Low Tide Adventure. Seattle, Washington

These small molluscs are easily missed. Look for them on rocky surfaces, often blending in with their surroundings. You may pet them gently with your science finger if you wish. The "mossy" variety feels more rubbery; hairy chiton are softer.

Anemones are abundant at Lincoln park. Aggregating anemones are easiest to find, either underfoot or colonizing rocks. There are large swathes of these that appear in the sand as the tide recedes, often camouflaged with bits of sand or shell. Larger, individual anemones can be found dangling from the underside of rocks.

There aren't many sea stars at Lincoln Park as they don't have a ton of great options for safe refuge when the tide recedes. Look for them almost exclusively in rock crevices.

This sea snail can be found everywhere on ocean rocks throughout the Pacific Northwest. They vary greatly in shape and color. As you encounter them throughout your tide pool exploring you might believe them to be of different species due to their widely ranging appearance.

I have only observed midshipman fish once, in the tide pools near Lincoln Park. The crows helped me find them due to their interest in nibbling on them! One crow flew away with a smaller specimen. They are found in summer low tides often caring for their eggs. While they may be exposed to predators during low tide, midshipman otherwise fare well as they are able to breathe out of water. These fish have luminous spots on their body, as seen in the photo. Though I wasn't lucky enough to hear it, midshipman fish can "sing" by producing a loud humming sound! 

Though none were in sight, I have found numerous moon snail egg collars strewn about Lincoln Park's beach. These are easily overlooked as they look like ocean debris, possibly man-made. The female moon snail creates this collar of eggs with mucus secretions and sand, making a shape that forms around the exterior of her body. While the collars are interesting in themselves, they often harbor small organisms such as sea slugs which shelter underneath it. I always try and place them back as I found them to minimize harm.

I have had great luck finding these sea slugs hanging out in moon snail egg casings at Lincoln Park. They may often be found among the eel grass. At their largest these guys may only be 3". Be gentle, they don't do well out of the water for long.

Worms of all sorts can be found upon the beach, but rarely do I see them sat upon the beach like this ribbon worm. It resembled a pile of tiny intestines! Typically worms are found partially buried in the sand or underneath rocks. I tend to avoid moving rocks as I might harm someone underneath it, however I have seen many-a-worm lurking where a rock has been recently moved.