Extreme rockpooling

[Marineboy]

Just in case anyone is interested - the spring tide on Tuesday 2nd March 2010 looks set to be a very low tide. Last time I was rockpooling on a low water spring I was well within the kelp beds - and this tide, weather conditions permitting, should be even lower. In fact, it should be the third lowest tide this side of 2026. And because I am just a big kid I've already booked the day off work!
These low tides could prove good for rockpooling and maybe even fossiling on the right bit of coastline.
Seems like a good excuse for a day off work and a thermos of hot choccy! Where is your favourite rockpooling site?

[Force Eleven]

I'm wayyy ahead of you! Actually we're drawing. I knew the tides were exceptionally low next year, and I am very much looking forward to rockpooling on an area of the shore I might never get to see again.

Should be fun! Hope the weather is kind.

The lowest tide I have rockpooled at in Scarborough was 0.37m. Next year there are several low tides during Feb/March and April that are between 0.10m and 0.19m. I used an application called wxtide which is DOS based I think. Tides are a rough estimate but cross-checking them with the Scarborough Council website they seemed accurate.

EXTREME!

[davecatt]

Marine Boy
Thanks for that,will make a note in my diary.

Force Eleven
I'm based in East Riding ( Beverley) but resricted to public transport,I'd welcome any suggestions for best places on east coast. Can you help?

Dave

[Force Eleven]

Sure thing.

Scarborough's main bay has an excellent rocky shore that is often referred to as Holbeck. If you head down on to the beach from the arcades, the rocky area is to the right, about a 10 minute stroll across the beach to get to.

Holbeck is an excellent all-round rocky shore with a variety of organisms. It is moderately exposed and rockpools are either sand or pebble bottomed, but no muddy/silty conditions so sea potatoes, angular crabs, and other burying-in-the-mud organisms are largely absent. It is our favourite shore here though.

Scalby Mills is less exposed, and has a slightly different range of organisms. This area is particularly good for edible sea urchins at low tide. Last winter during a low tide of 0.6m we found over 50 of them at low tide. All of them good sizes too. Scalby is a little further north from Holbeck, past the Sealife centre.

Cornelian Bay is to the south of Holbeck, and is dangerous in that it can trap you very easily if you're not wary. Daytime low-tides only I think! Cornelian Bay is good though and apparently Bloody henry starfish are present there. We have not found one yet although we do not frequently visit Cornelian Bay as it is the furthest away (in Scarborough at least). We have found our only Lesser Weever fish here.

Finally there is Filey brigg, which I have only been to once while on a biology field trip, so I can't tell you much. However it is significantly different from the aforementioned sites. It features muddy/silty bottomed rockpools, and has one side which is very exposed, and one side that is sheltered. Mussel beds abound, so if you crack open a few you could find yourself a live pea crab! We are going to check Filey out more in spring 2010, and hopefully it will deliver a different range of organisms compared to the Scarborough sites.

Oh and finally, Holbeck is the best place for lobsters! We usually find at least one on each low tide trip. It is also worth sifting a net through the sand, and the algae on the mid shore. You could net a brown shrimp, sea hare, green sea slug, and juvenile wrasse if you're lucky.

I'm sure this is waffly but that's how I write

regards F11

[davecatt]

Cheers F11
Thanks for the info, just what I was looking for.
Will be closely studying tide tables and train time tables to find best times for a vist.

Dave

[lipase]

Marineboy you are a legend!
I'm blatently making a trip to the sea shore then. You got any idea about good rockpool areas to go that aren't too far from Manchester? I am actually extremely excited about this!

[Andestine]

Thanks Marineboy

You've reminded me that it's time to buy a 2010 tide tables booklet.

I try to make every low spring tide, and yesterday braved winds gusting to force 8 and horizontal stinging rain to follow the tide down to a modest but rewarding 1.3 m

I live on Guernsey. We have a brilliant tidal range of about 10m and a great variety of marine organisms. Quite a lot of unusual warm water creatures arriving in the summer too.

The oddest thing I ever found was a wild boar. I was going to post it here but my daughter said it was too gross I'm not squeamish myself so I took her word for it. I'd love to know how it got washed up on one of our northwest beaches though, because they aren't native here

Most parts of the islands are great for rock pooling, and I've been doing it since I was a kid, but Herm island is the best place i know. I'm still convalescing so could only make it out to the Lihou island this time. In practice a bit too rocky for a good root around. The east coast of Guernsey from St Peter Port up to Richmond Corner is superb at the low springs. I generally end up taking hundreds of photos each time. Always something new to try and ID.

I'm never happier than when out alone beach-combing or rock pooling on some deserted shoreline. Nice to find others who share that pleasure

Cheers,

Andestine

[Marineboy]

Thanks for the comments. Its good to know there are like minded people about. I know well the total immersion that the solo beachcombing/rockpooling enthusiast enters into. It's not just about what you find - it's also about what you might find. And that list of possibles is only limited by mother nature's little whims and man's unfortunate ways. You never know what the tide is going to leave behind or what is lurking under the next rock.

Have you taken a magnifying glass to the tideline and explored the micro level of what's washed up? Do it and you might get so absorbed you don't notice the wet sandy knees! Sea urchin tests and scallop shells not much larger than a pin head - ok, not so good for a shell collection but they are exquisite. And don't ignore the seaweeds. Wonderful colours and forms, and take time to check out the holdfasts of any of the large kelps for the attached life they carry.

As to seeking out good areas for rockpooling, I find that Google Earth is great for exploring (at home) of new areas of coastline looking for suitable sites. The aerial views often give an indication of what lays just offshore and a suggestion of what material might be washed up - excuse me if it's obvious, but in general the dark areas are rock/weed and light areas are sand/mud. It doesn't give much away in regards to tidal ranges and what you might expect to find there on the day but it's a starting point. It's also good in that you can seek out nearby access or car parking. (GPS marks taken off Google Earth are extremely accurate too). Maybe someone on this site can suggest where might be good to go near Manchester.

Not sure yet where I will end up for the March tide. Guernsey sounds good and must get out there one day. I will probably explore the shoreline somewhere between Penzance, Plymouth and Torquay. Never been to Wembury. Maybe this time.

[gordonlowe]

advise appreciated, new to this site as of today!
have set up a local marine aquaria with the intention of stocking with rockpool inhabitants, the tank i have constructed is 4 foot and is tidal with a 7 hour spacing between tides, there is also a water surge ito the tank every 4 minutes. temperature is kept to a maximum of 14 deg C. using a beer cooler, all of this with intention of trying to re-create a natural environment as much as possible.
now to my query - living in scarborough firstly makes things easier, but my first explorations have not proved over successful. Scalby Mills appeared almost barren of life and South Bay not a lot better, 1 beadlet anemone, 2 common prawns and countless hermits which i collected 3 only as i know crabs can be aggressive. now many years ago (20) i kept local marines and collected a much larger variety of invertebrates etc without difficulty, where am i going wrong or am i just looking in the wrong places? (i was a lot younger then and the rocks where maybe not as challenging)

gordon

[Marineboy]

Sounds as though you have it sorted regards the marine set-up. I have kept cold water marine also using a beer cooler but never tried running the water actually through the metal pipework - Interested if you have done this.

What I used was a home made heat exchanger circulating water from the cooler, so tank water and water in the cooler were seperate. I only allowed mine down to about 17c and my biggest problem was condensation forming on the outside of the tank particularly when dinner is being cooked in the kitchen.

As to the variety of species, is it the same stretch of shoreline? Different times of the year and different aspects will reveal different species. Even I feel disappointed with a count like that and I wasn't even there! Maybe others can suggest a good stretch of rocky coast in that part of the world.

Have you considered learning to dive? I have done my fair share of deep, wreck and drift dives, and snorkelling is fun, but scuba in snorkelling depth of water is so overlooked, and you are technically still only in the rockpooling zone. Many times I have taken a large pond type net with me and gone looking for something good for the tank.

The temperatures that you are maintaining could support some really nice deeper water species - and you would'nt need the tidal system in place. Most true rockpool creatures really are quite hardy and able to withstand most conditions. Don't be unduly concerned about the hermits, especially small ones as like the prawns they do a great clean up job in the tank.

Is there anything in particular you are after for your tank? Someone here might be able to point you in the right direction.