[dropcap]N[/dropcap]estled between the bustling and much more popular Newport and Laguna Beaches lies a hidden gem, Crystal Cove State Park. Located along the Pacific Coast Highway, Crystal Cove’s beach is a designated 1,140-acre underwater park, and its pristine waters are home to a spectacular variety of starfish, anemones, crabs, sea urchins, limpets, sea slugs and other sealife that consistently ranks above those of other tide pools.
The coming of winter heralds especially low tides, which are caused by the moon’s gravitational pull, exposing intertidal regions which are usually underwater. These rocky areas, called tide pools, are teeming with all sorts of different marine life and are best experienced in December and January, months which are notorious for the highest of high and lowest of low tides.
So instead of peering at fish through a glass barrier or settling for Santa Monica’s sparse tide pools and murky waters, head down to Crystal Cove for a day of sea exploration. SoCal’s signature heat waves can bring 80 degree temperatures during a time when the rest of the country is blanketed in snow, and you can also avoid the characteristic summer crowds.
Its sandy, clean beaches and tide pools are framed by bluffs that people can climb on top of for a panoramic view of the ocean and wooded canyons which are open for camping.
Although Crystal Cove has an expansive collection of tide pools spread along its 3.5 mile-long stretch of beach, the ones at Reef Point, toward the southernmost part of the beach, are larger and contain even more sea life, including octopi and dolphins beyond the rocks sometimes. Terns, egrets and pelicans are regularly spotted hopping along the beach.
If you’re eager to learn more about the things found inside tide pools instead of just looking at them, Crystal Cove also offers volunteer-led tide pool walks on certain days of the month. Various marine life identification charts are also available online.
Before you make the hour-long trip to Crystal Cove, remember to call the park at (949)-497-7647 or consult a website to obtain the most important piece of information: the day’s tide schedule.
However, as you’re traisping through the waters, remember the golden rule of tide pooling: look but don’t touch. Crystal Cove is a protected park and there are fines for disturbing the wildlife, so make sure not to remove anything from where you found it. After all, tide pools are delicate ecosystems, so tread carefully.
TCHS School Newspaper