False Point
La Jolla
December 26, 2016
On Boxing Day we explored local tide pools. Last summer we had purchased the tour as a silent auction item at a rowing club fundraiser. A fellow rower who is a marine biologist helped us find interesting specimens under the rocks, then explained what we were looking at. Meanwhile her sons and husband (also a biologist) climbed around finding a variety of creatures. We went at low tide; tide pool exploration is best done when a negative low tide falls during daylight hours.
Some of the most interesting creatures are the smallest ones, such as miniature barnacles, and tiny crabs almost too small to see. In that respect the tide pool residents are sort of like desert flowers -– beautiful but easy to miss unless you slow down and look carefully.
We saw, among other things: sea anemones, brittle stars, other star fish, sculpin, hermit crabs, chiton, limpets, whelks, barnacles, algae, a small octopus, and LOTS of sea hares. Most of the sea hares were small; we took turns holding a large sea hare the guys found. All creatures were released alive and unharmed!
