China Poot Bay is a lagoon on the southeastern shore of Kachemak Bay that dries at low tide to reveal a sand and mud flat 2.5 miles (4 km) wide,  located 15.5 miles (25 km) northeast of Seldovia and 9.5 miles (15 km) southeast of Homer, Alaska. The lagoon is separated from Kachemak Bay by a sand spit measuring 2.5 miles (4 km) in length. The bay reputedly derives its name from Henry “China” Poot, who fished and trapped in the area. According to local lore, Poot was an Alaska Native of mixed heritage who associated with Chinese workers who packed salmon in Seldovia, hence the nickname. The name for the bay was first recorded in 1911 by George C. Martin of the U.S. Geological Survey.

The salt marshes of Kachemak Bay provide habitat for many wildlife species, and the tidal streams support numerous small fish, including juvenile salmon. The tidal flats are highly dynamic, with elevation changes influenced by siltation, erosion, ice rafting, and changes in sea level or land elevation. Salt marsh plants are particularly sensitive to elevation changes that affect tidal immersion time, soil salinity, and moisture. The visible and intricate vegetation patterns in salt marshes result from the patchiness of plant species that can tolerate specific conditions at different elevations of saltwater inundation.

The plant communities in 15 tidal marshes along the shores of Kachemak Bay, including China Poot Bay, have been mapped. Saltmarsh plant communities were initially delineated as polygons from aerial photographs. A random selection of these polygons was then visited to identify the plant species present. This effort resulted in a detailed baseline map of saltmarsh plant polygons. The maps will be used to track changes over time as polygon elevations rise or fall relative to tidal heights and sea level changes. Read more here and here. Explore more of China Poot Bay and Kachemak Bay here: