Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Tide Pooling

 

On our recent trip to California, 
my mom and I introduced my boys to 
the adventure of tide pooling.

Tide pools are pools of seawater in the rocks leftover from high tide.
During low tide, you can venture out and explore these pools, 
looking for the creatures that the tide has left behind.

What can you find in tide pools?

Sea Anemones, seastars, chitons, crabs, 
algae, mussels and hermit crabs are what we found mostly.

It's a scavenger hunt. 
You never know what each pool with reveal.

My boys climbed rocks, scaled slimy cliff sides 
and discovered sea creatures.

Did you know if you stick your finger in an open sea anemone, 
it closes up, lightly sucking your finger?
It's a unique sensation!

My older son found the starfish photographed above. 

Afterwards, when we visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium
we learned more about the same creatures we'd discovered in the wild tide pools.


Sometimes in life, you have to go looking for the hidden beauty.
A lot like life.

Sometimes I feel like I'm trapped in a tide pool, hidden under rocks.
Waiting to be found.
To be appreciated.

Trying to survive the harsh wind and direct sun.

But, honestly, I also want to be the one to find myself.


Have you ever been tide pooling?



 

1 comment:

Trooper Thorn said...

Tiny crabs are my favorite. I like to fill my palms with them and feel them skitter all over.