A Few Tide Pool Sights

On Sunday, Paul and I checked out one of the last types of environments that we hadn't yet explored around our new home: tide pools! Luffenholtz Beach County Park is a small park with dramatic cliffs and rocky shores a short drive north from our house. Paul said it's the most beautiful beach he's ever seen, and it's hard to disagree:

Down in the tide pools, we found multi-colored anemones:
 

A colony of big Gooseneck Barnacles (Pollicipes polymerus) clung to the underside of some rocks:
 

And fancy Lined Shore Crabs (Pachygrapsus crassipes) foraged among rocky crevices:

Mmm, this crab was enjoying a green leafy meal:
 

I love the colors and patterns on these crabs! This individual would have been well hidden, if it weren't for all that bright green, yellow, and red:
 

Northern California continues to amaze me. Whether in forest, field, marsh, or shore, there's awesome wildlife everywhere you turn!