The Keyhole limpet is an interesting looking critter. The hard shell on top looks too small for its body. We see Keyhole limpets of different colors in the tidepools, from black as shown here, to brown, gray and mottled. They have a large orange foot on the bottom. They are always a treat to show the visitors.

With the recent strong storms and king tides, there is no surprise that bluff collapses and erosion occurred throughout the tidepools.The sandstone and shale layers are very soft and erode easily. This is a good reminder to avoid standing next to the cliffs, and advising visitors of the dangers, while in the tidepools. The bluff collapse here was found in Zone 2.

Moray Eel – VIP Tansy was in the right place at the right time. She was able to capture this video of an eel moving from one tidepool to another.

Sea Hares have been found in all areas of the tidepools, some as small as 3 inches. Several have been found at the main entrance and others out in Zone 2. We have two species of Sea Hares in the tidepools; the Black Sea Hare and the California Sea Hare.

They can often look like a shiny blob or rock when they are out of the water. They are just waiting patiently for the tide to roll back in.

When the sea hares lay eggs it looks like a blob of spaghetti.

Lots of Bat Stars were observed this month, along with brittle stars and Fragile Rainbow Stars. The Stars are always a visitor favorite, so it was nice to be able to share those observations with the public.