Tidepooling Tips

person looking at intertidal life with care — Protect sensitive marine life that inhabits the intertidal zone by exploring with care. Photo: Allison Formica/*Get Into Your Sanctuary* Photo Contest

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary’s rocky shores make up almost 40% of shoreline habitat and primarily occur around the Monterey Peninsula, and extend southward along the Big Sur coast and north toward San Francisco.

Rocky shores, and the tide pools found among them, host an abundance and diversity of intertidal organisms. The dramatic influence of the mixed, semi-diurnal tidal cycle exposes intertidal invertebrates and algae to large fluctuations in temperature, desiccation (drying out), and wave action, with two high and two low tides per day. This range of environmental variables interacts with biological factors to create the distinct intertidal zonation patterns seen along rocky shores.

During low tides, an amazing array of intertidal life can be discovered while you explore tide pools with care. Use NOAA’s tides and currents map tool to look up information on local tides from NOAA stations. Explore the virtual tour for great tide pooling and wildlife viewing locations!

	Step Carefully Avoid crushing the animals and algae.
	Look Closely Quietly observe, you will see more.
	Be Gentle Touch lightly so you don’t disturb seashore life.
	Leave Them Be Leave the animals, algae, rocks, and shells where you find them.

Be sure to look carefully for these intertidal creatures:

two black shorebirds seen along a rocky shore

Black oystercatchers (Haematopus bachmani) are boisterous shorebirds found year-round along sanctuary shores. Avoid disturbing them, and keep your distance from their nesting sites, typically located on sand and gravel beaches or exposed rocky areas above the high tide line. Photo: Robert Schwemmer/NOAA

exposed rocky intertidal zone at low tide with bat star

Bat stars (Patiria miniata) vary greatly in pattern and color from yellow to red to purple. This sea star usually has five arms, but sometimes has as many as nine. Photo: Amity Wood/NOAA

vibrant green anemone and purple urchins in a tide pool

Soft-bodied giant green anemones (Anthopleura xanthogrammica) can be seen among purple urchins (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) in many tide pools. Photo: Andy Collins/NOAA

Crawling along rocks are the striped shore crab (Pachygrapsus crassipes), hiding in crevices when seeking shelter from waves or predators. Photo: Myfanwy Rowlands

mussels and barnacles attached to a rock

Clusters of California mussels (Mytilus californianus) and gooseneck barnacles (Pollicipes polymerus) are abundant along rocky shores. Photo: Amity Wood/NOAA

a hard-shelled animal attached to a rock

If you look closely, spiny chitons (Nuttallina californica) can be found in rock crevices, nearby barnacles and mussels. Photo: Steve Lonhart/NOAA