Читать книгу Afoot & Afield: Orange County. A Comprehensive Hiking Guide онлайн

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Successful tidepool gazing requires both good light (midafternoon is best) and negative tides. These conditions occur during either new or full moons from October through March. On about 20 afternoons each year, the tide drops to less than minus 1 foot (zero is defined as the average of the tides across the United States), which is low enough for you to examine marine life in the intertidal zone. Plan to start your walk about an hour before a predicted low tide.

These tidepools are remarkably pristine, and your good manners will help keep them healthy. Tidepool explorers should take care not to step on living creatures and should be especially watchful for delicate sea anemones that can be hard to recognize. Remember not to pick up, touch, or poke the tidepool life. Don’t turn over rocks because the creatures living under them need to stay there, and those on top of the rocks won’t fare well if they find themselves under them. Please don’t collect shells.

Rocky reefs are exposed frequently along Crystal Cove State Park’s beachfront, but not to the degree found along a 0.5-mile stretch of coast just north of the park. As you pay your parking fee, you may be able to pick up a brochure with pictures to help you identify tidepool life. Docents also sometimes lead walks on weekends coinciding with low tide, and you might consider joining one of these walks at Pelican Point before continuing up to Little Corona Beach.