Exploring OC: Protected tidepools offer glimpse at life between land and sea
OC Habitats staff and hikers check out the tide pools during a hike at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Rocks wedged between dry land and the salty sea can be a place of wonder – a unique ecosystem to explore when tides get low and critters show.
Orange County has plenty of tide pools to explore, but do you know which ones are protected?
Nine-year-old Cameron Weiss walks through a short tunnel on a tide pool hike led by OC Habitats at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Ochre sea stars, purple sea urchins, sea anemones, and California mussels hang out in a tide pool near Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach, CA on Monday, April 26, 2021. The area is part of the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Nine-year-old Cameron Weiss and OC Habitats intern Kim Yumul check out the tide pools on a hike at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
The Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A purple sea urchin is found in a tide pool near Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach, CA on Monday, April 26, 2021. The area is part of the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Hikers come through a small tunnel and cave with an OC Habitats tide pool hike at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A bed of California mussels lies near Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach, CA on Monday, April 26, 2021. The area is part of the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
OC Habitats Associate Director Michaela Coats shows a lobster shell during a tide pool hike at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The exoskeleton doesn’t expand so the lobster sheds it in a molting process. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sea anemone are one species found in tide pools at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Staff with OC Habitats lead a tide pool hike at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Sea hare eggs float in the tide pools at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Staff with OC Habitats lead a tide pool hike at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Gooseneck barnacles (white) and California mussels (dark blue/grey) live around the tide pools at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
A black turban snail is one species found in tide pools at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Rock weed grows along tide pools at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
California mussels lie around an anemone in a tide pool near Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach, CA on Monday, April 26, 2021. The area is part of the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
OC Habitats staff and hikers check out the tide pools during a hike at the Crystal Cove State Marine Conservation Area near Corona del Mar, CA on Saturday, April 17, 2021. The protected area runs from the Newport Harbor entrance to Abalone Point in Laguna Beach. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)
Many are within Marine Protected Areas, with restrictions to protect the species that call the intertidal zone habitat home so they can thrive without human impact.
“It’s like an underwater national park,” said Stacey Chartier-Grable, executive director for OC Habitats, a group that runs monthly tours of the region’s MPAs. “It’s a protected habitat, every MPA is a little different, depending on what’s going on in that habitat.”
Where to go
There are MPAs found from Northern California to the Mexico border. In Orange County, they include shore areas from Bolsa Chica to Crystal Cove, through Laguna Beach and into Dana Point.
In Los Angeles County, they include Point Dume north of Malibu and Point Vicente/Abalone Cove off Palos Verdes. Further north, the areas around Santa Barbara Island and the Channel Islands are also protected.
Some areas have restrictions, but still allow some fishing. Others, such as Laguna Beach and Point Vicente/Abalone Cove, are “no-take” zones, meaning nothing can be taken out of the ocean or from tide pools and beaches.
The MPAs were created in recent years as long-term protection for the delicate marine environments that were showing dire impacts from over fishing, pollution and habitat destruction.
“The tide pools and the whole area act as a nursery for the ocean. A lot of species start in the tide pools,” Chartier-Grable said.
The opaleye fish, for example, lives its first two years of life in the tide pools, which can provide shelter from larger prey looking for a snack. Then, when the fish are big enough, they venture out to the open ocean.
But that doesn’t mean they are safe from predators. Bird species thrive on the critters found in the pools.
“It’s a super critical habitat for the ecosystem and biodiversity of that area,” Chartier-Grable said.
What you’ll see
If you’re lucky you may spot an octopus, a nocturnal creature said to be as smart as a 3-year-old child, or Chartier-Grable said she recently saw an abalone, which were harvested to near extinction until it was made illegal to remove them from the ocean.
Another special sight are sea stars, becoming a more prevalent sight off the coast after millions were wiped out in recent years by a wasting syndrome.
Sea anemones are one of the more common sights, though actually seeing one isn’t always easy. They create a camouflage by covering their outer layer in broken shells and rocks, their own version of sunscreen to help from drying out in the sun when exposed.
Don’t get grabby
Some think it’s fun to poke the sea anemones and watch them move, but that makes them think they are being attacked and they release their sting response meant to paralyze prey. Though humans can’t feel the sting, that stinging cell takes 24 hours to regenerate.
“They are losing their ability to sting their prey and eat,” Chartier-Grable said. “If people are touching them constantly, they are unable to catch their food.”
The same goes for sea hares, a type of sea slug named for its little bunny-like antennas called rhinophores. Their slimy coating is protection against predators. If you pick a sea hare up, it removes their coating and makes them more vulnerable.
“Just to touch for the stake of touching,” Chartier-Grable said, “we do not recommend that.”
Avoid move creatures from one spot to another. And never try to take the creatures home, not even if you have an aquarium set up.
Not only is it illegal, many creatures won’t last more than 24 hours away from their ecosystem, even in salt water tanks.
“You’ll have a dead animal on your hands,” Chartier-Grable said.
One thing people can take from the MPA areas is sea glass. Though it can be pretty, it’s actually litter from broken glass that has been smoothed by the sand and waves and not part of the natural habitat, she said.
“They can take as much sea glass as they can find,” she said.
When to go
Hikes are best when there’s a really low tide, especially this time of year when there’s negative low tides during daytime hours. The summer and fall seasons don’t see the same drastic tidal swings as this time of year.
People can explore on their own or the OC Habitats’ tour takes about two hours, the next happening mid-June. More info: ochabitats.org
Being safe
Wear shoes rather than flip flops and try and avoid wet areas because the rocks can be very slippery.
Also be warned of big swell that can send sneaker waves onto rocks and knock people down. An incoming tide can also spell trouble if near caves or can shut off pathways as water rises.
You can check the tides through the weather forecast or Surfline.com. Ask the lifeguard on duty about any hazardous conditions.
Bring a camera. The best way to study the creatures is taking images to enjoy.
