A close-up of a keyhole limpet showing its textured shell, dark tentacles, and bright orange foot against a sandy background.
What is in the Tidepools

What’s in the Tidepools? – January 2026

A red rock shrimp with striped patterns rests on a sandy, rocky surface surrounded by bits of pink algae and green seaweed underwater.

What’s In the Tidepools? – January 2026

(Red Rock Shrimp – NPS Photo/M. Rose)

Here is a sampling of what our volunteers observed during the month — thank you to everyone who contributed. The nudibranchs are out in force. Remember to send in your photos; we truly appreciate sharing them with everyone.

We are in King Tides season so capture those photos and enjoy.

Don’t forget to visit the Tidepool Videos page and our YouTube page.

Enjoy the virtual visit through the tidepools.

A group of yellow flowers
Sea Dahlias- NPS Photo/D. Wieder
A group of six smiling people in rain gear pose on a rocky shoreline under a cloudy sky, some wearing bright vests and carrying outdoor equipment.
Volunteers on a rainy New Year’s Eve – NPS Photo/W. Tam
A knobby sea star with blue and white raised spots rests on a rocky, algae-covered surface in a tide pool.
Knobby Sea Star – NPS Photo/W. Tam
A rocky shoreline with tide pools reflects the blue sky and scattered clouds, while seaweed and moss cover the rocks under the bright daylight.
Tidepools – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A spiny lobster is partially hidden among rocks and seaweed in shallow, clear water, blending with its surroundings in a tide pool.
Spiny Lobster – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A spiny lobster rests in a shallow rocky tide pool, surrounded by smooth pebbles, seaweed, and clear water.
Spiny Lobster – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A spiny lobster hides under a rocky ledge in a clear tide pool, surrounded by seaweed, pebbles, and marine algae.
Spiny Lobster – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A snowy egret stands in shallow tide pools near the rocky shore, beak open, with waves crashing in the background and its reflection visible in the water.
Snowy Egret – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A small shore crab with a dark, patterned shell and reddish claws is nestled among wet rocks and seaweed in a tide pool.
Shore Crab – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A scenic coastal view with lush green hills in the foreground, calm blue ocean waters, and a distant city skyline under a vast sky filled with scattered clouds.
Scenic View – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A small octopus camouflages against a rocky, sandy seabed in shallow water, blending in with the surrounding stones and shells.
Two Spot Octopus – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A small octopus camouflages against a rocky, sandy seabed in shallow water, blending with the surrounding stones and shells.
Two Spot Octopus – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A small octopus camouflages among rocks and pebbles in shallow water, blending perfectly with its surroundings.
Two Spot Octopus – NPS Photo/T. Woods
An octopus camouflages among rocks and pebbles in shallow, clear water, blending seamlessly with its surroundings.
Two Spot Octopus – NPS Photo/T. Woods
An octopus camouflages against rocks and sand underwater, blending with its surroundings near a large stone in a shallow, rocky area.
Two Spot Octopus – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A large, spotted sea slug rests in a shallow tide pool surrounded by rocks, sand, shells, and patches of red and green algae.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A keyhole limpet clings to a rocky tide pool surface, surrounded by barnacles, algae, and small marine snails.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A keyhole limpet clings to rocks in a tide pool, surrounded by pebbles, seaweed, and patches of colorful algae.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A large keyhole limpet clings to a rocky tide pool surface, surrounded by small snails, seaweed, and encrusting marine life.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A keyhole limpet rests underwater among reddish seaweed, its dome-shaped shell with a central opening partially camouflaged on the rocky seabed.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A marine snail clings to a rocky tide pool, its spiral shell blending with the wet, algae-covered surface around it.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A small bright pink sea slug, likely a Hopkins Rose nudibranch, rests among brown and red seaweed in a shallow tide pool with clear water.
Hopkins Rose Nudibranch – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A bright pink Hopkins Rose nudibranch rests among brown and purple seaweed in a shallow tide pool, surrounded by clear water and marine vegetation.
Hopkins Rose Nudibranch – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A bright pink Hopkins’ Rose nudibranch clings to a rock in a shallow tide pool, surrounded by sea grass, shells, and clear water.
Hopkins Rose Nudibranch – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A large black sea hare rests in shallow water among rocks and seaweed, its dark, textured body blending with the surrounding marine environment.
Black Sea Hare – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A bright orange bat star rests on a rocky tide pool surface, surrounded by seaweed, small pebbles, and shallow water.
Bat Star – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A tide pool with a green sea anemone surrounded by small rocks and shells, nestled in a rocky, seaweed-covered shoreline.
Anemone – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A green sea anemone rests in a tide pool, surrounded by rocks, shells, and colorful seaweed under clear shallow water.
Anemone – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A red rock shrimp with striped patterns rests on a sandy, rocky surface surrounded by bits of pink algae and green seaweed underwater.
Red Rock Shrimp – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A red rock shrimp with striped markings and long antennae rests on a rocky, algae-covered surface with small barnacles and debris around it.
Red Rock Shrimp – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A vibrant tide pool scene with a colorful anemone displaying blue and green hues, partially camouflaged, while a small red rock shrimp rests on top amid seaweed and rocky textures.
Red Rock Shrimp and Anemone – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A vibrant sea anemone with green and purple hues rests on a rocky surface, surrounded by red seaweed and a small red rock shrimp blending into the background.
Red Rock Shrimp and Anemone – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A shiny black keyhole limpet clings to a rock in a tide pool, surrounded by seaweed, pebbles, and pink encrusting algae.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A keyhole limpet clings to a rocky tide pool surface, displaying its dome-shaped shell with a central hole and radiating brown patterns surrounded by seaweed and algae.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A purple sea urchin clings to a rock in shallow water while a red rock shrimp with striped patterns crawls nearby on the sandy, algae-covered surface.
Pacific Purple Sea Urchin and Red Rock Shrimp – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A knobby sea star with blue and purple hues and raised white bumps rests on a rocky, algae-covered surface in a tide pool.
Knobby Sea Star – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A knobby blue sea star is partially hidden among rocks, seaweed, and tide pool water, displaying its dark arms with bright blue and pink spots.
Knobby Blue Sea Star – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
giant keyhole limpet clings to a rocky tide pool, its domed shell with a central hole blending into the surrounding algae and shells.
Giant Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A bulbous sea anemone with pinkish-orange tentacles clings to a submerged branch, surrounded by dark seaweed in a tide pool.
Brooding Sea Anemones – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A brittle sea star with long, slender arms is camouflaged among rocks, seaweed, and shallow tide pool water, blending with the surrounding marine environment.
Brittle Sea Star – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A coastal bluff shows layered rock formations with a recent collapse, leaving loose reddish soil and scattered stones at its base under a clear sky.
Bluff Collapse – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A bat star rests in a tide pool, surrounded by shells, rocks, and marine algae, its five short, webbed arms visible through the clear water.
Bat Star – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A bright orange bat sea star with five short, broad arms rests on wet sand surrounded by small rocks and bits of algae.
Bat Star – NPS Photo/D. Hunt
A spiny lobster is partially hidden among rocks and purple seaweed in shallow, clear water.
Spiny Lobster – NPS Photo/D. Orr
rocky coastal area with layered cliffs and small streams of muddy water, likely from recent rain, with people walking along the edge under cloudy skies.
Ranifall – NPS Photo/D. Orr
A small stream of muddy water trickles down layered rock formations into a rocky area below, with rain lightly falling on the wet stones.
Ranifall – NPS Photo/D. Orr
A flock of pelicans floats and flies over the calm ocean near the shore, with gentle waves and seaweed-covered rocks in the foreground under a gray sky.
Pelicans – NPS Photo/D. Orr
A knobby sea star with bumpy, textured arms rests on a rocky, algae-covered surface in a tide pool setting.
Knobby Sea Star – NPS Photo/D. Orr
A keyhole limpet clings to a tide pool rock, its conical shell with a central hole surrounded by brown and tan patterns, partially submerged in clear water with seaweed nearby.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/D. Orr
A keyhole limpet clings to a rocky tide pool wall beside a cluster of sandcastle worm tubes, with water and sea grass visible below.
Keyhole Limpet and Sandcastle Worms – NPS Photo/D. Orr
A bright pink Hopkins Rose nudibranch rests on a rocky, algae-covered surface in shallow water, standing out against the muted background.
Hopkins Rose Nudibranch – NPS Photo/D. Orr
A snowy egret with bright yellow feet and a slender black beak stands on wet rocks and sea grass by the water’s edge.
Snowy Egret – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A snowy egret with bright yellow feet and a slender black beak wades among rocks and green algae, hunting in a shallow tide pool.
Snowy Egret – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A small green shore crab is camouflaged against rough, sandy rocks, blending with its surroundings in a tide pool environment.
Shore Crab – NPS Photo/M. Rose
Kellets Whelk Alt Text: A large, pinkish Kellett’s whelk shell lies in shallow water among smooth, multicolored rocks and pebbles, partially submerged and surrounded by clear tidepool water.
Kellets Whelk – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A small octopus blends into the rocky, sandy seabed in shallow water, camouflaged among pebbles and shells.
Two Spot Octopus – NPS Photo/T. Woods
A close-up of a sea snail with a yellow-orange foot and dark brown tentacles, partially emerging from its shell among wet rocks and barnacles.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/M. Rose
A close-up of a keyhole limpet showing its textured shell, dark tentacles, and bright orange foot against a sandy background.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/M. Rose

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