If you love discovering the Bay Area’s beautiful coastline, then tide pooling — exploring the tiny basins of seawater and marine life that stud the shore — is one of the most enjoyable things to do out in nature.
Sea stars, mussels, barnacles, seaweed, urchins, hermit crabs and nudibranchs are just a few examples of the many inhabitants hanging out in Bay Area tide pools. The best way to see tide pools — these little pockets of seawater in the ocean’s intertidal zones where the ocean meets the land — is during low tide. This is when some of the most fascinating marine wildlife becomes visible to those who pay close attention.
Keep reading for what to know about tide pooling in the Bay Area.
Intertidal zones are home to ‘the most beautiful organisms’
So, marine life living in the intertidal zone are usually hardy and tough, which is great for them given how regularly they’re exposed to rough weather conditions, said Allison Gong, marine biologist and biology teacher at Cabrillo College in Aptos. “They are also some of the most beautiful and extraordinary organisms we have on the planet,” she added.
While seeing marine creatures out in the wild is a rewarding experience on its own, tide pooling is also a great way to learn about our local environment. “It’s a way to understand the connection between global phenomena like climate change and atmospheric rivers and how they impact the environment,” said Sarah Cohen, professor of biology at San Francisco State University.
Before going out tide pooling, remember to always be respectful of the ocean and its inhabitants. When you go tide pooling, you are actually temporarily invading these creatures’ homes, Gong said. “The marine animals did not evolve to have people stepping on them or prying them off of rocks,” Gong said. “Visiting the tide pools is a privilege. We need to be nice visitors.”
How to start tide pooling
Tides occur during the rise and fall of the ocean’s waters, caused by the gravitational pull of the moon and the sun on Earth. “It’s a beautiful cycle,” Cohen said.
Because you want to go tide pooling at the right time — low tide — Cohen said you should plan to be at your desired location an hour before the low tide arrives. This will ensure that you have enough time to get your bearings, plan your visit and enjoy the tide pools before the sea fills back in.
For an optimal experience, look for low tides between -1.0 feet and -1.4 feet on tide charts like Saltwater Tides or NOAA Tide Predictions. And remember, as the days get shorter during the year, the low tides occur later in the day. For example, you’ll find that in the summer, low tides are much earlier than in the winter. So “if you are not an early riser, I recommend making it out to the tide pools in November to April,” said Alison Young, co-director of the Center for Biodiversity and Community Science at the California Academy of Sciences.
How to stay safe while tide pooling
The coast is a beautiful place, but the ocean can always be dangerous — even on a calm day.
Don’t forget to check with the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office for swells, surf warnings, and beach flooding warnings before heading out for your tide pool adventure. For safety reasons, it’s also best to avoid tide pooling during storms and high winds and never keep your back to the ocean.
Marine biologist Gong recommended bringing a friend when you’re out tide pooling, especially if it’s your first time. “It’s also more fun to share your discoveries with other people,” she said.
Along the coast, you can find organisms attached to rocks or living in the pools that they form. These rocks along Bay Area’’s tide pools can be wet and slick from the surging waves and algae growth, so appropriate footwear like rubber boots with treads can help you from slipping and falling, Young said.
