Youth Science Explorations 2003

Tidepools

Where did we go?
Investigating tidepools is fun and challenging work. Many of us had never been to a tidepool before. We explored the tidepools at Pigeon Point, on the San Mateo coast.

What did we do?
Pigeon Point is one of the best places to go tidepooling in the bay area. Rocky ledges are exposed at low tide and pools of sea water are left behind in the hollows. Pigeon Point has an abundance of marine algae (seaweed), anemones, sea stars and crabs. Our best find were two tiny octopi!

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://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=533

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

Point Lobos State Reserve, Carmel:
http://www.pointlobos.org/

Asilomar State Beach, Monterey:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/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://server.journalism.wisc.edu/j617/oceansafety/tidepooling.html