Before most campers and visitors are taken down to the tidal pools and water's edge, they are given instructions. Some groups also got a participatory and fun explanation of how the tides work. Here are a series of videos that give you a sense of how that goes:
Some personal and critter safety instructions are given:
And after that the "beach crawl" begins:
And the discoveries begin! First thing they learn, besides the truth of the warning "If it's green or brown it can make you fall down" about the slippery rocks covered with algae and seaweed is that:
Crabs are super abundant! And come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes!
Quick, take a picture of me actually holding a crab! No one's gonna believe I did unless I have a picture!
The
majorty of hte pictures that follow are from Tristan Yip's little Sanyo
HD video and still picture underwater capable camera. You can see it
takes quality shots.
Here are some more pictures of crabs, both large and small.
Even Hermits get curious now and then.
Look how exactly this guy folds into place - like a Swiss Army knife!
And there are lots of Sea Stars, most of which come in a range of colours between Pink and Purple and seem to like to bunch up at low tide.
Here is a very large Sun Star that was living in one of the Bays all summer. Below is another.
It is surprising how well these large sunstars can move around. First a still picture. Later on you can find a video that shows this one moving.
Here is a Leather Sea Star being held upside down. The other picture is of it right side up on the ground.
