What’s In the Tidepools? – May 2023
Don’t forget to visit the Tidepool Videos page.
The Striped Shore Crab can be found in the cracks near the tidepool entrance.
The new Ocean Side Trail started to be constructed at the park. Various workers can be, and will be, seen building this new trail over the coming months.
Sea Hares are always a popular critter to find and show to visitors. We even have photos of some Sea Hare eggs, which look like a blob of spaghetti.
Velella velella, also known as “by-the-wind sailor,” is a species of hydrozoan that lives on the open ocean.
It continued to show up in the tidepools, some days covering the bathtub and entrance. Lots of questions from visitors about what they are.
Nudibranchs were plentiful again in the tidepools in May. The Hopkins Rose and the Spanish Shawl were observed frequently. If you haven’t seen how the Spanish Shawl moves in the water, check out some of the videos on our Tidepool videos page.
A smiling barrel cactus welcomes visitors to the Coastal Trail.
CNM VIP Voice 
Hi, I enjoyed this article and all your articles about what lives in the tide pools. I just wanted to comment on the image labeled “dorid” next to the octopus. This is a black and white dorid (Acanthodoris rhodoceras). They seem to prefer the cooler waters in the Bay Area and only a few have been seen at Cabrillo before. Nice find!
Thanks for the identification.