Rock Pooling
Rock pooling is a fantastic pastime for children to enjoy (it’s great for adults too!)
Around the North Yorkshire Coast we have loads of rock pools to explore and this is a list of the type of things you could possibly find whilst exploring.
Beadlet Anenome
A jelly-like animal that attaches to rocks. Often found under rocks, overhangs and crevices. Look out for their familiar red or green blobby bodies on rocks at low tide. These unfurl to reveal waving tentacles when the tide comes in.
Edible Crab
A redish / brown crab with a ‘pie crust’ shell. They often ‘play dead’ when they are picked up.
Common Limpet
A Sea Snail in a cone shaped shell and can be up to 6cm long. These animals stick to rocks for protection at low tide. The colour is commonly an ashy grey-white, with an occasional yellow tint.
Common Starfish
Although the common starfish is usually orange in colour, it can also be brownish or purple. It is instantly recognisable from its five-armed shape, with some individuals having six arms. Starfish can regenerate missing arms - in fact they can become whole again from just one arm and part of the central body! Check out their hundreds of ‘feet’ underneath their arms.
Common Mussel
Mussels are Bivalves meaning they have 2 shells. The common mussel's shell is roughly triangular, however can vary due depending on conditions. The shell is usually a dark shell of blue or purple and occasionally brown. They anchor themselves to rocks with fine threads.
Green Shore Crab
Our most abundant crab, found on all coasts, normally under rocks or amongst the seaweed. The shell has a jagged front edge with tooth-like projections. Colour varies, but often dark green.
Common Periwinkle
A small sea snail found in cracks and crevices. You will normally find them clustered up in groups. The common periwinkle is the largest of the species, reaching a minimum height of 5cm. The conical shell has spiral ridges and can range from anything to grey, black, brown or red.
Hermit Crab
This soft-bodied crab lives in an empty spiral shell, moving up sizes as it grows. Watch them wrestle each other for empty shells. When inside the shell, its right pincer seals the entrance.
Scorpion Fish
Long-spined sea scorpions are usually found in mixed to rough ground with weed cover. They are often found trapped in rockpools by the retreating tide where they will happily live and feed until they are freed when the tide comes back in.
Barnacle
Normally found all over the rocky shore. Did you know they eat using their feet?
There are probably many more species to be found in the rock pools, but whatever you find I’m sure you will have a fantastic time exploring and discovering!