What’s In the Tidepools? – December 2021
It’s tidepool season again! As we move into lower and lower tides, we will resume monthly posts with all the fun things our wonderful TPERPers spot out there.
TPERPer Patrick Raetzman notes that this was the “best looking blue knobby sea star that I’ve seen in about 5 years.” It was found near the Zone 2/3 boundary.
A Fragile Rainbow Star was spotted just below the entry point. It was about a foot across and was very exciting for visitors. The name comes from the brilliant colors of its spines and tube feet, which are normally orange and blue.
Globose Kelp Crabs are most easily identified by their large size and bright reddish-orange color. At Cabrillo, they are generally spotted beneath the surfgrass or under flat rocks.
An approximately 7-inch, healthy green abalone (Haliotis fulgens) was spotted below a rock in Zone 2. If it weren’t for the extremely low tide, it might have gone unnoticed.
TPERP Sue observed this Moray Eel in the tidepools.
This is a live swell shark egg. Swell sharks got their name from their defensive ability to swallow sea water in order to approximately double in size. The wiry tendrils on the egg sac are used to anchor onto kelp and rocks, which normally keep them from washing upon the shore.
CNM VIP Voice 
I love these “What’s in the Tidepools” posts. For those of us who can’t be there up close and personal, they let us continue to explore and experience. Thank you!
Of course! We’re glad you enjoy them.
Great post Nathan! Really informative and I love all the pictures from different TPERPers.