Tidal Pools

I've been fascinated by tidal pools ever since I was a young child. I watched an old public broadcasting station that had a program called "Hodge Podge Lodge," and in one episode, the host, "Ms. Jean" took her television audience on a field trip near an ocean. She scooped up various sea creatures out of the many tidal pools, and I became utterly fascinated. Wow, this was so cool! (An interesting side note is that currently she is about 86 years old, alive and well, and still teaching at a local conservancy on the east coast. She even wrote me a nice letter after I sent an email to the conservancy)

Many years later, when I was in high school, I went to California, and we drove up Highway One along the coast. I believe it was around Easter time, and it was quite cold. We stopped at various beaches along the way, looking for tidal pools, but did not find any. I did find some barnacles and various anenomes clinging to the rocks that met the water, but nothing else. Well, except for a dead sea lion, and the tops off of jellyfish, that looked like giant contact lenses.

I am planning a trip to Oregon in the future, and am busy researching the coastline, and trying to find areas that have the best tidal pool areas. I am also studying the types of creatures I find there, and how to view the tidal pools as I do not want to disturb them.

I found a lovely photo of a tidal pool, which I posted at the top of this post:

http://www.featurepics.com/StockPhotos/Tide-Pool-Sea-Anemones-Kelp-355014.aspx

--Elizabeth
http://www.bluefizzure.com/