritional yeast, and spices and then dehydrate for “chips.” I prefer to peel the stipe, then slice and use the raw rings atop pizza. Try marinating kelp rings in honey or syrup and then dehydrating; tasters guessed I was feeding them dry pineapple. Use stem, peeled or unpeeled, as you prefer, slice into rings, and pickle with your favorite recipe. My dear friend Marsha Million “French cut” kelp stems like string beans and canned for winter use. Stuff the kelp bulb with meat or vegetarian stuffing and bake.

HEALTH USE: The blades of bull kelp have a protein content twice that of the bulb and stipe, and appreciable quantities of calcium, potassium, and iron. Small amounts of seaweed daily are far better than large amounts occasionally. Herbalist Ryan Drum points out that in some individuals it may take a person “up to 4 months to produce dedicated enzymes to thoroughly digest dietary seaweeds.” Drum emphasizes the importance of sufficient dietary iodine, the link between low iodine and hypothyroidism and goiter and how “eating 3-5 grams of most dried, unrinsed seaweeds will provide the RDA of 100–150 micrograms.”

OTHER: Campers can soak sore feet in a kelp footbath. Entertain the whole family with a kelp horn—remove the end of the bulb and leave a 2-foot-long handle to blow into. Use kelp as a candle mold; fill kelp bulbs with a candlewick and hot wax; when the wax is set, discard the kelp.

CAUTION : If you experience hyperthyroidism, consult your doctor or clinical herbalist before use.

RIBBON KELP

Alaria species Alariaceae (family) Brown algae (division Phaeophyta)

I’m often asked which plant is my favorite, and the answer varies with place and season. Put me on an Alaskan beach in spring, and I’ll quickly be munching on my “favorite,” ribbon kelp. It’s easy to recognize with its smooth, olive-green to brown blade, 3 to 9 feet long, and its distinctive flattened midrib. At the base, between the holdfast and the main blade, are 2 opposite rows of smaller, wing-like blades.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Alaria is Latin for winged.

OTHER NAMES: winged kelp, wakame.

RANGE: Southeast Alaska to the Bering Sea.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Ribbon kelp is prime from April to June. Clip ribbon kelp above the sporophylls (i.e. wing-like lower blades) to allow the algae to regenerate. The smaller first-year fronds are most tender and tasty. Discard any tattered edges of the main blade. Pick clean of shells. To dry for year-round use, hang across lines or poles. Separate the fronds well for good air ventilation. When fully dry, store in jars in a cool dark place.

FOOD USE: Nibble ribbon kelp fresh. The central midrib has a delightful crunchy texture and mild flavor and can be used as a water chestnut substitute. I love dried ribbon kelp toasted in a skillet with olive oil, sunflower, and pumpkin seeds, and seasonings as a salad topping. Add fresh or dried ribbon kelp to miso soups. My favorite beach salad is blanched ribbon kelp, sliced and sautéed in sesame oil with garlic, carrots, and ginger. The brown seaweed turns a brilliant kelly green when blanched! Add a teaspoon of the powdered dry alga to breads and baked goods to increase nutritional value. Note: the sporophylls are considered a delicacy raw or cooked; harvest selectively to ensure ongoing supply.

HEALTH USE: Ribbon kelp is an ideal snack food—low in calories, high in flavor and nutrients, especially protein, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, and B vitamins. Ribbon kelp contains alginic acid, which binds radioactive strontium in the intestines and aids its excretion from the body. As a tonic tea (or food), it strengthens body systems, including reproductive organs and skin. Clinical studies by Japanese researchers Okai and others indicate that the epidemiologic evidence for seaweed as a chemopreventive food is very compelling. Although daily seaweed consumption is not uniform, even in Japan, people in Okinawa consume more seaweed and have the lowest cancer incidence, mortality, and longest life spans. American researcher Jane Teas notes that a vast number of seaweed studies on animals have been done, all of which confirm the nontoxic effects of seaweed on normal cells and in healthy animals, and cytotoxic effects against cancer cells and tumors.

OTHER: For a home spa treatment, take a ribbon kelp bath. For a facial, blend white cosmetic-grade clay with powdered ribbon kelp and a bit of honey. Ribbon kelp is available for free from Alaskan beaches and can also be bought in natural-food stores as Alaria or wakame. Note that wakame is also a common name for Undaria pinnatifida, a seaweed considered globally invasive.

DULSE

Palmaria species (formerly Rhodymenia) Palmariaceae (family) Red algae (division Rhodophyta)

If you’re sampling sea vegetables for the first time, try dulse. Dulse “potato chips” (directions in Food Use) are popular with kids and adults because of their salty taste and crunchy texture. Look for purple-red blades, 4 to 12 inches in length. Alaska has 3 dulse species: Palmaria hecatensis (formerly Palmaria palmata) whose use has been recorded in Iceland since the year 960, P. mollis (also formerly P. palmata), and the stiffer, narrower, frilly P. callophylloides. All are safe.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Palmaria is from the Latin for “palm of the hand,” referring to the shape of the algae blades.

OTHER NAMES: red ribbon, red kale, dillisk, Nepture’s girdle, waterleaf.

RANGE: Southeast Alaska to Kodiak, and the Gulf of Alaska to the Aleutian Islands.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Clip fronds above the holdfast, pick clean of shells, and rinse in ocean water. Dulse is prime from April to June.

FOOD USE: Nibble dulse fresh from the beach. Raw dulse is somewhat rubbery. For dulse “potato chips,” quickly stir-fry dry dulse in a few drops of olive or sesame oil, stirring constantly until crisp (be careful not to burn the dulse). Try a DLT sandwich: dulse chips (instead of bacon) with lettuce and tomato. Dry and grind dulse as a seasoning for potatoes or rice. If you are cooking beans or lentils, add some dulse to enhance their digestibility.

HEALTH USE: Dulse is highest in protein (21%) when harvested late winter to spring. It contains essential amino acids and omega-3 and omega-6 oils. Those with sensitivity to dairy may be interested to note that compared to milk, 100 g of dulse contains more calcium (148 mg versus 115 mg), more magnesium (97 mg versus 11 mg), and more potassium (1,169 mg versus 140 mg). For vegans, dulse is a source of B12. Dulse has both antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Add dulse to salves for cold sores, sunburn, and general cuts and scrapes.

OTHER: I enjoy a rejuvenating dulse bath after airline travel; during long journeys, I consider sea vegetables an essential snack. Use of dulse and our subsistence right to harvest was recorded in a 12th-century Iceland law book; this declared it legal to collect and eat dulse when on another man’s property.

CAUTION: Due to iodine content in algae, consult your doctor if on thyroid medicines.

NORI

Porphyra species Bangiaceae (family) Red algae (division Rhodophyta)

If you’ve ever eaten sushi, you’ve eaten nori. Nori ranges globally on rocky shores from Alaska to New Zealand (where it is commonly called “karengo”). In the ocean, nori resembles a long, transparent rubber glove. The linear blades are 1 cell thick and up to 1 foot in length, attached to rocks by a small holdfast. On hot days, at low tide, nori looks like a black smear on exposed rocks, but don’t let its unappetizing appearance deceive you. This favorite of sea vegetables commands a premium price, and for good reason. Alaska has a dozen Porphyra species (photos can be seen on the Seaweeds of Alaska website, seaweedsofalaska.com). Though classed as a red alga, colors are variable with species from greenish to brown to reddish. All are safe for foragers.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Porphyra is from the Greek for “purple.”

OTHER NAMES: laver, black seaweed, purple laver, tsaqałqaq (Yup’ik).

RANGE: Southeast Alaska to the Aleutians to the Bering Sea.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Collect nori at low tide, snipping the plant an inch above the holdfast. Rinse with ocean water to remove sand and grit. To ensure regeneration, avoid yanking up the entire plant.

FOOD USE: Called “black seaweed” in Southeast Alaska, Porphyra is an important subsistence and trade item for Tlingit, Haida, and Tsimshian people. Dorothy Garza in Common Edible Seaweeds in the Gulf of Alaska recommends drying outdoors on a sunny breezy day, taking care to keep separating the bundles as they dry. They are then finished by dry roasting at 175°F for 10 to 20 minutes. They are a fantastic snack! Food and Wine magazine suggests such trendy Porphyra delicacies as fish on fried nori crackers, nori vinaigrette, Japanese popcorn, nori-granola, and nori-crusted sirloin. I’m salivating dreaming of nori-crusted silver salmon, potatoes with nori gratin, nori chips, nori and beetroot veggie burgers, and nori and seafood chowder. My favorite wilderness “mock oysters” were fresh nori, rolled into a ball, dipped in an egg-milk mixture, then dusted with flour and ground oats and seasonings, and fried.

HEALTH USE: According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, nori is “among the most nutritious seaweeds, with a protein content of 30–50%, and about 75% of that is digestible. Sugars are low (0.1%), and the vitamin content very high, with significant amounts of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, niacin and folic acid.” Researchers McHugh and Dennis add that vitamin C shelf life is short in the dried products. Alaskans are fortunate in having ready access to fresh and freshly dried nori.

OTHER: To make seaweed wrappers for sushi, nori is harvested, dried, minced, and, in a process somewhat akin to papermaking, processed into flat sheets. Japan alone produces an average of 400,000 tons (wet weight) of Porphyra per year, which is processed into approximately 10 billion nori sheets with a market value of over $1.5 billion.

CAUTION: Check with your doctor about recommended consumption if taking thyroid medication or blood thinners.

SEA LETTUCE

Ulva lactuca Ulvaceae (family) Green algae (division Chlorophyta)

Sea lettuce is a globetrotter ranging along Arctic Alaska coasts to sunny California, China, Russia, and New Zealand. Go to your favorite beach at low tide and look for paper-thin, green, transparent blades growing on rocks. These broad blades can grow to 2 feet in length, though the Alaskan specimens I’ve found have always been less than a foot. Edges may be ruffled, resembling frilled lettuce on a rock; sea lettuce may bear tiny holes in their blades. (Botanists used to consider Ulva fenestra, the sea lettuce bearing holes or “windows” in its blades, a separate species from the common Ulva lactuca, but now tend to lump them as one.)

DERIVATION OF NAME: Ulva is a classical Latin name first used by Virgil; lactuca means “lettuce.”

OTHER NAMES: water lettuce, green laver, tātsch (Tlingit).

RANGE: Southeast Alaska to the Aleutians and Kamchatka Peninsula.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Gather sea lettuce in spring to early summer, when blades are bright green. Pick free of shells. Remove areas bruised by the tide and rocks. If sandy, rinse with cool saltwater. (If you see sea lettuce with white edges, this indicates that the mature plant has released its free-swimming reproductive cells. Harvest early in the summer before this occurs.)

FOOD USE: Chop young sea lettuce for salads or boil briefly (1 to 2 minutes) as a potherb. Add to salmon dishes, and noodle or stir-fry meals. Sea lettuce is my favorite powdered sea vegetable seasoning. Its bright green color and salty flavor make it a colorful and tasty garnish for rice, and even popcorn. Students in my classes have substituted sea lettuce for nori in wraps for sushi. A blog by forager Louise Fawcett details step by step a method for making your own sea lettuce wraps: seaweedrecipes.co.nz/make-your-own-seaweed-wraps-its-easy.

HEALTH USE: Sea lettuce contains protein, the alphabet of vitamins from A to K (including B12), and bone-strengthening calcium, magnesium, and other trace minerals. Beach campers can apply sea lettuce as a poultice for soothing windburn or sunburn. In France, a double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial showed that taking a sea lettuce water extract daily for 3 months continued to significantly improve depressed patients with anhedonia (the inability to experience pleasure in normally pleasurable activities). Authors Allaert, Demais, and Collén underscored the high potential for using sea lettuce in everyday clinical care “particularly as it would avoid the undesirable effects of medicinal drugs currently used.” They emphasized that “depressive symptoms continued to improve in subjects taking the water-soluble Ulva L.L. extract.”

OTHER: To dry sea lettuce, place on a hot sunny windowsill or in a vegetable/herb drier.

CAUTION: As always, harvest only in clean areas free of contaminants. In France in 2009, 2,000 tons of sea lettuce washed up on Brittany beaches, emitting toxic hydrogen sulfide gas during decomposition. Sea lettuce is the algae most linked to “green tides” caused by human agricultural activities and sewage outfalls. Though previously viewed as problematic, science is revealing the potential of algae blooms to produce renewable gaseous fuel. Dried, washed, macerated Ulva from an estuary algal bloom was shown, in a PubMed study, to be sufficient to provide fuel for 264 cars on a year-round basis.

BLADDERWRACK

Fucus species Fucaceae (family) Brown algae (division Phaeophyta)

Bladderwrack is an easy-to-recognize sea vegetable, found attached to rocks along ocean shores of Alaska and most of the world. The olive-brown blades, which grow to 18 inches in length, divide in twos and have prominent midribs. The distinctive inflated tips are mucilaginous. These bladders contain the male and female gametes (eggs and sperm) that have propagated these algae for over 400 million years.

DERIVATION OF NAME: The botanical name Fucus is from the Greek phykos, meaning “seaweed.”

OTHER NAMES: rockweed, popweed, old man’s firecrackers, caritet (Alutiiq).

RANGE: Southeast Alaska to the Chukchi Sea.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Collect the inflated tips and tender ends of fronds from late winter to early summer. Clip above the small disc-like holdfast that anchors the sea vegetable to rocks. Remove any snails or debris. Rinse in ocean water.

FOOD USE: Nibble bladderwrack raw on beach hikes. Steam Fucus with clams or mussels to heighten flavors. Add fresh chopped tips to pasta sauce as a thickener. Try popweed chips; rub bladderwrack tips thoroughly with a blend of olive oil, tamari or coconut aminos, nutritional yeast, and seasonings of choice, and then dehydrate until crisp. Pour boiling water over 1 teaspoon fresh or sun-dried Fucus for a tasty tea; add mint, nettles, lemon, or other flavorings as desired. Use fresh or dry bladderwrack in soup starter or fish broth. Sauté bladderwrack with fresh onions and ginger, a dash of sweet and sour sauce, sesame seeds, and goosetongue. Kodiak Alutiiq call bladderwrack caritet and eat it raw, dipped in oil or with sea urchin eggs.

HEALTH USE: If you get burned while cooking on your beach campfire, break open a Fucus bladder for its soothing aloe-like gel. Soak your tired feet in a bladderwrack footbath. Bladderwrack contains the alphabet of vitamins (A to E, as well as K), and a complex array of minerals and trace elements. Clinical studies at McGill University confirm that sodium alginate in Fucus and other brown algae binds with radioactive strontium 90 in the intestines, thus causing it (as well as heavy metals) to be eliminated from the body. Another clinical trial notes the ability of Fucus to lower cholesterol levels and to reduce risk of estrogen-related cancers.

OTHER: Burn dry bladderwrack with alder to smoke salmon. Nourish your beds of potatoes and cabbage with potash-rich Fucus. In Ireland in the 1900s, there were some 300 seaweed bathhouses popular for relieving stress and tired muscles; indulge in the seaweed spa in your very own home. Finish off with a bladderwrack hair rinse.

CAUTION: Due to the mucilage in bladderwrack tips, bladderwrack can have a laxative effect. Harvest only in uncontaminated waters. Consult your doctor concerning use if you have any type of thyroid imbalance or are taking any blood-thinner medication.

BEACH GREENS

Honckenya peploides, aka Arenaria peploides Pink family (Carophyllaceae)

Beach greens are a stunning example of the power of regeneration of plants. From the brown, seemingly winter-killed trailing stems emerge bright green shoots packed with vitamins A and C. The trailing stems grow to 2 feet long, with smooth, fleshy, sharply pointed leaves in opposite arrangement. The small greenish-white flowers are followed by globular seed capsules.

DERIVATION OF NAME: Honckenya honors 18th-century German botanist Gerhard Honckeny; peploides, from the Greek word for a cloak, describes the way the leaves wrap the stems and nearly hide the flowers.

OTHER NAMES: scurvygrass, sea purslane.

RANGE: Sandy shores from Southeast Alaska to the Arctic.

HARVESTING DIRECTIONS: Young leaves and shoots are prime before flowers appear; wash well to remove the grit and sand that may be trapped by the cloak-like leaves.