The Tide Pools of Little Corona del Mar

Mar 29, 2011
Mary Purpari

sea anemone - Mary Purpari

You can find one of the most beautiful and interesting tide pool reserves in the country, Little Corona del Mar, along the Pacific Coast Highway in SoCal.

Back in the 50s and 60s a favorite pastime of Southern Californians was spending a lot of time down at the beach. One of the favorite destinations was Little Corona del Mar, in Orange County. It was the perfect spot for jumping in the waves and body-surfing on high tide days; low-tide was best because that was the time when the tide pools were available.

At the time, no one was particularly interested in ecology or protecting ecosystems on a grand level, so there were no second thoughts about gathering up as much marine life as possible for furnishing salt-water aquariums at home. The usual things like webbed starfish, brittle starfish, hermit crabs, small sea urchins, limpets, and small abalones were gathered with impunity. Most also had a few tiny fish, as well as a few strange creatures which marine biologists these days would probably find very interesting; some even kept a few anemones, which would quickly die out of their natural environment.

The Tide Pools Today

Today the tide pools have been declared a Marine Life Refuge and it’s no longer possible to take things at will. What my parents innocently considered as on-hands learning about our natural surroundings is now recognized as being destructive to a delicate mini-ecosystem. Of course, we weren’t the only ones, and the damage was intensified.

Even simply visiting the area and observing the marine life at the Refuge can seriously perturb and alter the interaction of the species in the system. Just one person, sliding on a rock or accidentally kicking a hermit crab or smashing a blade of sea grass can cause damage to one life form. There are over a million visitors a year at the Corona del Mar tide pools, and the damage done, though unintentional, is vast.

There are several rules that have been established at the tide pools to help maintain their integrity:

Removal of any rocks, shells or marine life is prohibited and punishable by fines up to $1000.
Dogs are only allowed on the beach before 9am and after 5pm year round. They are never permitted off-leash and owners must pick up after their pets.
Alcohol is not permitted on the beach.
Fires and barbecues are not permitted on Little Corona Beach. Fire rings are available a short distance away at Big Corona Beach.
The beach is open from 6am to 10pm year round.

What You Can Expect to See

Tide pools are rocky areas that during high tide are hidden beneath the water. When they are at low tide, a large variety of marine life is visible. Of course, waves do continue to flow over the pools, giving a more vivid view of what marine life is all about. Clusters of red and white barnacles are a perfect hideaway for a hermit crab temporarily clad in a barnacle shell. Small, brightly colored fish dart behind seemingly innocent anemones, while others with drabber colors blend in with the rocks themselves.

Brittle starfish, with their grays, browns and blacks float feather-like in the current, while small webbed starfish cling tenaciously to the rocky ledges, their vibrant oranges, yellows, reds and purples proclaiming “Here I am — just try to get me”. Prickly purple sea urchins inch their way along — beware! Those spines can cause a lot of pain. If you’re really lucky, you might see a very young abalone or even a shy lobster or octopus. One time we even found a very interesting purple, red, yellow and bright blue creature that ruffled its way along the crevices.

You can also see mussels, snails, several types of limpets, horse shoe and fiddler crabs and sea hares. A variety of sea grasses and mosses render the tide pools slippery, so be careful. The temptation to carry things away can be great, but this is discouraged. Taking pictures is a much better way to keep a record of what you’ve seen.

Recreation and Marine Life Research

Research is allowed, as are visits for scholastic purposes, but the Marine Protection Areas of Orange County must be informed at least thirty days before the proposed visit, and a Researcher/ Educator User form must be completed. Collecting is permitted only in the case of research, and includes the handling of any material, living or dead, even if it is returned immediately to the site from which it was “collected." Any collecting must be in direct relation to the subject of the research.

There are many recreational activities that take place at Little Corona del Mar beach that actually have nothing to do with the tide pools. Since the waves aren’t generally very high or strong, it is an excellent area for families with children who are seeking to enjoy a swim or a little bodysurfing. Care must be taken, however, because there can be an undertow that moves toward the tide pools. It’s usually unnoticeable until you’re caught in the undertow current, so be alert.

Another popular recreational sport is surf fishing. A wide variety of fish are available from the shoreline, and there are certain types that may be legally taken, including lobsters, rockfish, yellowtail, bonito, mackerel, blue-fin tuna, California halibut, croaker, White sea bass, barracuda, and sole, among others. For the entire list and limits on each type, see the link below. Many species must be released if caught, including leopard sharks, stingrays, sand crabs and scallops.

If you are looking for an exciting day of fun and learning about the natural world, the Little Corona del Mar Tide pools are the place to go, whether you splash through the waves or walk cautiously along the pools. Contact the MPA of Orange County for tide schedules, so you're sure to arrive at the most appropriate moment, enabling you to get an up-close look at the wonders of the sea.