TIDEPOOLS

• Preparation for the Trip

• Find a good tide pool field guide and read it before the trip.

• Wear shoes that have good traction.

• The tide pools can be slippery.

• Count on getting wet and possibly cold, so dress accordingly.

• Pack a small first aid kit, binoculars, and waterproof camera.

Enjoyment Tips

• Take your time and be patient.

• Watch the area for a minute or two for movement.

• Look closely and observe carefully.

• Most tide pool animals have developed ways to hide from predators and don’t want to be seen.

About Tidepools

Tide pools form where pools of water collect in rocky hollows at low tide. Only hardy animals can survive in a tide pool where the environment – tides, temperature, and saltiness – are constantly changing. The plants and animals that live in the tide pools along the California coast have evolved some of the most diverse solutions to living in their environment that can be found anywhere in the world.

•  The plants and animals such as green sea lettuce and barnacles that live near the top of the tide pool are the hardiest.

•  The middle zone of the tide pool is draped with brown rockweeds.

• Below the seaweed you can find starfishes, sea urchins, and mussels.

•  Crabs wander throughout.

 Tide pools give us a chance to peak at the daily lives of ocean animals – each tidepool reveals a miniature ocean world.