Come gather with fellow NCSWA members at one of the best tide pooling spots in the Bay Area to see all kinds of goopy and crusty creatures in the full glory of one of the lowest tides of the year! From sea stars to kelp, sea slugs to urchins, there are all kinds of wonders to behold at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve!
The reserve is on the coast between Pacifica and Half Moon Bay, about a 30 minute drive south of the Daly City BART station. Carpooling is encouraged.
We will meet at the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve parking lot bathrooms at 2:30 p.m., head down together to the coast at 2:45 p.m. and poke around the tide pools until people get tired or it gets too dark.
Photo: Guananí Gomez-Van Cortright
The tide pool rocks are VERY SLIPPERY and uneven, so make sure to bring sturdy footwear (and perhaps walking sticks) that might get wet and watch your step! You will also want warm layers; it’s almost always windy and foggy and chilly by the water.
No tide pool experience necessary. There will be knowledgeable NCSWA members attending as well as rangers who can point out interesting animals and share fun facts. Collecting anything from the tide pools is not allowed since it’s a nature reserve.
In winter, when the earth passes closest to the sun in its orbit and the moon is new, both celestial bodies pull extra hard on the ocean, creating the highest and lowest tides of the year. These are known as king tides. On November 17th, the lowest tide will retreat down to -1.65 feet, exposing the tidal shelf and its menagerie of critters that usually stay underwater.
https://baynature.org/2023/01/19/this-weekends-king-tides-offer-a-glimpse-into-the-future-of-sea-level-rise/
