Tidepools form where pools of water collect in rocky hollows at low tide. They are rich with fish and other marine life. Created where the land meets the sea, tidepools are some of the most beautiful places along the coasts of California.

Here are some purple sea urchins in a pool next to an ochre sea star.

Tidepools present many challenges for the animals living there. Only hardy animals with specialized adaptations can survive in the constantly changing water levels, salinities, temperatures and waves. This is the realm of the marine invertebrates (animals without backbones). While some of these creatures are fairly simple compared to humans or whales, they are well-adapted for life in the intertidal zone. A crab, for example, can grow back a lost claw. A mussel has strong threads to help it cling tight to wave-pounded rocks.

Three basic laws of survival rule life in the tidepool:

• Don’t get washed away by waves at high tide.
• Don’t get dried out by the sun at low tide.
• Don’t get eaten!

Let's Go!
Tidepools are great fun and the Bay Area has a number of excellent intertidal areas to explore.
John Fitzgerald State Marine Reserve is located in Moss Beach about an hour south of San Francisco. For more information click on the link below.
http://www.sfgate.com/getoutside/1996/jun/fitz.html

Other good sites include:
Pigeon Point on the San Mateo County coast:
http://cal-parks.ca.gov/allpages/default.asp?page_id=533

Natural Bridges State Park, Santa Cruz:
http://cal-parks.ca.gov/allpages/default.asp?page_id=541

Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel:
http://cal-parks.ca.gov/allpages/default.asp?page_id=571

Asilomar State Beach, Monterey:
http://cal-parks.ca.gov/allpages/default.asp?page_id=566

Point Pinos, Monterey:

If you decide to go tidepooling, here’s a list of safety rules:
1. Wear long pants and old tennis shoes or rubber boots that have good treads and cover your entire foot. Spiny sea urchins and sharp barnacles can easily cut exposed skin.
2. Walk with extreme care on the slippery, algae covered rocks.
3. Don't turn your back on the ocean. Occasional large waves can easily sweep the unwary into the water.
4. When exploring the tide pools at low tide, never let the incoming tide cut off your route back to shore.
5. Remember to treat the creatures you find with respect. Put animals and plants back where you find them and turn rocks back over to their original position.

The link below provides useful information about tidepooling:
http://www.dfg.ca.gov/watchable/tide.pools.html