Category: Tide Pools 101
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Can I Touch Sea Stars at the Tide Pools?
The short answer: Usually, yes! Long answer: Sea stars are some of the most fascinating animals in the tide pools. They are often the biggest animals casual beachgoers will see, so it’s common to ask whether it is safe to touch or hold them. Generally, you can gently touch the sea stars you see in…
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Can I Wear Rain Boots At the Tide Pools?
Short Answer: Rain boots do ok in the intertidal, but there might be better options you already have in your closet. Long Answer: Read on! Shoes are really important for tide pooling, both to prevent injuries to your feet and to prevent slipping. For more information about shoes in general, read this article. A common…
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Are Tide Pools Dangerous?
It’s natural to wonder about safety before visiting the tide pools. The ocean is a dangerous place, and the shore can be unfriendly to those who aren’t prepared. However, you’ll be glad to know that most people can safely explore the intertidal zone in most places along the coast. But that doesn’t mean there is…
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Can I Swim in the Tide Pools?
Ready for the short answer? It depends. Ok, now keep reading. Swimming in tide pools is a popular pastime, especially among avid swimmers or those who live near the coast. Although quite different from tide pooling to search for invertebrates, this topic warrants a brief article here. By definition, a tidal pool refers to a…
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5 Kinds of Intertidal Animals That Look Like Rocks
Sometimes it seems like there are a lot of things at the tide pools to avoid stepping on. Slippery, rocks, slippery seaweed, and slippery mud can all be difficult to avoid. But I’m here to add a few more things to the “don’t step on that” list. Five kinds of intertidal that look— and sometimes…
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Will I See Eels At The Tide Pools?
Short Answer: Possibly Long Answer: Eels are some of the most frequent large marine visitors to the tide pools; more common than octopuses but less common than small, shallow-water sharks. While not an everyday occurrence, if you visit the intertidal enough and know what you look for, you are fairly likely to see an eel,…
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5 Kinds of Intertidal Animals that Look Like Plants
The intertidal is bursting with animal life, the shape, size, and color of which are often foreign to us land-dwellers. Many animals disguise themselves as plants while other things that look like plants are really animals. It can take time to learn to recognize all the kinds of animals you’ll encounter in the intertidal, but…
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How Are Tides Measured and What Do The Numbers Mean?
Understanding how tides are measured and what they are measuring is crucial for the tide pooler. The tides are what allow you to explore the intertidal, so understanding how we quantify their function is incredibly useful knowledge, especially when planning your tide pooling adventure. You can read this article to learn how the tides function…
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How Low Should the Tide Be for Tide Pooling?
If you’re thinking about visiting the tide pools for the first, you’ve probably wondered: what is a good low tide? How low does the tide need to be for me to see cool animals? When it is worth it to visit the tide pools? These are super common questions but they don’t have a single…
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5 Reasons to Take Your Kids to the Tide Pools
Tide pooling can be a little bit intimidating for some, especially if you are thinking about taking your kids to the tide pools for the first time. But just in case you only read this far, you should do it! As long as you take into account the mild safety risks and plan accordingly, taking…
About the blog
The Tidepooler is a blog focused on education and information about the tide pools and rocky shore environments along the coasts of the world’s oceans. With more understanding and enthusiasm, these important ecosystems can be sustainably explored for science, curiosity, and appreciation of their beauty.
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The Tide Is Out 