Winter low tides make for prime exploring, education along the beach

Most hours of the day, the sea creatures live under the ocean’s surface, away from sight.

But for a few hours during low tide – especially this week as the tides reach negative levels – ocean critters and their rocky homes are exposed and on display for curious lookie-loos wanting to get a glimpse at the fascinating underwater world within the intercoastal ecosystem.

Winter tides in the afternoon this week are prime time for “tidepooling,” a popular pastime along coastal Southern California and a great opportunity to show off the shoreline to relatives and friends spending their holidays here, or for an outdoor educational opportunity for youngsters out of school during holiday break.

If you want a guided tour with an expert to walk you through the species you’re likely to encounter, the Cabrillo Aquarium in San Pedro and the Ocean Institute in Dana Point are both holding guided tours this week when the tide drops in the afternoon.

Exploring tidepools offers a great picture of all the efforts people have put into maintaining a healthy ecosystem along the Southern California coastline, said Kaitlyn Davidson, growth marketing manager for the Ocean Institute.

“It really allows us to get a great insight into what our oceans can be when we take care of them; and when we put in those effort to maintain their habitats, we can see some great marine life,” she said. “It allows us to get really good insight as scientists, researchers and ocean lovers to see the most pristine beauty of the ocean and intertidal zone.”

There’s plenty of places to tidepool on your own along the coast, with Palos Verdes, Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove and Corona del Mar among the most popular places people like to explore.

Popular creatures include the colorful anemone and hermit crabs that live in the pools of water that are created among the rocks when the tides recede. Sea cucumbers and black sea hares are big, squishy-looking creatures, or you may get lucky and see a two-spot octopus or a brittle star, a sea star species found off the local coast.

If you do opt to explore on your own, there are rules to follow.

Beaches in Palos Verdes, Laguna Beach and Crystal Cove State Park are Marine Protected Areas, meaning picking up animals or moving them from their pools is prohibited.

Putting them in buckets, even for a short time, can be harmful. Also, never collect shells, rocks or other organisms from the tidepools, Davison said.

The one thing beachgoers can remove? Trash.

“If there’s any trash out there, that’s the one thing we recommend people take out,” Davison said.

And, walk gently to avoid harming plants or animals.

For safety, it’s best to wear tennis shoes when exploring tidepools because rocks can be very slippery and sharp species such as barnacles and mussels can hurt bare feet.

Also be warned, a big swell is headed toward Southern California later this week, so make sure you pick a beach that isn’t exposed to the big waves and always ask a lifeguard about dangers in the area.

While on rocks, strong surf can suddenly show and knock people down, or even suck people out into the ocean, authorities warn.

The Ocean Institute is holding tours at 2:30 p.m. this week through Thursday and also has a tour scheduled on Jan. 13. Cost is $15.

Crystal Cove State Parks will be hosting low-tide tours with a naturalist to help identify animals from 3 to 5 p.m. on Jan. 12, during the next negative tide.