A group of people posing for a photo
Cabrillo, What is in the Tidepools

What’s in the Tidepools? – May 2026

A large dark marine snail clings to a wet rock in a shallow tide pool, surrounded by small snails, pebbles, and seaweed.

What’s In the Tidepools? – May 2026

(Giant Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/Rick A.)

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

Don’t forget to signup for the cleanup on June 17th if you are interested.

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

But before you enjoy the photos from the tidepools, we want to say goodbye to our friend Pauline. We had a memorial service for her on May 11 at Cabrillo overlooking the tidepools. We thank everyone for attending and we want to thank Carmen A. for capturing this group photo.

A group of people posing for a photo
Friends of Pauline at her memorial service. Photo by Carmen A.

Enjoy the virtual visit through the tidepools and Cabrillo.

Rocky coastline with layered stones and waves crashing against the shore under bright sunlight.
Bluff Collapse – NPS Photo/VIP Dan W.
A dark blue sea slug with bright orange and blue stripes and white spots glides among brown and green underwater seaweed and algae.
Navanax – NPS Photo/Staff Hannah M.
A cluster of gooseneck barnacles with rough, white and gray shells clings tightly to a brown, wet rock in a coastal setting.
Gooseneck Barnacle – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
A large gull with a white head and body, dark gray wings, and pink legs stands on a rocky shore near foamy ocean waves. Its yellow beak has a small red spot near the tip.
Western Gull – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
A small green and brown crab with striped legs is nestled tightly between two tan rocks, partially hidden in a crevice.
Striped Shore Crab – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
A cloudy sky hangs over a calm ocean with gentle waves. The rocky coastline is lined with dry grass, shrubs, and a few agave plants, stretching toward the distant horizon.
Coastline – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A green sea anemone with long tentacles sits in a shallow tide pool surrounded by rocks, algae, small shells, and seaweed.
Solitary Anemone – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A keyhole limpet clings to a rock underwater in a shallow tide pool, surrounded by smooth stones and patches of green and brown algae.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A small bright orange sea anemone clings to a mossy rock in a shallow tide pool, surrounded by green algae and other marine life.
Brooding Anemone – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A close-up of a gooseneck barnacle attached to a rock, with a dark, tube-like stalk and overlapping tan and brown shell plates, surrounded by bits of green seaweed.
Gooseneck Barnacle – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
A rocky coastal bluff with layered, jagged stone formations and a large boulder in the foreground. The ocean waves crash against the rocks under a cloudy sky.
Coastal Bluffs – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
A spiny lobster with long antennae and reddish legs rests on rocky, shallow water surrounded by smooth stones and pebbles.
Spiny Lobster – NPS Photo/Staff Hannah M.
A rocky coastal bluff with layers of stone has partially collapsed, leaving large boulders and scattered rocks at its base near shallow pools of water.
Bluff Collapse – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
A black sea slug with bright orange and blue stripes and yellow spots glides over algae-covered rocks in shallow water.
Navanax – NPS Photo/Staff Hannah M.
A small brown lizard with a long tail and faint light stripes rests on dry leaves, twigs, and scattered pieces of wood on the forest floor.
Orange-Throated Whiptail – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
Cluster of rough, cone-shaped gooseneck barnacles and a greenish chiton cling tightly to a sandy, textured rock surface in a shallow tide pool crevice.
Gooseneck Barnacle – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.
Rocky coastal cliff with layered sedimentary rock, scattered debris, and a small pool of water under a clear sky.
Bluff Collapse – NPS Photo/VIP Dan W.
A small blue jelly-like creature with a translucent sail floats among long green seagrass in shallow, sunlit water.
By the Wind Sailor – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A small dark crab with purple claws rests on a rock in a shallow tide pool, surrounded by murky water, algae, and bits of sand and gravel.
Striped Shore Crab – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A small, oval chiton clings tightly to a rock in a tide pool, its segmented shell blending with the wet, sandy surface and surrounded by bits of seaweed and barnacles.
Chiton – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
Two green sea anemones with blue-tipped tentacles cling to wet, rocky tidepool surfaces, surrounded by brown, red, and green seaweed.
Solitary Anemones – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A small bright pink sea slug with spiky fronds rests on a bed of greenish-brown underwater algae.
Hopkins Rose Nudibranch – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A white egret wades through shallow water with green seagrass, surrounded by mossy rocks in bright sunlight.
Snowy Egret – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.
A dark purple sea urchin with long spines is nestled in a rocky crevice surrounded by rough, textured surfaces and patches of small marine growth.
Urchin – NPS Photo/VIP Mary R.

One Saturday, Staffer Hannah talked with a visitor who found a baby octopus less than an inch long. Hannah then took over protecting the octopus and using it as an educational opportunity to show other park visitors the baby octopus. You can also find a video of this baby octopus on our YouTube page.

A tiny baby octopus rests on wet sand among smooth rocks, blending in with its surroundings in a shallow tide pool.
Baby Octopus – NPS Photo/Staff Hannah M.
A tiny gray octopus hides among rocks and sand underwater, with one arm stretched out while twigs and pebbles surround it.
Baby Octopus – NPS Photo/Staff Hannah M.
tiny baby octopus clings to a rocky surface underwater, blending with the sand and shells around it, next to a large brown sea sponge and other stones.
Baby Octopus – NPS Photo/VIP Tansy W.

Unfortunately, we also had a boat crash during the month. The high tides completely destroyed the boat overnight scattering the debris all throughout the tidepools. A cleanup process has started but because of the wide debris field, it will take a long time to remove all the debris.

white boat stranded on rocky cliffs by the ocean, with waves crashing and seagulls perched nearby.
Fishing Boat Wreck – NPS Photo/VIP Denine H.
A small boat in a rocky cove with turbulent waves crashing around it.
Boat Debris – NPS Photo/Staff Andrew R.
Rocky coastline with waves crashing against layered cliffs. Seagulls perched on rocks. Overcast sky.
Boat Debris – NPS Photo/Staff Andrew R.
A rocky coastline with waves crashing against the shore.
Boat Debris – NPS Photo/Staff Andrew R.
Wooden planks and metal sheets on sandy ground near a dirt hill with dry grass and shrubs.
Small Sample of boat debris – NPS Photo/VIP Dan W.
People in hats and gloves near a rocky shoreline with rushing water, possibly conducting research or exploration.
Park staff removing boat debris – NPS Photo/VIP Dan W.
People in hats examining a fossil on a rocky coastal cliff with waves crashing nearby.
Park Staff removing boat debris – NPS Photo/VIP Dan W.

VIP Rick A. got some good closeup photos of a Giant Keyhole Limpet. Most of the time we only see the top portion of the limpet. But Rick was able to capture these photos as the limpet was scaling up a rock giving you a good look at the underside of the limpet.

A black mussel shell is wedged open on a rocky tide pool, with seaweed above and small snails scattered on the rocks and in the shallow water.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/VIP Rick A.
large black and tan sea snail clings to a wet rock in shallow water, with its smooth, curved body and bright orange interior partially exposed.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/VIP Rick A.
A large black and orange sea snail clings to a wet rock in a tide pool, with its soft body and shell partially exposed among pebbles and small shells.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/VIP Rick A.
A large dark marine snail clings to a wet rock in a shallow tide pool, surrounded by small snails, pebbles, and seaweed.
Keyhole Limpet – NPS Photo/VIP Rick A.

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